# References

hep-ph/9811379   
KIAS-P98034   
YUMS 98-018   
SNUTP 98-125   

Bi-maximal Lepton Flavor Mixing Matrix   
and Neutrino Oscillation   

Sin Kyu Kang <sup>a,</sup><sup>1</sup><sup>1</sup>1skkang@kias.re.kr, skkang@supy.kaist.ac.kr, C. S. Kim <sup>a,b,</sup><sup>2</sup><sup>2</sup>2kim@cskim.yonsei.ac.kr, http://phya.yonsei.ac.kr/~cskim/,

$`a:`$ School of Physics, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 130-012, Korea

$`b:`$ Physics Department, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea

()

## Abstract

Recently, many authors showed that if the solar and atmospheric neutrino data are both described by maximal mixing vacuum oscillations at the relevant mass scale, then there exists a unique bi-maximal lepton mixing matrix for three neutrino flavors. We construct the lepton mass matrices from the symmetry principle so that maximal mixings for the atmospheric and the solar neutrino vacuum oscillations are naturally generated. Although the hierarchical patterns of the lepton sector are quite different from each other, we show how two different mass matrices suggested in this work can be generated in a unified way. We also give comments on possible future tests of the bi-maximal lepton mixing matrix.

PACS number(s): 14.60Pq, 12.15Fk

The recent atmospheric neutrino data from the Super-Kamiokande Collaboration  presents convincing evidence for neutrino oscillation and hence nonzero neutrino mass. The results indicate the maximal mixing between $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ with mass squared difference $`\delta m_{atm}^25\times 10^3\text{eV}^2`$. The long-standing solar neutrino deficit  can also be explained through the matter enhanced neutrino oscillation (i.e. the MSW solution ) if $`\delta m_{solar}^26\times 10^6\text{eV}^2`$ and $`\mathrm{sin}^22\theta _{solar}7\times 10^3`$ (small angle case), or $`\delta m_{solar}^29\times 10^6\text{eV}^2`$ and $`\mathrm{sin}^22\theta _{solar}0.6`$ (large angle case) and through the long-distance vacuum neutrino oscillation called as “just-so” oscillation  if $`\delta m_{solar}^210^{10}\text{eV}^2`$ and $`\mathrm{sin}^22\theta _{solar}1.0`$. However, the recent data on the electron neutrino spectrum reported by Super-Kamiokande  seems to favor the ”just-so” vacuum oscillation, even though the small angle MSW oscillation and the maximal mixing between the atmospheric $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ have been taken as a natural solution for the neutrino problems . Moreover, as shown by Georgi and Glashow , solar neutrino oscillations may be nearly maximal if relic neutrinos comprise at least one percent of the critical mass density of the universe. If this vacuum oscillation of the solar neutrino is confirmed in future experiments , the mixing angles in the lepton sector are turned out to be large in contrast with the quark sector in which all observed mixing angles among different families are quite small. This seems not to be achieved in such a way to unify quarks and leptons at the GUT scale. One can thus deduce that the origin of the lepton mass matrices would be different from the one of the quark sector . Therefore, it is worthwhile to find any possible mechanism providing such neutrino mixing patterns. Gauge models such as $`SO(10)`$ grand unification model  and left-right symmetric model  have been constructed so that the so called “bi-maximal” neutrino mixing  for the solar and atmospheric vacuum oscillations are naturally accommodated. There have also been attempts to derive such a neutrino mixing from a lepton mass matrix ansatz .

Recently, Barger et al.  showed that if the solar and atmospheric neutrino data are both described by maximal mixing vacuum oscillations at the relevant mass scale, then there exists a unique mixing matrix for three neutrino flavors. Their solution necessarily conserves CP and automatically implies that there is no disappearance of atmospheric $`\nu _e`$, consistent with indications from the Super-Kamiokande experiment. However, they did not construct the neutrino mass matrix from some simple symmetry principle, but inverted the process to obtain the neutrino mass matrix in the flavor basis from the mass eigenvalues and the bi-maximal mixing matrix by using the fact that a Majorana mass matrix or a hermitian Dirac mass matrix can be diagonalized by a single unitary matrix. From the phenomenological point of view, Georgi and Glashow  also suggested the neutrino mass matrix that is compatible with the “bi-maximal” neutrino mixing, cosmological observation and the nonexistence of neutrinoless double beta decay.

The purpose of this letter is to construct the lepton mass matrices from the symmetry principle so that maximal mixings for the atmospheric and the solar neutrino vacuum oscillations are naturally generated. We note that the bi-maximal lepton flavor mixing matrix $`V_{bimax}`$ can be constructed from the product of two unitary matrices

$`\left(U_{CKM}^{lepton}\right)^{}V_{bimax}`$ $``$ $`\left(\begin{array}{ccc}\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& 0\\ \frac{1}{2}& \frac{1}{2}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\\ \frac{1}{2}& \frac{1}{2}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\end{array}\right)`$ (4)   
$`=`$ $`\left(\begin{array}{ccc}1& 0& 0\\ 0& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\\ 0& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{ccc}\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& 0\\ \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& 0\\ 0& 0& 1\end{array}\right)U_\nu ^{}U_l,`$ (11)   
where $`U_\nu `$ and $`U_l`$ give the maximal mixing between the second and the third generations and between the first and the second generations, respectively. As will be shown later, the charged lepton mass matrix can be diagonalized by $`U_l`$, while the neutrino mass matrix can be diagonalized by $`U_\nu `$. This is outstanding feature of our lepton mass matrices. Although the hierarchical patterns of the lepton sector are quite different from each other, we will show how two different mass matrices suggested in this work can be generated in a unified way.

Let us start with a general $`S(3)_L\times S(3)_R`$ symmetric mass matrix :

$`M_0=C\left(\begin{array}{ccc}1& r& r\\ r& 1& r\\ r& r& 1\end{array}\right).`$ (15)   
By diagonalizing this matrix with the help of the unitary matrix

$`U=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}& 0\\ \frac{1}{\sqrt{6}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{6}}& \frac{2}{\sqrt{6}}\\ \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}& \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\end{array}\right),`$ (19)   
we obtain the eigenvalues

$$C(1r,1r,1+2r).$$

For $`r=1`$, only the third element becomes massive, which enables us to explain why the third generation quarks and charged leptons are much heavier than the others . Thus we take $`r=1`$ for the charged lepton mass matrix. On the other hand, the neutrino data does not seem to support such hierarchy. Moreover, if we regard the neutrinos as a part of hot dark matter, all three neutrinos may be almost degenerate in their masses . This almost degenerate neutrino mass pattern can be achieved by taking $`r`$ to be nearly zero . Therefore, we choose, as the first step <sup>3</sup><sup>3</sup>3Actually, the case $`r=0`$ might not require the diagonalization of $`M_0`$ because that case corresponds to the diagonal form already before diagonalizing. However, we need the diagonalization as long as the value of $`r`$ is not exactly zero but small enough to be negligible compared to the parameter $`C`$ and even $`A,B`$.,

$`r`$ $`=`$ $`1\mathrm{for}\mathrm{charged}\mathrm{lepton}\mathrm{case},`$   
$`\mathrm{and}r`$ $`=`$ $`0\mathrm{for}\mathrm{neutrino}\mathrm{case}.`$   
In order to generate the hierarchy of the charged lepton sector and phenomenologically acceptable form of the mass matrix for the neutrino sector, we introduce the symmetry breaking terms so that the hierarchy or the mass difference between two generations can be accommodated, and the maximal mixing between those generations can be generated simultaneously. We will show that this can be achieved in the way that the $`S(3)_L\times S(3)_R`$ symmetry is broken down to $`S(2)_L\times S(2)_R`$.

Now we consider the following $`2\times 2`$ mass matrix, which provides the maximal mixing between two flavors 

$`\left(\begin{array}{cc}\alpha & \beta \\ \beta & \alpha \end{array}\right).`$ (22)   
This form of mass matrix can be diagonalized by the unitary matrix

$`U={\displaystyle \frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}}\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 1\\ 1& 1\end{array}\right),`$ (25)   
and the eigenvalues are given as

$$(\alpha +\beta ,\alpha \beta ).$$

The matrix (5) can be easily generated by considering the so-called “democratic” $`2\times 2`$ mass matrix, that reflects $`S(2)_L\times S(2)_R`$ symmetry, and by adding a symmetry breaking matrix, which has $`S(2)`$ symmetry under the interchange between the first and the second indices:

$`M_2=A\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 1\\ 1& 1\end{array}\right)+B\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 1\\ 1& 1\end{array}\right)=\left(\begin{array}{cc}A+B& AB\\ AB& A+B\end{array}\right).`$ (32)   
With the help of Eq. (6), one can easily obtain the eigenvalues of $`M`$ which are given as

$$(2A,2B).$$

Since we want to get the bi-maximal mixing matrix while keeping the hierarchical charged lepton masses and degenerate neutrino masses, we add this symmetry breaking matrix $`M_2`$ to the previous hierarchical matrices $`M_0`$ appropriately. And then, relate the parameters $`A`$ and $`B`$

* (a) to the masses of the first and the second generations for the charged lepton sector, respectively, and
* (b) to the mass differences between two (the second and the third) generations for the neutrino sector.

At the end, we can obtain the realistic lepton mass matrices. I.e., we add the above symmetry breaking $`M_2`$ matrix as the sub matrix of $`M_0`$ in the ($`e,\mu `$) basis for the charged lepton sector;

$`M_l=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}0& 0& 0\\ 0& 0& 0\\ 0& 0& C\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{ccc}A+B& AB& 0\\ AB& A+B& 0\\ 0& 0& C\end{array}\right),`$ (39)   
while as the one in the ($`\nu _\mu ,\nu _\tau `$) basis for the neutrino sector as follows;

$`M_\nu =\left(\begin{array}{ccc}C& 0& 0\\ 0& C& 0\\ 0& 0& C\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{ccc}C& 0& 0\\ 0& C+A+B& AB\\ 0& AB& C+A+B\end{array}\right).`$ (46)   
Then, one can see that these matrices $`M_l`$ and $`M_\nu `$ can be diagonalized by $`U_l`$ and $`U_\nu `$, respectively, which in turn lead to the bi-maximal lepton flavor mixing matrix $`U_{CKM}^{lepton}`$, as given in Eqs.(1,2) by combining $`U_\nu `$ with $`U_l`$.

Eigenvalues of the mass matrices $`M_l`$ and $`M_\nu `$ are given as

$$M_l=(2A,2B,C)\mathrm{and}M_\nu =(C,C+2A,C+2B),$$

respectively. For the charged lepton sector, the parameters $`A,B`$ and $`C`$ are determined by the following mass relations

$$A=m_e/2,B=m_\mu /2\mathrm{and}C=m_\tau .$$
(47)   
In order to solve $`A,B`$ and $`C`$ for the neutrino sector, we first require two conditions,

$$\mathrm{\Delta }m_{solar}^2=10^{10}\text{eV}^2,\mathrm{and}\mathrm{\Delta }m_{atm}^2=2\times 10^3\text{eV}^2,$$

which can fit the available data quite well, where the mass differences $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{ij}^2=m_{\nu _i}^2m_{\nu _j}^2`$ should be identified with, among the possibilities, $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{solar}^2=\mathrm{\Delta }m_{12}^2`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{atm}^2=\mathrm{\Delta }m_{23}^2`$. Thus we will consider henceforth only this case. In addition, if the neutrinos account for the hot dark matter of the universe, one has to require

$$|m_{\nu _i}|6\text{eV}.$$

Then the set of parameters $`(A,B,C)`$ is given by

$$(A,B,C)(10^{10},0.00025,1.9999)(\text{eV}),$$
(48)   
for which three light neutrinos are almost degenerate with masses around $`2`$ eV.

Now, we check if the solution of three neutrino mass eigenvalues satisfies the constraints coming from the neutrinoless double $`\beta `$decay, as well as other data from neutrino oscillation experiments. The neutrino mixing matrix Eq. (1) and neutrino mass eigenvalues lead to

$$m_{\nu _e}\left|\underset{i=1}{\overset{3}{}}V_{ei}^2m_i\right|^21.9999\mathrm{eV}.$$

However, that value of neutrino mass is not compatible with the current upper limit coming from the non-observation of the neutrinoless double $`\beta `$decay, which is given as 

$$m_{\nu _e}(0.51.5)\text{eV}.$$
(49)   
In order to be satisfied with this constraint, $`|m_{\nu _i}|`$ is allowed only up to $`4.5`$ eV. If we take this value, the set of parameters $`(A,B,C)`$ is determined to be

$$(A,B,C)(10^{10},0.00035,1.4998)(\text{eV}),$$
(50)   
for which three light neutrinos are almost degenerate with masses around $`1.5`$ eV. If we begin to increase the neutrino masses in order to make them dominant hot dark matter candidates, we cease to satisfy the $`(\beta \beta )_{\nu 0}`$ constraint.

Further test of our ansatz is provided with the long baseline experiments searching for $`\nu _\mu \nu _\tau `$ oscillation in the range of $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{\mu \tau }^210^3\mathrm{eV}^2`$ . The MINOS  and K2K  sensitivities to $`\mathrm{\Delta }m^2`$ at $`90\%`$ CL can go down to $`\mathrm{\Delta }m^2=1.2\times 10^3\text{eV}^2`$ and $`2.0\times 10^3\text{eV}^2`$, respectively, while the ICARUS  sensitivity is achieved at $`\mathrm{\Delta }m^2=3.0\times 10^3\text{eV}^2`$. The bi-maximal mixing scenario, in which $`\mathrm{sin}^22\theta _{\mu \tau }`$ is predicted to be $`1`$ with $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{\mu \tau }^22\times 10^3\text{eV}^2`$, can be tested at the MINOS and K2K experiments searching for the $`\nu _\mu \nu _\tau `$ oscillations in the foreseeable future, but is beyond the sensitivity to $`\mathrm{\Delta }m^2`$ at $`90\%`$ CL being achieved at ICARUS. Future experiment on the $`\nu _\mu \nu _\tau `$ oscillation from the MINOS and K2K will exclude our model for charged lepton and neutrino mass matrices.

Finally, we comment on that the bi-maximal neutrino mixing matrix Eq. (1) predicts zero for $`V_{e3}`$ element which makes $`\nu _e\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\mu \nu _\tau `$ oscillations to be effectively a two-channel problem. This is supported from CHOOZ data  which give the mixing angle $`\theta _{13}`$ to be less than $`13^0`$ in most of the Super-Kamiokande allowed region. As one can see, $`V_{e3}`$ element becomes zero in the limit of $`\theta _{13}=0`$ . However, note that a non-vanishing $`V_{e3}`$ element is not completely excluded, but rather it can be larger in the region not covered by CHOOZ . To justify this bi-maximal mixing scenario, the precise determination of $`V_{e3}`$ element will may be essential, which requires several oscillation channels to be probed at the same time. From the fact that the $`\nu _\mu \nu _\tau `$ disappearance channel is sensitive only to $`V_{\mu 3}^2`$ and the $`\nu _\mu \nu _e`$ appearance channel is sensitive to the product $`V_{\mu 3}^2V_{e3}^2`$, one can determine the element $`V_{e3}`$ by combining the regions to be probed in both channels. K2K  will be expected to perform this, but it does not, at present, seem to achieve sufficient sensitivity in the $`\nu _\mu \nu _e`$ appearance channel to probe the region of $`V_{e3}^2`$ allowed by Super-Kamiokande and CHOOZ .   

Acknowledgments   

CSK wishes to thank the Korea Institute for Advanced Study for warm hospitality. CSK wishes to acknowledge the financial support of Korean Research Foundation made in the program of 1997.