Physical Reach of a Neutrino Factory in the 2+2 and 3+1 Four-Family Scenario.pdf

a r X i v : h e p - p h / 0 1 0 7 2 7 4 v 1 2 6 J u l 2 0 0 1 Physical Reach of a Neutrino Factory in the 2+2 and 3+1 Four-Family Scenario A. Donini a 1 and D. Meloni a 2 aI.N.F.N., Sezione di Roma I and Dip. Fisica, Universita? di Roma “La Sapienza”, P.le A. Moro 2, I-00185, Rome, Italy Abstract We compare the physical reach of a Neutrino Factory in the 2+2 and 3+1 four– family models, with similar results in the two schemes; in both cases huge CP- violating effects can be observed with a near detector in the νμ → ντ channel. We also study the capability of long baseline experiments (optimized for the study of the three–family mixing parameter space) in distinguishing a three (active) neutrino model from a four–family scenario. Key words: NUFACT01, neutrino, sterile, oscillations, CP-violation. The present experimental solar and atmospheric neutrino data give strong indica- tions in favour of neutrino oscillations. In addition, the results of the LSND experi- ment [1] would imply the existence of a puzzling fourth, sterile, neutrino state. There are two very different classes of spectra with four massive neutrinos: two pairs of almost degenerate neutrinos divided by the large LSND mass gap (the 2+2 scheme); or three almost degenerate neutrinos and an isolated fourth one (the 3+1 scheme). The former gave a better fit, as was shown in [2], but the recent SNO results [3] will certainly restrict the allowed parameter region. The latter is at present only marginally compatible with the data [4]. An experimental set-up capable of precision measurement of the whole three-neutrino mixing parameter space (including the CP violating phase δ) is under study. This experimental programme consists of the development of a “Neutrino Factory” (high- energy muons decaying in the straight section of a storage ring and producing a very pure and intense neutrino beam [5,6]) and of suitably optimized detectors. We shall consider in what follows a neutrino beam resulting from the de