Neutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with the Hyper-Kamiokande detector

Abstract Using PREM as a reference model for the Earth density distribution we investigate the sensitivity of the Hyper-Kamiokande (HK) detector to deviations of the Earth (i) core average density $$\bar{\rho }_C$$ ρ ¯ C , (ii) lower mantle average density $$\bar{\rho }_{lman}$$ ρ ¯ lman ) and (iii)...

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Main Authors: C. Jesús-Valls, S. T. Petcov, J. Xia
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-06-01
Series:European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14338-z
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author C. Jesús-Valls
S. T. Petcov
J. Xia
author_facet C. Jesús-Valls
S. T. Petcov
J. Xia
author_sort C. Jesús-Valls
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Using PREM as a reference model for the Earth density distribution we investigate the sensitivity of the Hyper-Kamiokande (HK) detector to deviations of the Earth (i) core average density $$\bar{\rho }_C$$ ρ ¯ C , (ii) lower mantle average density $$\bar{\rho }_{lman}$$ ρ ¯ lman ) and (iii) upper mantle average density $$\bar{\rho }_{uman}$$ ρ ¯ uman , from their respective PREM densities. The analysis is performed by studying the effects of the Earth matter on the oscillations of atmospheric $$\nu _{\mu }$$ ν μ , $$\nu _e$$ ν e , $$\bar{\nu }_\mu $$ ν ¯ μ and $$\bar{\nu }_e$$ ν ¯ e . We implement the constraints on the variations of $$\rho _C$$ ρ C , $$\rho _{lman}$$ ρ lman and $$\rho _{uman}$$ ρ uman following from the precise knowledge of the Earth mass $$M_\oplus $$ M ⊕ and moment of inertia $$I_\oplus $$ I ⊕ , as well as from the requirement that the Earth be in hydrostatic equilibrium (EHE). These constraints limit in the case of the three layer Earth density structure we are considering the maximal positive deviation of $$\bar{\rho }_C$$ ρ ¯ C from its PREM value to $$10\%$$ 10 % . Considering the case of normal ordering (NO) of neutrino masses, we present results which illustrate the dependence of sensitivity to the core, lower and upper mantle average densities on the energy and zenith angle resolutions and on the value of $$\theta _{23}$$ θ 23 . We show, in particular, that in the “nominal” case of neutrino energy resolution $$E_{res} = 30\%$$ E res = 30 % and zenith angle resolution $$\theta _{zres} = 20^\circ $$ θ zres = 20 ∘ and for, e.g., $$\sin ^2\theta _{23}=0.45~(0.58)$$ sin 2 θ 23 = 0.45 ( 0.58 ) , HK can determine the average core density $$\bar{\rho }_C$$ ρ ¯ C at $$2\sigma $$ 2 σ C.L. after 6500 days of operation with an uncertainty of ( $$-$$ - 14.5%)/+39.5% (( $$-$$ - 9.3%/+31.7%). In the ”more favorable” case of $$E_{res}= 20\%$$ E res = 20 % and $$\theta _{zres} = 10^\circ $$ θ zres = 10 ∘ , and if $$\sin ^2\theta _{23}=0.58~(0.45)$$ sin 2 θ 23 = 0.58 ( 0.45 ) , the core density would be determined at $$2\sigma $$ 2 σ C.L. with an uncertainty of ( $$-$$ - 8.3%)/+9.8% (( $$-$$ - 9.2%)/+11.3%).
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spelling doaj-art-3c7437c1418d4d24aff2e316eb98d0d52025-08-20T03:31:41ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields1434-60522025-06-0185611510.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14338-zNeutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with the Hyper-Kamiokande detectorC. Jesús-Valls0S. T. Petcov1J. Xia2Kavli IPMU (WPI), UTIAS, The University of TokyoKavli IPMU (WPI), UTIAS, The University of TokyoKavli IPMU (WPI), UTIAS, The University of TokyoAbstract Using PREM as a reference model for the Earth density distribution we investigate the sensitivity of the Hyper-Kamiokande (HK) detector to deviations of the Earth (i) core average density $$\bar{\rho }_C$$ ρ ¯ C , (ii) lower mantle average density $$\bar{\rho }_{lman}$$ ρ ¯ lman ) and (iii) upper mantle average density $$\bar{\rho }_{uman}$$ ρ ¯ uman , from their respective PREM densities. The analysis is performed by studying the effects of the Earth matter on the oscillations of atmospheric $$\nu _{\mu }$$ ν μ , $$\nu _e$$ ν e , $$\bar{\nu }_\mu $$ ν ¯ μ and $$\bar{\nu }_e$$ ν ¯ e . We implement the constraints on the variations of $$\rho _C$$ ρ C , $$\rho _{lman}$$ ρ lman and $$\rho _{uman}$$ ρ uman following from the precise knowledge of the Earth mass $$M_\oplus $$ M ⊕ and moment of inertia $$I_\oplus $$ I ⊕ , as well as from the requirement that the Earth be in hydrostatic equilibrium (EHE). These constraints limit in the case of the three layer Earth density structure we are considering the maximal positive deviation of $$\bar{\rho }_C$$ ρ ¯ C from its PREM value to $$10\%$$ 10 % . Considering the case of normal ordering (NO) of neutrino masses, we present results which illustrate the dependence of sensitivity to the core, lower and upper mantle average densities on the energy and zenith angle resolutions and on the value of $$\theta _{23}$$ θ 23 . We show, in particular, that in the “nominal” case of neutrino energy resolution $$E_{res} = 30\%$$ E res = 30 % and zenith angle resolution $$\theta _{zres} = 20^\circ $$ θ zres = 20 ∘ and for, e.g., $$\sin ^2\theta _{23}=0.45~(0.58)$$ sin 2 θ 23 = 0.45 ( 0.58 ) , HK can determine the average core density $$\bar{\rho }_C$$ ρ ¯ C at $$2\sigma $$ 2 σ C.L. after 6500 days of operation with an uncertainty of ( $$-$$ - 14.5%)/+39.5% (( $$-$$ - 9.3%/+31.7%). In the ”more favorable” case of $$E_{res}= 20\%$$ E res = 20 % and $$\theta _{zres} = 10^\circ $$ θ zres = 10 ∘ , and if $$\sin ^2\theta _{23}=0.58~(0.45)$$ sin 2 θ 23 = 0.58 ( 0.45 ) , the core density would be determined at $$2\sigma $$ 2 σ C.L. with an uncertainty of ( $$-$$ - 8.3%)/+9.8% (( $$-$$ - 9.2%)/+11.3%).https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14338-z
spellingShingle C. Jesús-Valls
S. T. Petcov
J. Xia
Neutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with the Hyper-Kamiokande detector
European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
title Neutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with the Hyper-Kamiokande detector
title_full Neutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with the Hyper-Kamiokande detector
title_fullStr Neutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with the Hyper-Kamiokande detector
title_full_unstemmed Neutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with the Hyper-Kamiokande detector
title_short Neutrino oscillation tomography of the Earth with the Hyper-Kamiokande detector
title_sort neutrino oscillation tomography of the earth with the hyper kamiokande detector
url https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-025-14338-z
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AT jxia neutrinooscillationtomographyoftheearthwiththehyperkamiokandedetector