Magnetic field effects on neutrino oscillations

Abstract

Using the exact propagators in a constant magnetic field, the neutrino self-energy has been calculated to all orders in the field strength $B$ within the minimal extension of the Weinberg-Salam model with massive Dirac neutrinos. A neutrino dispersion relation, effective potential and effective mass have been obtained that depend on $B$. The consequences of this effective potential on neutrino oscillations have been explored, and resonance conditions have been obtained for magnetic fields $0<eB \le 4m^2_e$, where $e$ is the elementary charge and $m_e$ is the electron mass. The oscillation length has also been obtained, showing that $\nu_e$-$\nu_\mu$ resonant oscillations in magnetic field are likely to occur in the proximity of most stars generating high magnetic fields.