Decoupled oscillations and resonances of three neutrinos in matter

Abstract

In a previous paper, we gave a new theoretical framework in which three neutrino mixing in matter are discussed. Rigorous analytical solutions are obtained. In present paper an approximate method is developed for studying three flavor neutrino oscillations in matter in the new framework. Using condition of $\Delta m_{1}^{2}\ll \Delta m_{2}^{2}$, decoupled resonances, which is discovered by Kuo {\it et al.} previously, are obtained without small angle approximation. Calculation and approximation is consistent and rigorous. All the formulae appear in simple symmetric form and some physical characteristic are more explicit. Around the two resonant points, the mass eigenvalue whose eigenfunction does not take part in the oscillation process, can be easily calculated to higher precision. We find, the oscillation amplitude is dominated by vacuum mixing and is smaller than 1 for smaller A resonance, but it is not in the larger A. This is characteristic for the three flavor oscillations, but do not exist in two flavor.