Limits on $\nu_{\mu}(\nu_{e}) \to \nu_{\tau}$ oscillations and tau neutrino magnetic moment from neutrino-electron scattering

Abstract

The combined effect of neutrino flavor oscillations and neutrino magnetic moment on neutrino-electron scattering is discussed. It is shown, that if the tau neutrino has a (large) magnetic moment and can oscillate into a neutrino of another flavor it can be used for a sensitive search for $\nu_{\mu}(\nu_{e}) \to \nu_{\tau}$ neutrino oscillations and the tau neutrino magnetic moment in neutrino -electron scattering experiments. The combined limits on the mixing angles and the tau neutrino magnetic moment $sin^{2}2\theta_{\mu\tau}\times \mu_{\nu_{\tau}}^{2} < 1.1 \times 10^{-18}\mu_{B}^{2}$ and $sin^{2}2\theta_{e\tau}\times \mu_{\nu_{\tau}}^{2} < 2.3 \times 10^{-18}\mu_{B}^{2}$ for $\Delta m^{2} > 10~ eV^{2}$ are presented based on results of a study of the neutrino-electron elastic scattering at LAMPF. For $\nu_{\mu}\to \nu_{\tau}$ oscillations, this would results in sensitive limit of $sin^{2}2\theta_{\mu\tau} < 4 \times 10^{-6}$, assuming the tau neutrino magnetic moment being equal to the present experimental limit of $5.4 \times 10^{-7} \mu_{B}$. The tau neutrino magnetic moment would be constrained to $\mu_{\nu_{\tau}} < 1.0 \times 10^{-8} \mu_{B}$, assuming the existence of $\nu_{\mu}\to \nu_{\tau}$ oscillations with the mixing angle $sin^{2}2\theta_{\mu\tau}$ equal to the present experimental limit of 0.01 for $\Delta m^{2} > 10~ eV^{2}$.\ Under similar assumptions the corresponding limits for $\nu_{e}\to \nu_{\tau}$ oscillations could be set to $sin^{2}2\theta_{e\tau} < 8 \times 10^{-6}$ and $\mu_{\nu_{\tau}} < 3.9 \times 10^{-9}\mu_{B}$.