Boxing with Neutrino Oscillations

Abstract

We develop a model-independent "box" parameterization of neutrino oscillations. Oscillation probabilities are linear in these new parameters, so measurements can straightforwardly determine the box parameters which can then be manipulated to yield magnitudes of mixing matrix elements. We examine the effects of unitarity On the box parameters and reduce the number of parameters to the minimum set. Using the box algebra, we show that CP-violation may be inferred from measurements of neutrino flavor mixing even when the oscillatory factor has averaged. The framework presented here will facilitate general analyses of neutrino oscillations among $n\ge 3$ flavors.