Testing the LMA solution with solar neutrinos independently of solar models

Abstract

We perform a comparative study of two methods of determining the survival probabilities of low, intermediate, and high energy solar neutrinos that emphasizes the general agreement between the Large Mixing Angle (LMA) solution and extant solar neutrino data. The first analysis is oscillation parameter-independent and the second analysis involves an approximate calculation of the survival probabilities in the three energy ranges that depends only on oscillation parameters. We show that future experiments like BOREXino, CLEAN, Heron, LENS and MOON, that measure $pp$ and $^7$Be neutrinos, will facilitate a stringent test of the LMA solution independently of the Standard Solar Model (SSM), without recourse to earth-matter effects. Throughout, we describe the role of SSM assumptions on our results. If the LMA solution passes the test without needing to be modified, it may be possible to establish that $θ_x$ is nonzero at more than $2σ$ assuming the SSM prediction for the $pp$ flux is correct.

Final SNO salt-phase data included in analysis. Version to appear in PLB