Michael Shaevitz, Columbia University
Neutrino Masses and Oscillations: A View of the Next Steps
The past ten years have been a remarkable period for
neutrino physics. Oscillations between different flavors of neutrinos have been
established with two different mass differences and possibly a third. Contrary
to theoretical expectations and in contrast to the quark mixing matrix, the
mixing angles turn out to be very large for the observed atmospheric and solar
oscillations. In addition, the data may be pointing us towards new types of
sterile neutrinos. The current accelerator neutrino
program will sharpen up the measurement of many of the mass and mixing
parameters as well as address the sterile neutrino question.
In this talk, this current program will be described and the future experimental
possibilities to take the next step will be considered. Experiments using
reactor neutrinos appear to be a key component for the future program along with
long-baseline accelerator neutrino experiments. If nature cooperates, the stage
could be set for discovering CP violation in neutrino mixings, a phenomena
possibly related to the baryon asymmetry in the universe. Of course, neutrinos
could, as in the past, continue to surprise us with even more unexpected
properties.