If sterile neutrinos exist, how can one determine the total solar neutrino fluxes?

Abstract

The 8B solar neutrino flux inferred from a global analysis of solar neutrino experiments is within 11% (1 sigma) of the predicted standard solar model value if only active neutrinos exist, but could be as large as 1.7 times the standard prediction if sterile neutrinos exist. We show that the total 8B neutrino flux (active plus sterile neutrinos) can be determined experimentally to about 10% (1 sigma) by combining charged current measurements made with the KamLAND reactor experiment and with the SNO CC solar neutrino experiment, provided the LMA neutrino oscillation solution is correct and the simulated performance of KamLAND is valid. Including also SNO NC data, the sterile component of the 8B neutrino flux can be measured by this method to an accuracy of about 12% (1 sigma) of the standard solar model flux. Combining Super-Kamiokande and KamLAND measurements and assuming the oscillations occur only among active neutrinos, the 8B neutrino flux can be measured to 6% (1 sigma); the total flux can be measured to an accuracy of about 9%. The total 7Be solar neutrino flux can be determined to an accuracy of about 28% (1 sigma) by combining measurements made with the KamLAND, SNO, and gallium neutrino experiments. One can determine the total 7Be neutrino flux to a one sigma accuracy of about 11% or better by comparing data from the KamLAND experiment and the BOREXINO solar neutrino experiment provided both detectors work as expected. The pp neutrino flux can be determined to about 15% using data from the gallium, KamLAND, BOREXINO, and SNO experiments.