text:
# 1 Introduction

## 1 Introduction

The study of supernova neutrinos is of great interest to both astrophysics and particle physics. As far as the astrophysics is concerned, the neutrinos provide precious information about the core gravitational collapse, the mechanism of supernova explosion and the properties of matter at extreme conditions of large densities and high temperatures. From the particle physics point of view, supernova neutrinos allow one to probe the neutrino mixings and mass spectrum. Indeed, the properties of the neutrino fluxes are modified by flavor conversion effects inside the star (see - as an incomplete list of relevant works) and in the matter of the Earth (see  for an early suggestion and  for recent studies).

Until now, the effects of neutrino oscillations and conversion have been considered in the assumption that the fluxes of the muon and tau neutrinos produced in the star are identical. Indeed, while the diffusion of $`\nu _e`$ in the star differs from that of $`\nu _\mu `$ due to the effect of the charged current processes, the non-electron flavors, $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$, and their antineutrinos are expected to undergo similar interaction effects, dominated by neutral current scatterings. Therefore, the non-electron neutrinos have similar fluxes:

$$F_\mu ^0F_{\overline{\mu }}^0F_\tau ^0F_{\overline{\tau }}^0.$$
(1)
In contrast to this, the fluxes of the $`\nu _e`$, $`\overline{\nu }_e`$ and $`\nu _\mu `$ are expected to be rather different, with the hierarchy of the average energies $`E_e<E_{\overline{e}}<E_\mu `$. In calculations of the neutrino transport in the star $`\nu _\mu `$, $`\nu _\tau `$, $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$ are considered equivalent and treated effectively as a single species, $`\nu _x`$.

Several effects can break the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ and the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ (or $`\nu _\tau `$$`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$) equivalence, giving rise to small differences between the fluxes of these species. Once effects of weak magnetism are considered, the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ interaction cross section in the matter of the star are different; this can lead to a difference between the average energies and luminosities of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ fluxes as large as $`10\%`$ . The production of muons in the core of the neutron star results in differences in the transport of $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ inside the star, whose effect on the neutrino fluxes exiting the star has not been fully explored yet . 111Another potential source of differences between the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes are possible effects of new physics, such as lepton number violating processes or violations of lepton universality. Such effects could, in principle, influence the whole dynamics of neutrino transport in supernovae, and their detailed study goes beyond the scope of the present paper.

The possibility of studying these phenomena through the observation of a difference in the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes makes this difference a quantity of particular interest. In addition, if an appreciable $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ difference exists, its effects on the neutrino conversion should be taken into account while analyzing the supernova neutrino signals in order to determine the neutrino oscillation parameters.

In this paper we present a generalization of the formalism of neutrino conversion in the star and in the Earth to the case of unequal $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes. We address the question of whether the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ flux differences could be probed via flavor conversion effects and what the effect of these differences would be on the study of the neutrino mixing and mass spectrum with supernova neutrinos.

The paper is organized as follows. After giving some generalities in sec. 2, the effects of $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ flux differences on neutrino conversion in the star are discussed in sec. 3. In sec. 4 we study the Earth matter effects and comment on possible signatures of the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ flux differences. Discussion and conclusions follow in sec. 5.

## 2 Supernova neutrinos and different $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes

### 2.1 General features

At a given time $`t`$ from the core collapse the original flux of the neutrinos of a given flavor, $`\nu _\alpha `$, can be described by a “pinched” Fermi-Dirac spectrum,

$`F_\alpha ^0(E,T_\alpha ,\eta _\alpha ,L_\alpha ,D)={\displaystyle \frac{L_\alpha }{4\pi D^2T_\alpha ^4F_3(\eta _\alpha )}}{\displaystyle \frac{E^2}{e^{E/T_\alpha \eta _\alpha }+1}},`$ (2)
where $`D`$ is the distance to the supernova (typically $`D10`$ kpc for a galactic supernova), $`E`$ is the energy of the neutrinos, $`L_\alpha `$ is the luminosity of the flavor $`\nu _\alpha `$, and $`T_\alpha `$ represents the effective temperature of the $`\nu _\alpha `$ gas inside the neutrinosphere. The typical values of the average neutrino energies produced by the supernova simulations are

$$E_e=1012\mathrm{MeV},E_{\overline{e}}=1218\mathrm{MeV},E_x=1827\mathrm{MeV},$$
(3)
and the integrated luminosities of all neutrino species are expected to be approximately equal, within a factor of two or so . The pinching parameter $`\eta _\alpha `$ takes the values $`\eta _\alpha 02`$ for $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$; larger values, $`\eta _\alpha 05`$, could be realized for the electron flavor . The normalization factor $`F_3(\eta _\alpha )`$ is given by

$$F_3(\eta _\alpha )6\mathrm{L}\mathrm{i}_4(e^{\eta _\alpha }),$$
(4)
where the polylogarithm function $`\mathrm{Li}_n(z)`$ is defined as

$$\mathrm{Li}_n(z)\underset{k=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}\frac{z^k}{k^n}.$$
(5)
In the absence of pinching, $`\eta _\alpha =0`$, one gets $`F_3(0)=7\pi ^4/1205.68`$.

The average energy $`E_\alpha `$ of the spectrum depends on both $`T_\alpha `$ and $`\eta _\alpha `$:

$`E_\alpha =\sigma (\eta _\alpha )T_\alpha ,`$ (6)
$`\sigma (\eta _\alpha )3{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{Li}_4(e^{\eta _\alpha })}{\mathrm{Li}_3(e^{\eta _\alpha })}}.`$ (7)
Eqs. (5) and (7) give $`\sigma (0)=3.15`$; larger values of $`\sigma `$ are obtained for larger (positive) $`\eta _\alpha `$, e.g. $`\sigma (2)3.6`$.

The luminosity, temperature and pinching of the neutrino flux vary with the time $`t`$; if these variations occur over time scales larger than the duration of the burst, $`\tau 10`$ s, the integrated $`\nu _\alpha `$ flux is still given by the expression (2) with $`\eta _\alpha 0`$ and the total energy $`E_\alpha L_\alpha \tau `$ in place of the luminosity $`L_\alpha `$.

In our study of neutrino conversions inside the star we use the following matter density profile of the star:

$`\rho (r)=10^{13}C\left({\displaystyle \frac{10\mathrm{km}}{r}}\right)^3\mathrm{g}\mathrm{cm}^3,`$ (8)
with $`C115`$. For $`\rho 110^6\mathrm{g}\mathrm{cm}^3`$ expression (8) provides a good description of the matter distribution at any time during the neutrino burst emission and propagation through the star . For ρ

<

1gcm3

<

𝜌1gsuperscriptcm3\rho\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}1~{}{\rm g\cdot cm^{-3}} the exact shape of the profile depends on the details of evolution of the star, its chemical composition, rotation, etc. The regions at ρ

>

106gcm3

>

𝜌superscript106gsuperscriptcm3\rho\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}10^{6}~{}{\rm g\cdot cm^{-3}} are reached by the shock-wave propagation during the neutrino burst emission, therefore in these regions the neutrinos cross the shock front, which is characterized by large moving density gradients .

### 2.2 $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ spectral difference

In the absence of specific predictions for the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ flux differences, which could result from a number of physical effects, we consider for these two species the Fermi-Dirac spectra, as in eq. (2), with different temperatures, luminosities and pinching parameters. Then the ratio of fluxes equals:

$$\frac{F_\tau ^0}{F_\mu ^0}=\left(\frac{L_\tau }{L_\mu }\right)\left(\frac{T_\mu }{T_\tau }\right)^4\frac{F_3(\eta _\mu )}{F_3(\eta _\tau )}\frac{\mathrm{exp}[E/T_\mu \eta _\mu ]+1}{\mathrm{exp}[E/T_\tau \eta _\tau ]+1}.$$
(9)
We consider the relative difference

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_F\frac{F_\tau ^0}{F_\mu ^0}1$$
(10)
and adopt a general parameterization of $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$ in terms of the relative differences of the temperatures, luminosities and pinching parameters: $`ϵ_T(T_\tau T_\mu )/T_\mu `$, $`ϵ_L(L_\tau L_\mu )/L_\mu `$ and $`ϵ_\eta (\eta _\tau \eta _\mu )/\eta _\mu `$. The presence of charged muons in the star may result in a difference in the pinching parameters with no appreciable difference in the luminosities and temperatures, while different temperatures or luminosities could appear from the effects of lepton number non-conservation or violation of lepton universality.

For $`|ϵ_T|,|ϵ_L|,|ϵ_\eta |1`$ the difference $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$ can be expanded as

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_Fϵ_L+ϵ_T\left[4+\frac{\mathrm{exp}[E/T_\mu \eta _\mu ]}{\mathrm{exp}[E/T_\mu \eta _\mu ]+1}\left(\frac{E}{T_\mu }\right)\right]+ϵ_\eta \eta _\mu \left[\frac{\mathrm{Li}_3(e^{\eta _\mu })}{\mathrm{Li}_4(e^{\eta _\mu })}+\frac{\mathrm{exp}[E/T_\mu \eta _\mu ]}{\mathrm{exp}[E/T_\mu \eta _\mu ]+1}\right],$$
(11)
for any value of the energy $`E`$. It is also useful to consider the high-energy limit, $`ET_\mu \eta _\mu `$, of eqs. (9) and (11):

$$\frac{F_\tau ^0}{F_\mu ^0}(ET_\mu \eta _\mu )\left(\frac{L_\tau }{L_\mu }\right)\left(\frac{T_\mu }{T_\tau }\right)^4\frac{F_3(\eta _\mu )}{F_3(\eta _\tau )}e^{\eta _\tau \eta _\mu }e^{E(1/T_\mu 1/T_\tau )},$$
(12)
and

$$\mathrm{\Delta }_F(ET_\mu \eta _\mu )ϵ_L+ϵ_T\left[4+\left(\frac{E}{T_\mu }\right)\right]+ϵ_\eta \eta _\mu \left[\frac{\mathrm{Li}_3(e^{\eta _\mu })}{\mathrm{Li}_4(e^{\eta _\mu })}+1\right].$$
(13)
Let us comment on the contributions of $`ϵ_T`$, $`ϵ_L`$ and $`ϵ_\eta `$ to $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$.

1). The effect of different luminosities, $`ϵ_L0`$, gives an energy-independent term in $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$, as can be seen in eqs. (9)-(13). If there are no differences in the temperatures and in the pinching factors one merely has $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F=ϵ_L`$.

2). If the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ temperatures are different, $`ϵ_T0`$, a critical energy $`E_C^{corr}`$ exists at which the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes are equal, $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F=0`$. If $`\nu _\tau `$ has a harder spectrum than $`\nu _\mu `$ ($`ϵ_T>0`$) we have $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F>0`$ at $`E>E_C^{corr}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F<0`$ for $`E<E_C^{corr}`$. For a given $`ϵ_\eta `$, the critical energy $`E_C^{corr}`$ increases with the increase of $`ϵ_T`$ and decreases with the increase of $`ϵ_L`$. If $`ϵ_T<0`$ the opposite situation is realized: $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F>0`$ at E

<

ECcorr

<

𝐸subscriptsuperscript𝐸𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝐶E\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}E^{corr}_{C} and $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F<0`$ at E

>

ECcorr

>

𝐸subscriptsuperscript𝐸𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝐶E\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}E^{corr}_{C}. The critical energy $`E_C^{corr}`$ increases with the increase of $`ϵ_T`$ (the decrease in absolute value) and with the increase of $`ϵ_L`$. Above the energy $`E_C^{corr}`$ the relative difference $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$ of the fluxes increases linearly with $`E`$ in absolute value, as follows from eq. (13). Numerically, taking $`T_\mu =7`$ MeV, $`ϵ_T=0.1`$ and $`ϵ_L=ϵ_\eta =0`$, we find $`E_C^{corr}30`$ MeV and eq. (11) gives $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F0.46`$ ($`\mathrm{\Delta }_F0.49`$) at $`E=60`$ MeV and $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F0.35`$ ($`\mathrm{\Delta }_F0.29`$) at $`E=5`$ MeV. In general, for $`ϵ_T0`$ the contribution of the originally non-electron neutrinos to the observed $`\nu _e`$ spectrum is dominated by the flavor with the softer spectrum in the low energy region, while at high energies the flavor with harder spectrum dominates.

3). The contribution due to different pinching parameters, $`ϵ_\eta 0`$, increases with energy and turns from negative to positive at $`EE_\mu 1827`$ MeV. At larger energies the $`ϵ_\eta `$ contribution asymptotically approaches a constant value, as one can see from eqs. (12) and (13). This value is small since the ratio $`\mathrm{Li}_3(e^{\eta _\mu })/\mathrm{Li}_4(e^{\eta _\mu })`$ is close to unity and therefore it undergoes partial cancellation in eq. (13). Taking $`\eta _\mu =1`$, $`\eta _\tau =2`$ and $`ϵ_L=ϵ_T=0`$ one gets $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F0.14`$ at E

>

40

>

𝐸40E\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}40 MeV and $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F0.46`$ at $`E=5`$ MeV.

The description given here applies to the difference of the $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$ fluxes, $`F_{\overline{\mu }}^0`$ and $`F_{\overline{\tau }}^0`$, as well. The relative difference $`\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}_FF_{\overline{\tau }}^0/F_{\overline{\mu }}^01`$ can be described in terms of the ratios $`\overline{ϵ}_T(T_{\overline{\tau }}T_{\overline{\mu }})/T_{\overline{\mu }}`$, $`\overline{ϵ}_L(L_{\overline{\tau }}L_{\overline{\mu }})/L_{\overline{\mu }}`$, and $`\overline{ϵ}_\eta (\eta _{\overline{\tau }}\eta _{\overline{\mu }})/\eta _{\overline{\mu }}`$ analogously to eq. (11).

## 3 Conversion effects in the star

### 3.1 Neutrino mass and mixing schemes

Let us consider a system of three neutrinos, $`(\nu _1,\nu _2,\nu _3)`$, with masses $`(m_1,m_2,m_3)`$, related to the flavor eigenstates, $`(\nu _e,\nu _\mu ,\nu _\tau )`$, by the mixing matrix $`U`$: $`\nu _\alpha =_iU_{\alpha i}\nu _i`$. The indices $`\alpha `$ and $`i`$ refer to the flavor and mass eigenstates respectively.

We adopt the following parameterization of the mixing matrix (see e.g. ):

$$U=V^{23}I^\delta V^{13}V^{12},$$
(14)
where

$$I^\delta diag(1,1,e^{i\delta }),$$
(15)
and

$$V^{12}=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}c_{12}& s_{12}& 0\\ s_{12}& c_{12}& 0\\ 0& 0& 1\end{array}\right),V^{13}=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}c_{13}& 0& s_{13}\\ 0& 1& 0\\ s_{13}& 0& c_{13}\end{array}\right),V^{23}=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}1& 0& 0\\ 0& c_{23}& s_{23}\\ 0& s_{23}& c_{23}\end{array}\right),$$
(16)
with $`s_{ij}\mathrm{sin}\theta _{ij}`$ and $`c_{ij}\mathrm{cos}\theta _{ij}`$.

We will consider 3$`\nu `$-schemes which explain the atmospheric and the solar neutrino data. The parameters describing the atmospheric neutrino oscillations are :

$$m_3^2m_2^2\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2=\pm (1.54)10^3\mathrm{eV}^2,\mathrm{tan}^2\theta _{23}=0.482.1.$$
(17)
The two possibilities, $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2>0`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2<0`$, are referred to as normal and inverted mass hierarchies respectively.

The solar neutrino data are explained either by vacuum oscillations (VO solution), or by one of the MSW solutions (LMA, SMA or LOW) with the oscillation parameters

$$m_2^2m_1^2\mathrm{\Delta }m_{21}^2,\mathrm{tan}^2\theta _{12},$$
(18)
(see, e.g., numerical values from the analyses -).

The angle $`\theta _{13}`$ is bounded to be small from the results of the CHOOZ and Palo Verde experiments :

sin2θ13

<

0.02,

<

superscript2subscript𝜃130.02\sin^{2}\theta_{13}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}0.02~{}, (19)
and the CP-violating phase $`\delta `$ is still completely undetermined.

### 3.2 Matter effects: $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ potential; the level crossing pattern

Due to the very wide range of matter densities inside a supernova, $`\rho 010^{13}\mathrm{g}\mathrm{cm}^3`$, the conditions for three MSW resonances (level crossings) are met. The crossing of $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ levels, the $`\mu \tau `$ resonance, is driven by the difference of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ potentials which appears at one loop level due to different masses of the muon and tau leptons :

$$V_{\tau \mu }V_\tau V_\mu \pm \frac{3}{2\pi ^2}G_F^2m_\tau ^2\left[(n_p+n_n)\mathrm{ln}\left(\frac{M_W}{m_\tau }\right)n_p\frac{2}{3}n_n\right],$$
(20)
where $`G_F`$ is the Fermi constant, $`m_\tau `$ and $`M_W`$ are the masses of the tau lepton and of the W boson respectively; $`n_p`$ and $`n_n`$ denote the number densities of protons and neutrons in the medium. In eq. (20) the $`+`$ ($``$) sign refers to neutrinos (antineutrinos). The difference $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ is much smaller than the $`\nu _e\nu _\mu /\nu _\tau `$ effective potential $`V_e=\sqrt{2}G_Fn_e`$, where $`n_e`$ is the electron number density of the medium. One finds

$$V_{\tau \mu }510^5V_e.$$
(21)
The conversion induced by the potential (20) is governed by the “atmospheric” mixing and mass splitting, $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2`$ and $`\theta _{23}`$, eq. (17). Depending on the precise value of $`\theta _{32}`$ the level crossing occurs in the range of densities $`\rho 0\rho _{\mu \tau }`$, where $`\rho _{\mu \tau }`$ is determined by the condition

$$V_{\tau \mu }(r)\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2}{2E}.$$
(22)
Numerically, one gets $`\rho _{\mu \tau }10^710^8\mathrm{g}\mathrm{cm}^3`$. In fact, as we will see, the actual position of the level crossing is not important.

The probability $`P_{23}`$ of the transition between the eigenstates of the Hamiltonian in matter, $`\nu _{3m}`$ and $`\nu _{2m}`$, can be calculated (following, e.g., ) according to

$`P_{23}={\displaystyle \frac{e^{\chi \mathrm{cos}^2\theta _{23}}1}{e^\chi 1}},`$ (23)
$`\chi 2\pi {\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2}{2E}}\left[{\displaystyle \frac{1}{V_{\tau \mu }(r)}}{\displaystyle \frac{dV_{\tau \mu }(r)}{dr}}\right]_{r=r_p}^1,`$ (24)
where $`r_p`$ is the distance from the center of the star to the region defined by eq. (22).

With the profile (8) and the parameters (17), eqs. (20), (24) and (22) give $`\chi =500900`$, corresponding to a very good adiabaticity: $`P_{23}=0`$. The adiabaticity is good also for steeper profiles. We have checked that the adiabaticity condition is satisfied even for the large density gradients which could be produced by the shock wave propagation.

The two other resonances, driven by the $`\nu _e\nu _\mu /\nu _\tau `$ effective potential, $`V_e`$, occur at much smaller densities, ρ

<

104gcm3

<

𝜌superscript104gsuperscriptcm3\rho\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}10^{4}~{}{\rm g\cdot cm^{-3}}. For these values of the density the potential $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ is negligibly small and it is convenient to consider the evolution of the system in the rotated basis of states:

$$\nu _\alpha ^{}I^\delta V^{23}\nu _\alpha .$$
(25)
The second (H-) resonance, associated to $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2`$ and $`\theta _{13}`$, occurs at $`\rho =\rho _H10^310^4\mathrm{g}\mathrm{cm}^3`$. The resonance is in the neutrino (antineutrino) channel if the mass hierarchy is normal (inverted). We denote as $`P_H`$ the probability of the transition between the eigenstates of the Hamiltonian in this resonance (the hopping probability). As shown in refs. , $`P_H`$ increases with the decrease of $`\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{13}`$, varying from perfectly adiabatic conversion ($`P_H=0`$) at sin2θ13

>

103

>

superscript2subscript𝜃13superscript103\sin^{2}\theta_{13}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}10^{-3} to strong adiabaticity breaking ($`P_H=1`$) at sin2θ13

<

105

<

superscript2subscript𝜃13superscript105\sin^{2}\theta_{13}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}10^{-5}.

The third level crossing (L resonance) takes place at a lower density, ρ=ρL

<

10gcm3𝜌subscript𝜌𝐿

<

10gsuperscriptcm3\rho=\rho_{L}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}10~{}{\rm g\cdot cm^{-3}}. It is determined by the “solar” parameters $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{21}^2`$ and $`\theta _{12}`$, eq. (18), and occurs in the neutrino channel (see sec. 3.1). We denote the hopping probability associated to this resonance as $`P_L`$. For oscillation parameters in the LMA region the conversion is adiabatic, $`P_L=0`$, while partial breaking of adiabaticity occurs for other solutions of the solar neutrino problem .

The level crossing scheme for the normal mass hierarchy with $`\theta _{23}<\pi /4`$ and a large solar mixing angle $`\theta _{12}`$ is given in fig. 1. The dynamics of neutrino conversions inside the star can be considered as occurring in two steps:

(1) propagation between the neutrinosphere and the layer with an intermediate density $`\rho _{int}`$ such that $`\rho _H<\rho _{int}\rho _{\mu \tau }`$, (“inner region”) and

(2) propagation from the layer with $`\rho \rho _{int}`$ to the surface of the star (“outer region”).

Let us consider the evolution in the inner region. At the neutrinosphere the potentials $`V_e`$ and $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ dominate over the kinetic energy differences $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{ij}^2/2E`$ and the mixing is strongly suppressed, i.e. the matter eigenstates coincide with the flavor ones. At the densities $`\rho \rho _{int}`$, the potential $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ is negligible and the matter eigenstates coincide with the states of the rotated basis (25). Using the level crossing scheme of fig. 1 and taking into account that the adiabaticity is satisfied in whole range of densities $`\rho _H<\rho _{int}\rho _{\mu \tau }`$, we find that in the inner region the following transitions take place:

$`\nu _e\nu _e,\nu _\mu \nu _{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{},\nu _\tau \nu _{\tau }^{}{}_{}{}^{},`$
$`\overline{\nu }_e\overline{\nu }_e,\overline{\nu }_\mu \overline{\nu }_{\tau }^{}{}_{}{}^{},\overline{\nu }_\tau \overline{\nu }_{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{},`$ (26)
provided that the $`\mu \tau `$ level crossing occurs in the antineutrino channel. Therefore in the rotated basis $`(\nu _e,\nu _{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{},\nu _{\tau }^{}{}_{}{}^{})`$ the fluxes of the states (before they enter the H resonance region) are

$$F(\nu _e)=F_e^0,F(\nu _{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{})=F_\mu ^0,F(\nu _{\tau }^{}{}_{}{}^{})=F_\tau ^0.$$

Actually, the observables do not depend on the position of the $`\mu \tau `$ resonance: what matters is the flux of the state that crosses the $`\nu _e`$ level at the H resonance.

Notice that the role of the potential $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ is reduced to the suppression of the flavor mixing at high densities; the adiabatic change of this potential allows one to relate the fluxes of the states of the rotated basis to those of the originally produced flavor states.

The evolution of the neutrino states in the outer region is determined by the level crossings at the H and L resonances. If the hierarchy is inverted, then, as shown in fig. 2, the $`\mu \tau `$ and L resonances are in the neutrino channel, while the H resonance is in the antineutrino channel. In the inner region the conversions $`\nu _\tau \nu _{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{}`$ and $`\nu _\mu \nu _{\tau }^{}{}_{}{}^{}`$ take place, while the $`\nu _e\nu _{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{}`$ conversion occurs in the L resonance. Antineutrinos first undergo the $`\overline{\nu }_\mu \overline{\nu }_{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{}`$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau \overline{\nu }_{\tau }^{}{}_{}{}^{}`$ conversions in the inner region. At lower densities, the $`\overline{\nu }_e\overline{\nu }_{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{}/\overline{\nu }_{\tau }^{}{}_{}{}^{}`$ transitions take place in the H resonance and in the L resonance for large $`\theta _{12}`$.

### 3.3 Conversion probabilities

As discussed in , if $`F_\mu ^0=F_\tau ^0F_x^0`$ the effect of the conversion on the flux $`F_e`$ of electron neutrinos observed at the Earth can be expressed in terms of a single permutation parameter, $`p`$, which represents the $`\nu _e`$ survival probability:

$$F_e=pF_e^0+(1p)F_x^0.$$
(27)
We shall generalize now this result to the case $`F_\mu ^0F_\tau ^0`$.

Let us show that the differences between the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ ($`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$) fluxes can manifest themselves only in the following cases:

(i) normal hierarchy, neutrino channel,

(ii) inverted hierarchy, antineutrino channel,

both of them with non-maximal adiabaticity breaking in the H resonance: $`P_H<1`$. Indeed, as can be seen from figs. 1 and 2, in the remaining cases (inverted hierarchy, neutrino channel and normal hierarchy, antineutrino channel) neutrinos of one of the non-electron flavors are completely converted into the third mass eigenstate, for which the electron component is small (equal to $`\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{13}`$). Therefore this flavor does not contribute significantly to the observed $`\nu _e`$ (or $`\overline{\nu }_e`$) flux, making the study of the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ inequivalence impossible. The same conclusion is obtained in the schemes (i) and (ii) for maximal adiabaticity breaking in the H resonance, $`P_H=1`$, since this corresponds to the complete transition of one of the non-electron flavors to the third mass eigenstate.

In what follows we discuss the conversion probabilities for the scenarios (i) and (ii); results for the remaining cases can be obtained by a simple generalization.

Let us first consider the conversion of neutrinos in the scheme with normal hierarchy, $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2>0`$. As we discussed in sec. 3.2, the neutrinos arrive at the region of the H resonance as incoherent states $`\nu _e`$, $`\nu _{\mu }^{}{}_{}{}^{}`$,$`\nu _{\tau }^{}{}_{}{}^{}`$ with the fluxes $`F_e^0`$, $`F_\mu ^0`$, $`F_\tau ^0`$. Let us consider the further evolution of these states. As a result of the adiabatic conversions in the star and/or decoherence due to the spread of the wavepackets, the neutrinos leave the star as mass eigenstates. The fluxes $`\stackrel{}{}(F_1,F_2,F_3)`$ of these states can be expressed in terms of the original flavor fluxes $`\stackrel{}{F}^0(F_e^0,F_\mu ^0,F_\tau ^0)`$ according to

$$\stackrel{}{}=𝒫\stackrel{}{F}^0,$$
(28)
where $`𝒫`$ is the matrix of the conversion probabilities inside the star in the outer region, $`𝒫_{i\alpha }P(\nu _\alpha \nu _i)`$. In the approximation of factorized dynamics, (factorization of the transition probabilities in H- and L- resonances) the matrix $`𝒫`$ is

$$𝒫=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}P_HP_L& 1P_L& (1P_H)P_L\\ P_H(1P_L)& P_L& (1P_H)(1P_L)\\ (1P_H)& 0& P_H\end{array}\right),$$
(29)
as can be readily derived from the level crossing scheme, fig. 1. Then the fluxes of neutrinos of definite flavors observed at the Earth, $`\stackrel{}{F}(F_e,F_\mu ,F_\tau )`$, are obtained by the projection

$$\stackrel{}{F}=S\stackrel{}{},$$
(30)
where the matrix $`S`$ is defined as

$$S_{\alpha i}|U_{\alpha i}|^2.$$
(31)
Combining eqs. (28)-(31) one finds the relation between the original fluxes and the observed flavor fluxes:

$`\stackrel{}{F}=Q\stackrel{}{F^0},`$ (32)
$`QS𝒫.`$ (33)
Each entry $`Q_{\beta \alpha }`$ of the matrix $`Q`$ represents the total $`\nu _\alpha \nu _\beta `$ conversion probability, i.e. the probability that a neutrino produced as $`\nu _\alpha `$ in the star is observed as $`\nu _\beta `$ in the detector. From eqs. (14), (16), (31), (33) and (29), neglecting terms of order $`\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{13}`$, we get

$$Q=Q^{(0)}+2\stackrel{~}{J}Q^{(1)},$$
(34)
where

$$\stackrel{~}{J}s_{12}c_{12}s_{23}c_{23}s_{13}\mathrm{cos}\delta ,$$
(35)
and

$`Q^{(0)}=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}P_Hf_L& 1f_L& (1P_H)f_L\\ c_{23}^2P_H(1f_L)+s_{23}^2(1P_H)& c_{23}^2f_L& c_{23}^2(1P_H)(1f_L)+s_{23}^2P_H\\ s_{23}^2P_H(1f_L)+c_{23}^2(1P_H)& s_{23}^2f_L& s_{23}^2(1P_H)(1f_L)+c_{23}^2P_H\end{array}\right),`$ (39)
(40)
$`Q^{(1)}=(12P_L)\left(\begin{array}{ccc}0& 0& 0\\ P_H& 1& (1P_H)\\ P_H& 1& (1P_H)\end{array}\right).`$ (44)
In eqs. (40)

$$f_LP_L+(12P_L)\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{12}.$$
(45)
As can be seen from eq. (44), the observed $`\nu _e`$ flux does not depend on the CP-violating phase $`\delta `$ and, moreover, the terms proportional to $`\stackrel{~}{J}`$ cancel once the sum $`F_\mu +F_\tau `$ is considered. Therefore, since the separate detection of $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ is impossible, the study of the CP-violating phase $`\delta `$ with supernova neutrinos seems to be not feasible. This result has a general validity and is discussed in more detail in sec. 3.4.

We consider now the antineutrino channel in the case of the inverted hierarchy, $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{32}^2<0`$ (fig. 2). Similarly to eqs. (32)-(33), the fluxes $`\stackrel{}{\overline{F}}(F_{\overline{e}},F_{\overline{\mu }},F_{\overline{\tau }})`$ of the antineutrinos at the detector are related to the original fluxes $`\stackrel{}{\overline{F}}^0(F_{\overline{e}}^0,F_{\overline{\mu }}^0,F_{\overline{\tau }}^0)`$ by

$`\stackrel{}{\overline{F}}=\overline{Q}\stackrel{}{\overline{F}}^0,`$ (46)
$`\overline{Q}S\overline{𝒫}.`$ (47)
The matrix $`\overline{𝒫}`$ of the $`\overline{\nu }_\alpha \overline{\nu }_i`$ conversion probabilities is given by

$$\overline{𝒫}=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}P_H(1\overline{P}_L)& \overline{P}_L& (1P_H)(1\overline{P}_L)\\ P_H\overline{P}_L& (1\overline{P}_L)& (1P_H)\overline{P}_L\\ (1P_H)& 0& P_H\end{array}\right),$$
(48)
where $`\overline{P}_L`$ represents the hopping probability associated to the L resonance in the antineutrino channel . A form analogous to eq. (34) is obtained for the $`\overline{Q}`$ matrix, $`\overline{Q}=\overline{Q}^{(0)}+2\stackrel{~}{J}\overline{Q}^{(1)}`$, where the terms $`\overline{Q}^{(0)}`$ and $`\overline{Q}^{(1)}`$ are

$`\overline{Q}^{(0)}=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}P_H\overline{f}_L& 1\overline{f}_L& (1P_H)\overline{f}_L\\ c_{23}^2P_H(1\overline{f}_L)+s_{23}^2(1P_H)& c_{23}^2\overline{f}_L& c_{23}^2(1P_H)(1\overline{f}_L)+s_{23}^2P_H\\ s_{23}^2P_H(1\overline{f}_L)+c_{23}^2(1P_H)& s_{23}^2\overline{f}_L& s_{23}^2(1P_H)(1\overline{f}_L)+c_{23}^2P_H\end{array}\right),`$ (52)
(53)
$`\overline{Q}^{(1)}=(12\overline{P}_L)\left(\begin{array}{ccc}0& 0& 0\\ P_H& 1& (1P_H)\\ P_H& 1& (1P_H)\end{array}\right).`$ (57)
Here we defined

$$\overline{f}_L\overline{P}_L+(12\overline{P}_L)\mathrm{cos}^2\theta _{12}.$$
(58)
One can see that the results (48)-(57) can be obtained from those in eqs. (29)-(44) by the replacement

$$P_L1\overline{P}_L,$$
(59)
or, equivalently,

$$f_L\overline{f}_L.$$
(60)
### 3.4 Conversion effects and CP violation

As follows from eqs. (44) and (57), the elements of the second and the third lines of the matrices $`Q^{(1)}`$ and $`\overline{Q}^{(1)}`$ have opposite signs and therefore the sums $`F_\mu +F_\tau `$ and $`F_{\overline{\mu }}+F_{\overline{\tau }}`$ of the observed non-electron fluxes do not depend on $`\delta `$. Let us show that this result holds in the general case, without any assumption about the dynamics of neutrino conversion.

Consider the evolution of the neutrino states at densities ρ

<

ρint

<

𝜌subscript𝜌𝑖𝑛𝑡\rho\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}\rho_{int}, where the potential $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ can be neglected and the conversion can be described in terms of the rotated states (25). The fluxes of these states coincide with the original $`\nu _\alpha `$ fluxes as a result of the adiabatic conversion in the $`\mu \tau `$ resonance. From the definition (25) it follows that the evolution of the rotated states $`\nu _\alpha ^{}`$ and therefore the matrix $`𝒫`$, eq. (29), do not depend on the CP-violating phase $`\delta `$, irrespective of whether the approximation of factorization of transitions in different resonances is used. Terms containing $`\delta `$ may appear in the conversion probabilities only due to the projection (30) of mass states to the flavor basis by the matrix $`S`$, eq. (31). We can write the sum of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes as

$$F_\mu +F_\tau =\underset{i\alpha }{}(S_{\mu i}+S_{\tau i})P_{i\alpha }F_\alpha ^0.$$
(61)
As a consequence of unitarity we find that for the $`\delta `$-dependent parts $`S_{\alpha i}^{(\delta )}`$ of the matrix $`S`$ the following relation holds:

$$S_{ei}^{(\delta )}+S_{\mu i}^{(\delta )}+S_{\tau i}^{(\delta )}=0;$$
(62)
furthermore, in the parameterization (14) we have:

$$S_{ei}^{(\delta )}=0.$$
(63)
The combination of eqs. (62) and (63) yields

$$S_{\mu i}^{(\delta )}+S_{\tau i}^{(\delta )}=0.$$
(64)
This means that the sum (61) of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes is independent of $`\delta `$.

Neutrino propagation in an asymmetric matter can give rise to matter-induced T violation effects in neutrino oscillations even in the absence of the fundamental CP and T violation (i.e. when $`\delta =0`$). In  it was pointed out that such effects cannot be observed in supernova neutrino experiments as a consequence of the assumption $`F_\mu ^0=F_\tau ^0`$ and experimental indistinguishability of $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$. We note here that this result holds true even if the condition $`F_\mu ^0=F_\tau ^0`$ is relaxed. This is a consequence of the fact that the effects of matter-induced T violation (as well as those of the fundamental T violation) drop out from the sum (61), irrespective of whether the original $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes coincide.

### 3.5 Expected spectra

Let us discuss the observed $`\nu _e`$ signal for normal mass hierarchy (the case (i) of sec. 3.3).

From eqs. (32)-(44) one finds that the detected flux of electron neutrinos, $`F_e`$, is

$`F_e`$ $`=`$ $`F_e^0Q_{ee}+F_\mu ^0Q_{e\mu }+F_\tau ^0Q_{e\tau },`$ (65)
$`=`$ $`F_e^0P_Hf_L+F_\mu ^0(1f_L)+F_\tau ^0(1P_H)f_L.`$ (66)
These expressions reduce to the equal fluxes form, eq. (27), if one of the following possibilities is realized:

(1) the adiabaticity is maximally violated in the H resonance, $`P_H=1`$ (as discussed in sec. 3.3),

(2)$`f_L=0`$, or

(3) $`f_L=1`$.

As can be seen from eq. (45), the last two possibilities are realized only if the angle $`\theta _{12}`$ is small, which is disfavored by the solar neutrino data (see e.g. -). In the following we focus on large solar mixing angles and therefore neglect cases (2) and (3).

Expression (65) can be conveniently rewritten as

$$F_e=F_e^0P_Hf_L+F_\mu ^0(1P_Hf_L)+(F_\tau ^0F_\mu ^0)(1P_H)f_L,$$
(67)
where the third term is entirely due to the difference of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes and vanishes if either condition (1) or (2) is fulfilled. From eq. (67) one finds the relative deviation, $`R`$, of the observed $`\nu _e`$ flux from the one in the case of equal fluxes:

$$R=\mathrm{\Delta }_F\frac{(1P_H)f_L}{(F_e^0/F_\mu ^0)P_Hf_L+(1P_Hf_L)},$$
(68)
where $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$ was given in eqs. (10) and (11). As follows from eq. (68), the sign of $`R`$ is determined by that of $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$. Therefore $`R`$ vanishes at the critical energy $`E_C^{corr}`$ and, if $`ϵ_T>0`$ ($`ϵ_T<0`$), we have $`R<0`$ ($`R>0`$) for $`E<E_C^{corr}`$ and $`R>0`$ ($`R<0`$) for $`E>E_C^{corr}`$. As discussed in sec. 2.2, if $`ϵ_T=ϵ_\eta =0`$ no change of sign occurs and the quantity $`R`$ is determined by the difference in the luminosities only.

It is useful to introduce another critical energy $`E_C^{(2)}`$ defined as the energy at which the difference $`F_e^0F_\mu ^0`$ changes its sign . At $`EE_C^{(2)}`$ the electron neutrino flux dominates over the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes; in contrast, for $`EE_C^{(2)}`$ the latter fluxes – having larger average energy – are dominant. Numerically, taking $`T_e=3.5`$ MeV, $`T_\mu =7`$ MeV, $`L_e=L_\mu `$ and $`\eta _e=\eta _\mu =0`$ one finds $`E_C^{(2)}20`$ MeV.

Taking $`P_L=0`$ (which is the case for solar neutrino parameters in the LMA region), from eq. (68) we find that

$$0\frac{R}{\mathrm{\Delta }_F}\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{12},$$
(69)
for any value of the energy $`E`$. The upper bound is reached if $`P_H=0`$ and $`EE_C^{(2)}`$, for which the factor $`F_e^0/F_\mu ^0`$ in eq. (68) is negligibly small due to the hierarchy of the temperatures. Notice that the condition $`P_H=0`$ corresponds to no contribution of the original $`\nu _e`$ flux to the observed $`\nu _e`$ signal: $`Q_{ee}=0`$ (see eq. (40)). Thus, the observed $`\nu _e`$ flux is given by a mixture of the original $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes. The effect is suppressed, $`R0`$, for $`P_H1`$ or at low energies, $`EE_C^{(2)}`$, where the ratio $`F_e^0/F_\mu ^0`$ is large. Numerically, taking $`P_L=P_H=0`$, $`T_\mu =7`$ MeV, $`ϵ_T=0.1`$, $`\eta _\mu =\eta _\tau =ϵ_L=0`$ and $`\mathrm{tan}^2\theta _{12}0.33`$ one gets $`R0.1`$ at $`E=5`$ MeV and $`R0.12`$ at $`E=60`$ MeV.

In general for $`|ϵ_T|,|ϵ_L|<0.2`$ and |ϵη|

<

1

<

subscriptitalic-ϵ𝜂1|\epsilon_{\eta}|\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}1 the relative deviation $`R`$ can be as large as $`4050\%`$ (in absolute value) at high energies, $`EE_C^{(2)}`$, and $`15\%`$ in the low energy limit, $`EE_C^{(2)}`$.

For antineutrino conversion with inverted mass hierarchy the effects of the difference of the $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$ fluxes are described by a straightforward generalization of eqs. (65) - (68). The results are similar to those presented here.

Let us consider the possibility of observation of the difference of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes. It is easy to see that, despite relatively large values of $`R`$ found here, the effect of the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ inequivalence will be very difficult to identify. Indeed, the corresponding distortion of the observed $`\nu _e`$ spectrum, which for $`ϵ_T0`$ consists in a broadening of the energy distribution, can be mimicked by other effects and therefore does not represent a unique signature of the unequal $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes.

In particular, taking, e.g., $`ϵ_L=ϵ_\eta =0`$, we find that the distorted $`\nu _e`$ spectrum is very accurately reproduced by the equal fluxes case with a temperature

$$T_x(1f_L)T_\mu +(1P_H)f_LT_\tau $$
(70)
of the $`\nu _x`$ spectrum. In eq. (70) the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ temperatures are weighted by the same coefficients that multiply the corresponding fluxes in the expression of the observed $`\nu _e`$ flux, eq. (66). If $`ϵ_T>0`$ ($`ϵ_T<0`$), we have $`T_\mu <T_x<T_\tau `$ ($`T_\tau <T_x<T_\mu `$) and the differences $`|T_xT_\mu |`$ and $`|T_xT_\tau |`$ are well within the uncertainty of the predicted values of $`T_\mu `$ and $`T_\tau `$. A numerical example is given in fig. 3, which shows the energy spectrum of events at the SNO detector from the $`\nu _e+de^{}+p+p`$ detection process 222Events from the $`\overline{\nu }_e+de^++n+n`$ reaction can in principle be distinguished from those from $`\nu _e+de^{}+p+p`$ due to the detection of at least one neutron by capture on deuterium, with characteristic time $`t_{nd}5`$ ms, in coincidence with the charged lepton. The coincidence can be established with high efficiency ($`7580\%`$ ) due to the relatively small event rates of the two processes at SNO ($`100200`$ events for a supernova at $`D=10`$ kpc distance, see e.g. ), which guarantees the average time interval between two events to be significantly larger than $`t_{nd}`$. with equal and different $`\nu _\mu `$-$`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes. We considered thermal time-integrated spectra as in eq. (2) with no pinching, equal integrated luminosities $`E_\mu =E_\tau =510^{52}\mathrm{ergs}`$ and a distance $`D=8.5`$ kpc from the supernova. LMA oscillation parameters ($`\mathrm{tan}^2\theta _{12}=0.33`$) were assumed, together with normal mass hierarchy and $`P_H=0`$. As follows from the figure, the $`\nu _e`$ spectrum obtained with different temperatures, $`T_\mu =7`$ MeV and $`T_\tau =8.4`$ MeV, is well reproduced by that with the common temperature $`T_x=7.3`$ MeV, according to eq. (70).

Global fits of simulated SNO and SuperKamiokande data , performed under the assumption of equal temperatures of all the non-electron neutrino species and exact equipartition of the total energy $`E_B`$, allow to determine these parameters with precision better than $`10\%`$. Considering that the data set is dominated by the high statistics in SuperKamiokande, this result should be interpreted as a determination of the effective temperature and integrated luminosity of the non-electron antineutrinos, $`T_x`$ and $`E_x`$.

It can be checked that, if the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ spectra have different pinching factors and luminosity difference of $`1020\%`$, the equal fluxes case accounts very well for the observed $`\nu _e`$ spectrum once effective values of $`T_x`$ and $`E_x`$ are chosen within their uncertainty intervals, as they could be measured by SuperKamiokande.

In principle, the possibility exists that the differences between the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ (or $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$) fluxes will be probed at future large detectors (UNO , HyperKamiokande , etc.) once all the neutrino oscillation parameters are known to a sufficient accuracy.

## 4 Earth matter effects

### 4.1 Unequal fluxes and conversion in the Earth

If the neutrino burst crosses the Earth before detection, the fluxes of the various neutrino flavors in the detector are affected by the regeneration in the matter of the Earth.

Let us first consider these effects in the scheme with normal mass hierarchy. According to a simple generalization of eqs. (32) and (33), the fluxes $`\stackrel{}{F}^D(F_e^D,F_\mu ^D,F_\tau ^D)`$ of the neutrino flavor states in the detector can be expressed as

$$\stackrel{}{F}^D=Q^{}\stackrel{}{F^0},Q^{}S^{}𝒫,$$
(71)
where the matrix $`𝒫`$ was given in eq. (29). Each entry $`S_{\alpha i}^{}`$ of the matrix $`S^{}`$ represents the probability that a neutrino arriving at the Earth as $`\nu _i`$ interacts, after crossing the Earth, as a $`\nu _\alpha `$ in the detector: $`S_{\alpha i}^{}P(\nu _i\nu _\alpha )`$. From eqs. (29) and (71) the observed $`\nu _e`$ flux equals:

$$F_e^D=F_e^0P_Hf_L^{}+F_\mu ^0(1f_L^{})+F_\tau ^0(1P_H)f_L^{},$$
(72)
where

$$f_L^{}P_L+(12P_L)S_{e2}^{}.$$
(73)
In eqs. (72)-(73) terms of order $`\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{13}`$ were neglected 333It can be checked  that the contributions of these terms to the difference (74) are smaller than $`10^3`$, and therefore negligible. .

Combining eqs. (45), (66) and (72)-(73) we obtain the deviation due to the Earth matter effects of the observed $`\nu _e`$ flux, $`F_e^D`$, from that predicted for conversion in the star only:

$$F_e^DF_e=(12P_L)f_{reg}\left[P_HF_e^0F_\mu ^0+(1P_H)F_\tau ^0\right],$$
(74)
where the regeneration factor,

$$f_{reg}S_{e2}^{}\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{12},$$
(75)
accounts for the matter effects inside the Earth. It depends on the solar neutrino parameters, the neutrino energy, and the direction of the neutrino trajectory inside the Earth.

In what follows we consider $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{21}^2`$ and $`\theta _{12}`$ in the LMA region. (The Earth matter effect is small for the other solutions of the solar neutrino problem; see e.g. the discussion in ref. ). For the LMA oscillation parameters the conversion in the L resonance is adiabatic, thus we set $`P_L=0`$ from now on.

As can be seen from eq. (74), the contribution of $`F_\tau ^0`$ to the difference $`F_e^DF_e`$ is small for large violation of adiabaticity in the H resonance and vanishes for $`P_H=1`$, according to the discussion in sec. 3.3. In this case the difference of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes clearly has no observable effects. Conversely, in the case of good adiabaticity, $`P_H=0`$, the contribution of the $`\nu _e`$ flux, $`F_e^0`$, is absent and the whole Earth effect is due to the difference $`F_\tau ^0F_\mu ^0`$.

It is useful to split the expression (74) into two terms according to their dependence on $`P_H`$:

$$F_e^DF_e=\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}+\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr},$$
(76)
where

$$\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}=f_{reg}P_H\left(F_e^0F_\tau ^0\right),\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}=f_{reg}(F_\tau ^0F_\mu ^0).$$
(77)
Let us comment on the quantities $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}`$.

* $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}`$ describes the whole Earth matter effects if the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes are equal. Being proportional to the difference $`F_e^0F_\tau ^0`$, it changes the sign at the critical energy $`E_C^{(2)}`$ discussed in sec. 3.5. If the regeneration factor $`f_{reg}`$ is positive (as it is for conversion in the mantle of the Earth only ) we have $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}>0`$ for $`E<E_C^{(2)}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}<0`$ for $`E>E_C^{(2)}`$. The quantity $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}`$ is also proportional to $`P_H`$ and vanishes if $`P_H=0`$, according to the fact that if the H resonance is completely adiabatic the flux $`F_e^0`$ does not undergo the L resonance. Conversely, $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}`$ is maximal if $`P_H=1`$.
* $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}`$ is proportional to the difference of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes. As discussed in sec. 2.2, $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}`$ changes sign at $`E=E_C^{corr}`$. If $`f_{reg}`$ is positive and $`ϵ_T>0`$ we have $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}<0`$ for $`E<E_C^{corr}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}>0`$ for $`E>E_C^{corr}`$. The opposite signs are realized for $`ϵ_T<0`$, while there is no change of sign (see sec. 2.2) if the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes differ only in the luminosity.

The relative size of $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}`$ depends on $`P_H`$. In particular, in the high energy limit, $`EE_C^{(2)}`$, where $`F_e^0/F_\mu ^01`$ and the regeneration factor is large , the condition |ΔFecorr/ΔFe(2)|

>

1

>

Δsubscriptsuperscript𝐹𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑒Δsubscriptsuperscript𝐹2𝑒1|\Delta F^{corr}_{e}/\Delta F^{(2)}_{e}|\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}1 requires

PH

<

PHeq

<

subscript𝑃𝐻subscriptsuperscript𝑃𝑒𝑞𝐻\displaystyle P_{H}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}P^{eq}_{H} (78)
$`P_H^{eq}\left|{\displaystyle \frac{\mathrm{\Delta }_F}{1+\mathrm{\Delta }_F}}\right|,`$ (79)
as follows from eqs. (77) and (10). Taking $`E=60`$ MeV, $`T_\mu =7`$ MeV $`ϵ_L=ϵ_\eta =0`$ and $`ϵ_T=0.1`$ one gets $`P_H^{eq}0.33`$. For PH

>

PHeq

>

subscript𝑃𝐻subscriptsuperscript𝑃𝑒𝑞𝐻P_{H}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}P^{eq}_{H} (i.e. $`P_H1`$) the Earth matter effect is dominated by the $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{(2)}`$ term, while if $`P_HP_H^{eq}`$ the larger contribution to the effect is given by $`\mathrm{\Delta }F^{corr}`$, which, as we have discussed, is entirely due to the differences in the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes.

For PH

>

PHeq

>

subscript𝑃𝐻subscriptsuperscript𝑃𝑒𝑞𝐻P_{H}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}P^{eq}_{H}, the effect of the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ flux difference is very difficult to identify due to the uncertainties in the values of the various parameters: for |ϵT|,|ϵT|

<

0.2

<

subscriptitalic-ϵ𝑇subscriptitalic-ϵ𝑇0.2|\epsilon_{T}|,|\epsilon_{T}|\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}0.2 the flux $`F_e^D`$ observed in the detector is very accurately reproduced by the equal $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes case with values of the parameters within their uncertainties. In contrast to this, if $`P_HP_H^{eq}`$ the term $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}`$ due to the unequal fluxes dominates, and in the limit $`P_H=0`$ it represents the only Earth matter effect. The absence of competing effects offers the possibility of probing the differences in the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes and therefore makes this case of particular interest. This is true especially if $`P_H`$ is known to be very small (i.e. sin2θ13

>

103

>

superscript2subscript𝜃13superscript103\sin^{2}\theta_{13}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}10^{-3}) from independent measurements provided, e.g., by neutrino factories or superbeams . A possibility is also related to the comparison of charged current and neutral current events from the neutronization burst at SNO . If the value of $`P_H`$ is unknown, the possibility that the Earth effect is due to $`F_\mu ^0F_\tau ^0`$ with $`P_H=0`$ could be distinguished, in principle, from that of equal fluxes with a non-zero $`P_H`$ (eq. (77)) at least when the two effects have different signs at high energies, i.e. for $`ϵ_T>0`$ and/or $`ϵ_L>0`$.

The description of the Earth matter effects on the conversion of antineutrinos with inverted mass hierarchy is analogous to that presented above. Similarly to eqs. (76)-(77), the difference of the observed $`\overline{\nu }_e`$ fluxes with and without Earth effects is given by

$$F_{\overline{e}}^DF_{\overline{e}}=\mathrm{\Delta }F_{\overline{e}}^{(2)}+\mathrm{\Delta }F_{\overline{e}}^{corr},$$
(80)
$$\mathrm{\Delta }F_{\overline{e}}^{(2)}=\overline{f}_{reg}P_H\left(F_{\overline{e}}^0F_{\overline{\tau }}^0\right),\mathrm{\Delta }F_{\overline{e}}^{corr}=\overline{f}_{reg}(F_{\overline{\tau }}^0F_{\overline{\mu }}^0),$$
(81)
where

$$\overline{f}_{reg}S_{\overline{e}1}^{}\mathrm{cos}^2\theta _{12},$$
(82)
and $`S_{\overline{e}1}^{}`$ is the $`\overline{\nu }_1\overline{\nu }_e`$ conversion probability in the matter of the Earth. The results obtained above for neutrinos can be immediately extended to antineutrinos. However, compared to the neutrino channel, the regeneration factor $`\overline{f}_{reg}`$ is smaller in the antineutrino case, thus giving a smaller effect (see e.g. ).

It should be noted that, although the potential $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ is induced by radiative corrections and therefore is much smaller than the potential $`V_e`$, it plays a very important role in the evolution of neutrino states in the star provided that the original fluxes of $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ are different. If one had disregarded it, one would have had an additional suppression factor $`\mathrm{cos}2\theta _{23}1`$ in the expressions for $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_{\overline{e}}^{corr}`$ and so much smaller Earth matter effects.

### 4.2 Observable signals

Let us now discuss the sensitivity of the Earth matter effect to the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ flux differences. Consider the effect in the neutrino channel for normal mass hierarchy, solar neutrino parameters in the LMA region ($`P_L=0`$) and sin2θ13

>

103

>

superscript2subscript𝜃13superscript103\sin^{2}\theta_{13}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}10^{-3} (i.e. $`P_H0`$). In this case the relative Earth matter effect, $`r(F_e^DF_e)/F_e`$, is entirely due to the differences in the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes:

$$r=\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }F_e^{corr}}{F_e},$$
(83)
and, from eqs. (10), (77) and (65) one gets

$$r=\frac{\mathrm{\Delta }_F}{1+s_{12}^2\mathrm{\Delta }_F}f_{reg}.$$
(84)
A study of the ratio $`r`$ is presented in figs. 4-10, in which the cases of different $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ temperatures and luminosities are considered. The effect of different pinching factors, being energy-independent at high energy, $`EE_C^{(2)}`$ (see sec. 2.1), is equivalent to a difference in the luminosities and therefore will not be discussed here.

Let us first consider the situation in which the difference between the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes is mainly due to different temperatures and take $`ϵ_T>0`$ and $`ϵ_L=0`$. The ratio $`r`$ depends on the neutrino energy via the regeneration factor $`f_{reg}`$ and via the difference $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$, eqs. (10) and (11). The regeneration factor determines the oscillatory behavior of $`r`$ with the energy, while the dependence of $`r`$ on $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$ leads to the change of the sign of $`r`$ at $`E=E_C^{corr}`$. This sign changes from negative at lower energies to positive at higher energies, provided that $`f_{reg}>0`$. Both $`f_{reg}`$ and $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$ increase with energy (see eq. (11)), therefore the largest effect is achieved in the high energy part of the spectrum. It also increases with increasing $`ϵ_T`$. These features are illustrated in fig. 4, which shows $`r`$ as a function of the energy $`E`$ for different values of $`ϵ_T`$ and of the nadir angle $`\theta _n`$ of the neutrino trajectory in the Earth. The figure has been obtained using a realistic density profile of the Earth . As fig. 4 shows, the oscillatory distortions of the neutrino energy spectrum have larger periods for larger $`E`$, due to the larger oscillation length in matter, and for larger nadir angle $`\theta _n`$ (i.e. shorter trajectory inside the Earth). The size of the effect increases with the energy due to the linear increase of $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$ with $`E`$ (see eq. (13)) and to the larger regeneration factor. Taking into account that freg

<

0.7

<

subscript𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑔0.7f_{reg}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}0.7  and that $`r/f_{reg}`$ can be as large as $`r/f_{reg}0.45`$ for $`E6070`$ MeV and $`ϵ_T0.1`$, we find r

<

0.3

<

𝑟0.3r\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}0.3. For larger temperature difference, $`ϵ_T0.2`$, the effect can reach $`70\%`$.

If $`ϵ_T<0`$, $`r`$ is positive for $`E<E_C^{corr}`$ and negative for $`E>E_C^{corr}`$. Besides this change of the sign, the general features and the size of the effect are similar to those discussed above for positive $`ϵ_T`$. This is expected, considering that $`r`$ is linear in $`ϵ_T`$ when the latter is small (see eqs. (11) and (84)). The linear approximation is good for |ϵT|

<

0.050.1

<

subscriptitalic-ϵ𝑇0.050.1|\epsilon_{T}|\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}0.05-0.1.

Let us now consider effect of different luminosities: $`ϵ_T=0`$ and $`ϵ_L0`$. In this case we have $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F=ϵ_L`$ (eq. (11)), and therefore $`rϵ_Lf_{reg}`$, as follows from eq. (84). The only energy dependence comes from the regeneration factor $`f_{reg}`$. For the luminosity differences |ϵL|

<

0.2

<

subscriptitalic-ϵ𝐿0.2|\epsilon_{L}|\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}0.2 and $`f_{reg}0.7`$ we find |r|

<

0.15

<

𝑟0.15|r|\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}0.15. This is confirmed by the results shown in the fig. 5.

In general, both the temperatures and the integrated luminosities of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes may differ. The interplay of these two differences can enhance or suppress the Earth matter effect $`r`$ compared to the cases we have discussed above. Since, as we have shown, the larger contribution to the Earth matter effect comes from the temperature difference, it is illuminating to consider the effect of a small luminosity difference for a given difference $`ϵ_T`$ of the temperatures. We focus on the high-energy part of the spectrum because at low energies the regeneration factor $`f_{reg}`$ is small.

As can be understood from eqs. (9), (11) and (84), at high energies the relative difference of fluxes $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F`$, and therefore the ratio $`r`$, is larger (in absolute value) when $`ϵ_L`$ and $`ϵ_T`$ have the same sign.

Conversely, if $`ϵ_L`$ and $`ϵ_T`$ have opposite signs, the effects of the two differences in eq. (11) tend to cancel each other. This is illustrated in fig. 6, which shows the ratio $`r`$ as a function of energy for $`ϵ_T=0.1`$ and different values of $`ϵ_L`$, with the same parameters as in fig. 4. From the figures it follows that the enhancement or suppression of the Earth matter effect due to the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ luminosity difference can be as large as $`4050\%`$, depending on the neutrino energy.

If the mass hierarchy is inverted and $`P_H=0`$, the Earth matter effect due to the $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$$`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$ flux difference, $`\mathrm{\Delta }F_{\overline{e}}^{corr}`$, appears in the antineutrino channel without competing effects ($`\mathrm{\Delta }F_{\overline{e}}^{(2)}=0`$, see sec. 4.1). The expression for the relative Earth matter effect $`\overline{r}`$ can be obtained from eqs. (46), (53) and (80)-(81):

$$\overline{r}=\frac{\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}_F}{1+c_{12}^2\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}_F}\overline{f}_{reg}.$$
(85)
As can be seen from eqs. (84) and (85), for equal relative differences of fluxes, $`\mathrm{\Delta }_F=\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}_F`$, the quantity $`\overline{r}`$ differs from $`r`$ by small terms of order $`\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}_F^2`$ and by the suppression factor $`\overline{f}_{reg}/f_{reg}<1`$. For the antineutrino channel plots analogous to those in figs. 4 and 5 are presented in figs. 7 and 8.

As a further illustration, in figs. 9 and 10 we show the binned energy spectra of the events expected in the heavy water tank of SNO for different $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes with and without Earth crossing. In the calculation of the expected numbers of events the detection efficiency and energy resolution have been taken into account following the discussion in ref. . In fig. 9 we considered unpinched spectra with $`ϵ_L=0`$, $`ϵ_T=0.1`$ and the other neutrino parameters the same as in fig. 4. The nadir angle $`\theta _n=0^{}`$ was taken; the distance $`D`$ and the integrated luminosities are the same as in fig. 3. Fig. 10 shows the same as fig. 9 but with $`\mathrm{\Delta }m_{21}^2=310^5\mathrm{eV}^2`$ and $`\theta _n=40^{}`$.

As follows from the figures, the Earth matter effect caused by the difference of $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes leads to a distortion of the observed energy spectrum as a whole or in isolated energy bins, depending on the depth of the neutrino trajectory in the Earth. This distortion amounts to $`1020\%`$ at most, and, due to the expected limited number of events, is not statistically significant. This deviation could have the significance of $`3\sigma `$ or larger for a supernova at a smaller distance (2-3 kpc) and/or in a larger experiment. For instance the proposed liquid argon detector LANNDD is expected to observe about 3000 $`\nu _e`$ events  – more than 10 times larger statistics than SNO – for the parameters used in figs. 9 and 10. The sensitivity of this detector to the $`\nu _e`$ energy spectrum, however, remains to be investigated. Moreover, as discussed in , establishing the Earth matter effects may require the comparison of the spectra observed by the detectors at different locations, and at present it is not clear if more than one large $`\nu _e`$ detector with the necessary characteristics444Besides the high statistics, the observation of the Earth matter effect requires : (i) separate detection of $`\nu _e`$ and $`\nu _e+\nu _\mu +\nu _\tau `$ signals, (ii) separate detection of neutrinos and antineutrinos, and (iii) the reconstruction of the energy spectrum. will be built in future.

The Earth matter effect in the antineutrino channel, eq. (85), can be detected via the $`\overline{\nu }_e+pe^++n`$ reaction in Cherenkov or scintillator detectors 555We checked that the contributions of charged current scatterings on nuclei, e.g. $`\nu _e+^{16}O^{16}F+e^{}`$, to the event rates is smaller than $`24\%`$ and therefore negligible.. The distortions of the observed energy spectrum compared to the case of no Earth crossing by neutrinos do not exceed $`10\%`$. Establishing this difference with at least $`3\sigma `$ statistical significance would require a comparison of data from two large detectors. We find that, unless the distance to the supernova is very small ($`D=`$2 – 3 kpc), two detectors of SuperKamiokande (SK) size do not have enough sensitivity. In contrast to this, large water Cherenkov detectors of next generation like UNO , HyperKamiokande  or TITAND  ($`18`$, $`40`$ and $`60`$ times larger than SK respectively) could establish the effect with significance $`3\sigma `$ or larger for distances $`D`$ up to $`10`$ kpc at least.

The results for the time-integrated energy spectra presented here can be extended to the spectra of events collected in any (small) time interval within the duration of the burst. Taking into account that the difference between the fluxes of the original non-electron neutrinos may vary with time, a study of the time dependence of the signal would be of interest to test the effect we have discussed. This is especially true if a specific time dependence of the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ flux difference is predicted by supernova models.

## 5 Discussion and conclusions

If the solution of the solar neutrino problem is in the LMA region, the Earth matter effects appear in the spectra of $`\nu _e`$ or $`\overline{\nu }_e`$ from a supernova or in both, depending on the type of the neutrino mass hierarchy, mixing angle $`\theta _{13}`$ and possible differences between the $`\nu _\mu `$, $`\nu _\tau `$, $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$ fluxes. In particular, if (i) $`F_\mu ^0=F_\tau ^0`$ ($`F_{\overline{\mu }}^0=F_{\overline{\tau }}^0`$), (ii) the hierarchy is normal (inverted), and (iii) the conversion in the H resonance is adiabatic, $`P_H0`$ (i.e. $`\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{13}>10^3`$), the Earth matter effects exist in the $`\overline{\nu }_e`$ ($`\nu _e`$) channel only .

This is no longer true if there are differences between the original $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ or $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$ fluxes. If $`F_\mu ^0F_\tau ^0`$ ($`F_{\overline{\mu }}^0F_{\overline{\tau }}^0`$) we find that, even for $`P_H=0`$, effects of regeneration in the matter of the Earth as large as $`70\%`$ ($`20\%`$) can take place in the $`\nu _e`$ ($`\overline{\nu }_e`$) spectrum for normal (inverted) hierarchy.

Therefore, if $`P_H`$ is known to be very small from independent measurements (e.g. from neutrino factories or superbeams), the observation of a large Earth effect in the antineutrino channel and of a smaller one in the neutrino channel will testify for normal mass hierarchy and differences between $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes. Moreover, the character of the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ difference can be found from the sign of the observed Earth effect: a positive (negative) effect at high energies will correspond to $`T_\tau >T_\mu `$ or $`T_\tau =T_\mu `$ with $`L_\tau >L_\mu `$ ($`T_\tau <T_\mu `$ or $`T_\tau =T_\mu `$ with $`L_\tau <L_\mu `$).

If the same experimental result is observed but $`P_H`$ is unknown, an ambiguity exists between the two possibilities: (1) $`F_\mu ^0F_\tau ^0`$ with $`P_H=0`$, and (2) $`F_\mu ^0=F_\tau ^0`$ with $`0<P_H<1`$. In some circumstances the ambiguity can be resolved by considering the sign of the effect: if the effect is positive the case (1) will be established, with $`T_\tau >T_\mu `$ or $`T_\tau =T_\mu `$ with $`L_\tau >L_\mu `$. Moreover, the information that $`P_HP_H^{eq}`$ is obtained. If the effect is negative, the case (1) is allowed only if $`T_\tau <T_\mu `$ or $`T_\tau =T_\mu `$ with $`L_\tau <L_\mu `$. Therefore a full discrimination requires the knowledge of the sign of $`ϵ_T`$ and $`ϵ_L`$.

If a large Earth matter effect is observed in the $`\nu _e`$ spectrum together with a small one in the $`\overline{\nu }_e`$ spectrum, the inverted hierarchy and the existence of the $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$$`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$ flux differences will be established, with implications analogous to those given here for the neutrino channel.

Let us summarize our main results.

1. The formalism of flavor conversion of supernova neutrinos has been generalized to the case of unequal fluxes of the non-electron neutrinos. A proof was given that, even for different fluxes of $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ neutrinos, the effects of CP violation are not observable in the supernova neutrino signal since they do not affect the observed $`\nu _e`$ flux and cancel in the sum of the $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ fluxes in the detector.

2. It was found that possible $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ ($`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$$`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$) flux differences modify the observed $`\nu _e`$ ($`\overline{\nu }_e`$) flux compared to what is predicted for equal fluxes if the mass hierarchy is normal (inverted) and the adiabaticity violation in the H resonance is not maximal, $`P_H<1`$.

3. For conversion in the star only, the effect of these differences consists in a distortion (broadening) of the observed $`\nu _e`$ or $`\overline{\nu }_e`$ energy spectrum. For relative differences between the temperatures and/or integrated luminosities of the muon and tau neutrino fluxes

<

20%

<

absentpercent20\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$<$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}20\% the relative deviation $`R`$ of the spectrum can be as large as $`R0.4`$ at high energies. However, the spectrum is consistent with the undistorted one within the uncertainties due to the approximate knowledge of the neutrino temperatures and luminosities.

4. If the solution of the solar neutrino problem is in the LMA region and the neutrino trajectory crosses the Earth, oscillatory distortions of the $`\nu _e`$ or $`\overline{\nu }_e`$ energy spectra occur. For $`P_H1`$ ( $`\mathrm{sin}^2\theta _{13}<10^4`$) the effect of the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ ($`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$$`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$) flux differences is small and indistinguishable from the equal fluxes case due to the uncertainties in the neutrino temperatures and luminosities.

5. Conversely, if $`P_H0`$ (sin2θ13

>

103

>

superscript2subscript𝜃13superscript103\sin^{2}\theta_{13}\mathrel{\vbox{\hbox{$>$}\nointerlineskip\hbox{$\sim$}}}10^{-3}) and the hierarchy is normal (inverted), the Earth matter effect in the neutrino (antineutrino) channel is entirely due to the $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ ($`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$$`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$) flux difference and therefore the existence of the flux difference can, in principle, be established. In the neutrino channel, the relative deviation $`r`$ of the observed spectrum from the prediction in the case of no Earth crossing can be typically as large as $`r0.20.3`$ at high energy, $`E7080`$ MeV, and can reach $`r0.7`$ for the largest considered values of the difference $`T_\tau T_\mu `$. This effect could be observable in future if large $`\nu _e`$ detectors with good energy resolution become available. In the antineutrino channel the effect does not exceed $`1015\%`$ and could be tested by the next generation of large Cherenkov detectors.

6. The observation of the Earth matter effect that we considered here would be a signal of the difference between $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ (or $`\overline{\nu }_\mu `$ and $`\overline{\nu }_\tau `$) fluxes, with interesting implications for the models of neutrino transport in the star and for the underlying physics. Jointly with other observations, it would give information on the neutrino mass hierarchy and on the mixing angle $`\theta _{13}`$. The effects of the possible $`\nu _\mu `$$`\nu _\tau `$ flux difference should be properly taken into account in the interpretations of the results of the supernova neutrino experiments.

7. The potential $`V_{\tau \mu }`$ is induced by radiative corrections and therefore is much smaller than the potential $`V_e`$. Nevertheless, it plays an important role in the evolution of the neutrino states in the star provided that the original fluxes of $`\nu _\mu `$ and $`\nu _\tau `$ are different. Had one disregarded it, one would have arrived at a much smaller Earth matter effect, suppressed by the factor $`\mathrm{cos}2\theta _{23}1`$.

### Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank H. T. Janka and G. G. Raffelt for fruitful discussions. C.L. thanks A. Friedland, T. Totani, J. Klein, V. Barger, D. Marfatia and B. P. Wood for useful comments and acknowledges partial support of her work from the NSF grant PHY-0070928. E.A. was supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation as a Gulbenkian Visiting Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico.