Lepton Asymmetry and Neutrino Oscillations Interplay

Abstract

We discuss the interplay between lepton asymmetry L and neutrino oscillations in the early Universe. Neutrino oscillations may suppress or enhance previously existing L. On the other hand L is capable to suppress or enhance neutrino oscillations. The mechanism of L enhancement in MSW resonant neutrino oscillations in the early Universe is numerically analyzed. L cosmological effects through neutrino oscillations are discussed. We discuss how L may change the cosmological BBN constraints on neutrino and show that BBN model with electron-sterile neutrino oscillations is extremely sensitive to L - it allows to obtain the most stringent constraints on L value. We discuss also the cosmological role of active-sterile neutrino mixing and L in connection with the indications about additional relativistic density in the early Universe, pointed out by BBN, CMB and LSS data and the analysis of global neutrino data.

Comments: 11 pages, no figures, based on presentation at the 5th International Symposium on Symmetries in Subatomic Physics, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2012. The final publication is available at link.springer.com