Solar neutrinos as probes of neutrino-matter interactions

Data from solar neutrino and KamLAND experiments have led to a discovery of nonzero neutrino masses. Here we investigate what these data can tell us about neutrino interactions with matter, including the poorly constrained flavor-changing v(e)-v(tau) interactions. We give examples of the interaction parameters that are excluded by the solar/KamLAND data and are beyond the reach of other experiments. We also demonstrate that flavor-changing interactions, at the allowed level, may profoundly modify the conversion probability for neutrinos of energy; less than or similar to 6 MeV and the values of the mass parameter inferred from the data. The implications for future experiments are discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.