Tribimaximal Mixing - Explanation of Name

Explanation of Name

The name tribimaximal reflects the commonality of the tribimaximal mixing matrix with two previously proposed specific forms for the PMNS matrix, the trimaximal and bimaximal mixing schemes, both now ruled out by data. In tribimaximal mixing, the neutrino mass eigenstate is said to be "trimaximally mixed" in that it consists of a uniform admixture of, and flavour eigenstates, i.e. maximal mixing among all three flavour states. The neutrino mass eigenstate, on the other hand, is "bimaximally mixed" in that it comprises a uniform admixture of only two flavour components, i.e. and maximal mixing, with effective decoupling of the from the, just as in the original bimaximal scheme.