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Abstract

We investigate in a model-independent way to what extent one can perturb tri-bimaximal mixing in order to generate a sizable value of |U_{e3}|, while at the same time keeping solar neutrino mixing near its measured value, which is close to sin2 theta_{12} = 1/3. Three straightforward breaking mechanisms to generate |U_{e3}| of about 0.1 are considered. For charged lepton corrections, the suppression of a sizable contribution to sin2 theta_{12} can be achieved if CP violation in neutrino oscillations is almost maximal. Generation of the indicated value of |U_{e3}| of about 0.1 through renormalization group corrections requires the neutrinos to be quasi-degenerate in mass. The consistency with the allowed range of sin2 theta_{12} together with large running of |U_{e3}| forces one of the Majorana phases to be close to pi. This implies large cancellations in the effective Majorana mass governing neutrino-less double beta, constraining it to lie near its minimum allowed value of m_0 cos 2 theta_{12}, where m_0 is greater than about 0.1 eV. Finally, explicit breaking of the neutrino mass matrix in the inverted hierarchical and quasi-degenerate neutrino mass spectrum cases is similarly correlated with the effective Majorana mass, although to a lesser extent. The implied values for the atmospheric neutrino mixing angle theta_{23} are given in all cases.