Small entries of neutrino mass matrices

We consider phenomenologically allowed structures of the neutrino mass matrix in the case of three light neutrino species. Constraints from the solar, atmospheric and reactor neutrino experiments as well as those from the neutrinoless double beta decay are taken into account. Both hierarchical and quasi-degenerate neutrino mass cases are studied. Assuming maximal nu(mu) - nu(tau) mixing we derive simple approximate expressions giving the values of the neutrino masses and remaining lepton mixing angles in terms of the entries of the neutrino mass matrix. Special attention is paid to the small entries which are usually not specified in discussions of the neutrino mass matrix textures. We specifically discuss the stability of neutrino masses and lepton mixing angles with respect to the choice and variations of these small entries. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.