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MiniBooNE anomaly, the decay D{sub s}{sup +{yields}{mu}+{nu}}{sub {mu}}and heavy sterile neutrino

Journal Article · · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
;  [1]
  1. Institute for Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117312 (Russian Federation)

It has been recently suggested that the anomalous excess of low-energy electronlike events observed by the MiniBooNE experiment could be explained by the radiative decay of a heavy sterile neutrino {nu}{sub h} of the mass around 500 MeV with a muonic mixing strength in the range |U{sub {mu}h}|{sup 2{approx_equal}}(1-4)x10{sup -3}. If such {nu}{sub h} exists its admixtures in the decay D{sub s}{sup +{yields}{mu}+{nu}}{sub {mu}}would result in the decay D{sub s}{sup +{yields}{mu}+{nu}}{sub h} with the branching fraction Br(D{sub s}{sup +{yields}{mu}+{nu}}{sub h}){approx_equal}(1.2-5.5)x10{sup -4}, which is in the experimentally accessible range. Interestingly, the existence of the D{sub s}{sup +{yields}{mu}+{nu}}{sub h} decay at this level may also explain why the currently measured decay rate of D{sub s}{sup +{yields}{mu}+{nu}}{sub {mu}}is slightly higher than the predicted one. This enhances motivation for a search for this decay mode and makes it interesting and complementary to neutrino experiments probing sterile-active neutrino mixing. Our estimates show that the sensitive search could be performed with the analysis of existing data, e.g. from the CLEO-c or another analogous experiment. The discrepancy between the measurements and theoretical description of the decay D{sub s}{sup +{yields}{tau}+{nu}}{sub {tau}}is also briefly discussed.

OSTI ID:
21409514
Journal Information:
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 81; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English