skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: New upper limits on the tau-neutrino mass from primordial helium considerations

Abstract

In this paper we reconsider recently derived bounds on MeV tau neutrinos, taking into account previously unaccounted for effects. We find that, assuming that the neutrino lifetime is longer than [similar to]100 sec, the constraint [ital N][sub eff][lt]3.6 rules out [nu][sub [tau]] masses in the range 0.5[lt][ital m][sub [nu][tau]][lt]35 MeV for Majorana and 0.3[lt][ital m][sub [nu][tau]][lt]35 MeV for Dirac neutrinos. Given that the present laboratory upper bound is 31 MeV, our results imply an upper bound of 0.5 MeV for Majorana neutrinos and of 0.3 MeV for Dirac neutrinos.

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. The Randall Laboratory of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
6217001
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review Letters; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 71:4; Journal ID: ISSN 0031-9007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; Pa; MASS; LIMITING VALUES; TAU NEUTRINOS; ABUNDANCE; HELIUM; LIFETIME; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ELEMENTS; FERMIONS; FLUIDS; GASES; HEAVY LEPTONS; LEPTONS; MASSLESS PARTICLES; NEUTRINOS; NONMETALS; POSTULATED PARTICLES; RARE GASES; 662210* - Specific Theories & Interaction Models; Particle Systematics- Unified Theories & Models- (1992-); 662430 - Properties of Leptons- (1992-)

Citation Formats

Dolgov, A D, and Rothstein, I Z. New upper limits on the tau-neutrino mass from primordial helium considerations. United States: N. p., 1993. Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.476.
Dolgov, A D, & Rothstein, I Z. New upper limits on the tau-neutrino mass from primordial helium considerations. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.476
Dolgov, A D, and Rothstein, I Z. 1993. "New upper limits on the tau-neutrino mass from primordial helium considerations". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.476.
@article{osti_6217001,
title = {New upper limits on the tau-neutrino mass from primordial helium considerations},
author = {Dolgov, A D and Rothstein, I Z},
abstractNote = {In this paper we reconsider recently derived bounds on MeV tau neutrinos, taking into account previously unaccounted for effects. We find that, assuming that the neutrino lifetime is longer than [similar to]100 sec, the constraint [ital N][sub eff][lt]3.6 rules out [nu][sub [tau]] masses in the range 0.5[lt][ital m][sub [nu][tau]][lt]35 MeV for Majorana and 0.3[lt][ital m][sub [nu][tau]][lt]35 MeV for Dirac neutrinos. Given that the present laboratory upper bound is 31 MeV, our results imply an upper bound of 0.5 MeV for Majorana neutrinos and of 0.3 MeV for Dirac neutrinos.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevLett.71.476},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6217001}, journal = {Physical Review Letters; (United States)},
issn = {0031-9007},
number = ,
volume = 71:4,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 1993},
month = {Mon Jul 26 00:00:00 EDT 1993}
}