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  Is a deviation from the equal flavor ratio of neutrinos ruled out experimentally?

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Neutrinos have a lifetime which exceeds the lifetime of our universe. Therefore we measure an equal ratio of all three neutrino flavors, 1:1:1. However, lets assume that the heavier neutrinos can decay into the lightest neutrino very fast, so that only the lightest neutrino is measured in detectors. Then we had a distinct ratio of neutrino flavors measured, deviating from 1:1:1. Is such a theoretical scenario ruled out experimentally?
 

asked Jan 18, 2016 in Experimental Physics by anonymous [ no revision ]

1 Answer

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Here is a review of the status of neutrinos . Currently there is no speculation of neutrino decays from higher masses to lower, and in the process. flavor violation.

However, lets assume that the heavier neutrinos can decay into the lightest neutrino very fast, so that only the lightest neutrino is measured in detectors.

If that were experimentally the case we would not have come up with the flavors for neutrinos and the standard model as it developed . For example we observe muon neutrinos to generate muons, this would never happen if the muon neutrino decayed fast.

Since the calculations of the standard model fit well within experimental errors the data, your hypothesis is ruled out, certainly for fast decays to the lowest neutrino it is   completely excluded.

answered Jan 19, 2016 by anna v (2,005 points) [ no revision ]

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