1
$\begingroup$

What are the results of fusing an electron neutrino and a muon neutrino? If you have an answer, then why? I looked this up and searched for stuff on Google, Wikipedia and a few other sites, but all the results say are stuff on nuclear fusion and neutrinos.

BONUS QUESTION:
What happens if you put another muon neutrino into the mix?

$\endgroup$

1 Answer 1

3
$\begingroup$

There is no such tree-level interaction in the conventional theory.

But then free-propagating neutrinos are not in pure flavor states except by chance anyway, so any pair of neutrino and anti-neutrino1 could participate in a vertex $$ \nu_l + \bar\nu_l \to Z^0 \,,$$ which is roughly equivalent to Drell-Yan in the charged lepton sector with a projection into agreeing flavor states ($l$) built into the operator.

The cross-section will be very low and the $Z$ will have to decay to something on-shell very quickly so there are energy and momentum conservation requirements.


1 If neutrinos really are Majorana as in the theory the identification of anti- and normal- is frame dependent.

$\endgroup$

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.