Abstract
If a heavy neutrino of mass 1.1 MeV <m <14 MeV participates in the weak charged current coupling for the electron, then it can be produced in the Sun and decay in flight into an electron, a positron and a light neutrino. It is shown here that existing experimental bounds on low-energy interplanetary positrons severely constrain the heavy neutrino–electron coupling. Accelerator experiments severely constrain the coupling of still heavier neutrinos.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lyubimov, V. A., Novikov, E. G., Nozik, V. Z., Tretyakov, E. F. & Kosik, V. S. Phys. Leu. 94B, 266 (1980).
Reines, F., Sobel, H. W. & Pasierb, E. Phys. Rev. Lett. 45, 1307 (1980).
Witten, E. Preprint HUTP-80/A031 (Harvard University, 1980).
Faber, S. & Gallagher, J. A. Rev. Astr. Astrophys. (1979).
Cowsik, R. & McLelland, J. Phys. Rev. Lett. 29, 669 (1972).
Tremaine, S., Gunn, J. Phys. Rev. Lett. 42, 407 (1979).
Gunn, J., Lee, B., Lerche, I., Schramm, D. Steigman, G. Astrophys. J. 223, 1015 (1978).
Cowsik, R. Phys. Rev. Lett. 39, 784 (1977).
Bachall, J. & Ulrich, R. Astrophys. J. Lett. 160, L57 (1970).
Beurmann, K., Rice, C., Stone, E. & Vogt, R. Acta phys. hung. 29, Suppl. 1, 173 (1970).
Cline, T. & Porreca, G. Acta phys. hung. 29, Suppl. 1, 145 (1970).
Mewaldt, R., Stone, E. & Vogt, R. 14th int. Cosmic Ray Conf. 1, 349 (1975).
Dicus, D., Kolb, E., Teplitz, V. & Wagoner, R. Phys. Rev. D17, 1529 (1978).
Kolb, E. W. & Goldman, T. Phys. Rev. Lett. 43, 897 (1979).
Shrock, R. Phys. Lett. 96 B, 159 (1980); Stonybrook preprint ITP-8SB-80-56 (1980).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Toussaint, D., Wilczek, F. Constraints on heavy neutrinos. Nature 289, 777–778 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/289777a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/289777a0
This article is cited by
-
Experimental status of weak interactions
La Rivista Del Nuovo Cimento Series 3 (1986)
-
Can a neutrino-dominated Universe be rejected?
Nature (1984)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.