English

Determination of absolute neutrino masses from Z-bursts

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology 2009-11-07 v2 Astrophysics High Energy Physics - Experiment

Abstract

Ultrahigh energy neutrinos (UHE\nu) scatter on relic neutrinos (R\nu) producing Z bosons, which can decay hadronically producing protons (Z-burst). We compare the predicted proton spectrum with the observed ultrahigh energy cosmic ray (UHECR) spectrum and determine the mass of the heaviest R\nu via a maximum likelihood analysis. Our prediction depends on the origin of the power-like part of the UHECR spectrum: m_\nu=2.75^{+1.28}_{-0.97} eV for Galactic halo and 0.26^{+0.20}_{-0.14} eV for extragalactic (EG) origin. The necessary UHE\nu flux should be detected in the near future.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-ph/0105064,
  title  = {Determination of absolute neutrino masses from Z-bursts},
  author = {Z. Fodor and S. D. Katz and A. Ringwald},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-ph/0105064},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

slight rewording, revised neutrino fluxes, conclusions unchanged, version to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett