Linear-momentum changes in astrophysical processes due to neutrino emission.
Abstract
It is shown that nonconservation of parity in weak interactions can have an observable macroscopic effect in changing the linear momentum of an astrophysical system emitting neutrinos in the presence of a strong magnetic field. It is noted that collapsing objects probably have strong magnetic fields, that a certain fraction of neutrons in such an object will align their spins parallel to the magnetic field, and that neutrino emission during weak-interaction process involving aligned neutrons will be asymmetrical due to nonconservation of parity. In this case, the total momentum carried away by neutrinos will be nonzero and has to be compensated by a change in the momentum of the object. Analytic expressions are derived for the momentum carried away by the neutrinos.
- Publication:
-
Nuovo Cimento Lettere
- Pub Date:
- August 1975
- Bibcode:
- 1975NCimL..13..555T
- Keywords:
-
- Gravitational Collapse;
- Momentum Transfer;
- Neutrinos;
- Parity;
- Particle Interactions;
- Astrophysics;
- Distribution Functions;
- Emission Spectra;
- Magnetic Effects;
- Magnetic Field Configurations;
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance;
- Particle Spin;
- Spin Exchange;
- Temperature Effects;
- Astrophysics