A Statistical Derivation of an Upper Limit to the Electron Neutrino Mass from the SN 1987A Neutrino Data
Abstract
Using all the SN 1987A neutrino burst events culled by the Kamiokande II detector and a realistic underlying neutrino source model and spectrum, we have performed a series of Monte Carlo calculations to obtain upper limits with confidence levels for the mass of the electron neutrino (mnu__e_). With conservative assumptions, the upper limits are 14 eV (90%), 16 eV (95%), and 19eV (99%). These limits are inconsistent with the lower limit quoted by the ITEP collaboration and are lower than all the extant upper limits from tritium decay experiments. If we impose further, but reasonable, source model constraints, we obtain limits of 12 eV (90%), 14 eV (95%), and 17 eV(99%).
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- May 1988
- DOI:
- 10.1086/185158
- Bibcode:
- 1988ApJ...328L..51B
- Keywords:
-
- Electron Scattering;
- Neutrinos;
- Particle Mass;
- Statistical Analysis;
- Supernova 1987a;
- Elementary Particle Interactions;
- Monte Carlo Method;
- Particle Emission;
- Space Radiation;
- NEUTRINOS;
- STARS: SUPERNOVAE