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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
W ehave developed a time-energy correlation method1 to bring forth the mass signature from Supernova 1987a neutrino observations, if the neutrino has any mass at all. This method is particularly effective in analyzing data sets with a small number of events, such as the Kamiokande II2 and the IMB3 observations of neutrino bursts from Supernova 1987A. The time dispersion Δt12 between two simultaneously emitted neutrinos of energies E1, E2 (E1 < E2 ) and a neutrino mass energy mv is given by:
where L is the distance of the source and c is the velocity of light. Conversely, Eq.(1) can also be used to establish time relationships of detected neutrinos and the existence of a mass. Applying Eq.(1) to all pairs for which real values of mv (called the correlation mass) are obtained from the observed Δt12, E1, E2, the existence of a cluster of pairs with essentially the same mass mv will indicate (a) many pairs of neutrinos were emitted within a narrow time window, and (b) the existence of a mass at mv. If a group of neutrinos were emitted within a narrow window, these groups will show a strong time correlation. Thus, this method of analysis does not impose a condition for the emission mechanism - rather, if the result of this analysis indicates the existence of a mass, there must exist a time correlation among the neutrinos.