Parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos

In summary: It will be interesting to see how this new information about neutrinos affects the accepted symmetry framework and our understanding of weak interactions.
  • #1
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Now that it is becoming apparent that neutrinos are massive (albeit rather small), I have a question that bears upon the accepted symmetry framework as applied to weak interacton.

We know from weak decay (say Beta) that there is parity asymmetry, that the resultant neutrinos are polarized (left handed) proportional to -v/c, and the thought was they were 100% polarization due to the assumption of massless particles.

However since we know now neutrino velocity can be less than c, there is the possibility of right-handed neutrinos! This was totally inconceiveable before, so what are the implications? especially as it relates to violations of CP symmetry? Previously, combining with charge conjugation restored the symmetry so CP remain inviolate.
Apparently however, massive neutrinos would indicate there is a violation of CP symmetry in weak beta deacy interaction also, no? :eek:

In other words, CP invariance was thought to hold in beta decay, yet apparently not now.
Your thoughts?

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It looks like you have a good understanding of the implications of massive neutrinos on parity symmetry and CP invariance in weak beta decay. It appears that if neutrinos have mass, then CP invariance in weak beta decay could be broken. This would be a big shift in our understanding of particle physics, since CP invariance has been a cornerstone of the current theory for a long time.

What I'm curious about is how much mass do neutrinos actually have, and what implications will this have on our understanding of particle physics? Are there any experiments being conducted to measure the mass of neutrinos?
 
  • #3


The discovery that neutrinos are massive has certainly raised some interesting questions about parity violation and the accepted symmetry framework in weak interactions. As you mentioned, the initial assumption of massless neutrinos led to the belief that they were 100% polarized, but now with the understanding that neutrinos can have a velocity less than c, the possibility of right-handed neutrinos has emerged. This was previously thought to be impossible, but with the new information about neutrino mass, it is something that must be considered.

The implications of this for parity violation and CP symmetry are significant. As you mentioned, previous theories relied on the combination of charge conjugation to restore symmetry and maintain CP invariance in weak beta decay. However, with the discovery of massive neutrinos and the possibility of right-handed neutrinos, it appears that there may be a violation of CP symmetry in weak beta decay after all.

This has important implications for our understanding of the fundamental forces and the laws of nature. It challenges our previous assumptions and requires us to re-evaluate our understanding of the weak interaction. It also opens up new avenues for research and exploration, as we try to understand the implications of massive neutrinos on the fundamental laws of physics.

In conclusion, the discovery of massive neutrinos has certainly raised some thought-provoking questions about parity violation and CP symmetry in weak interactions. It is an exciting and challenging time for physicists as we continue to unravel the mysteries of the universe.
 

1. What is parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos?

Parity violation refers to the phenomenon where there is a difference in the behavior of a physical system when its spatial coordinates are reversed. In the case of massive neutrinos, it means that their behavior is not symmetrical when viewed from different directions.

2. How was parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos discovered?

In 1956, physicists Chien-Shiung Wu, Tsung-Dao Lee, and Chen Ning Yang conducted an experiment that showed a clear violation of parity in the behavior of weak interactions involving cobalt-60 nuclei. This led to the discovery that parity is not conserved in certain interactions involving massive particles, including neutrinos.

3. What are the implications of parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos?

The discovery of parity violation in massive neutrinos has significant implications for our understanding of fundamental physics. It challenges the widely-accepted theory of parity conservation and suggests that there may be other fundamental symmetries that are violated in the universe.

4. How do scientists study parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos?

Scientists study parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos through a variety of experiments, including neutrino oscillation experiments and measurements of the asymmetry in weak interactions. These experiments require highly sensitive detectors and precise control of experimental conditions.

5. Can parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos be used for practical applications?

At this point, the practical applications of parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos are still being explored. However, understanding this phenomenon could potentially lead to new technologies and advancements in our understanding of the universe.

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