[Physics] Should Beta Minus decay put an upper limit on the mass of a neutrino

mass-energyneutrinosradiation

Beta minus decay emits an electron with a range of energies. Within the nucleus, the following is happening: $n\rightarrow p+e^-+\bar{v}_e$. For this reaction to be possible, by lepton number conservation, the neutrino must be present. Since this neutrino accounts for the range of electron energies, can this not be used to be a constraint on the mass of the neutrino?

For the maximum electron energy, the neutrino will have no kinetic energy, and only its mass energy, $mc^2$. So, how come this principle has not been utilised in putting limits on neutrino mass-energies; there must be a problem somewhere?

Best Answer

This has been attempted, however the energy released in a neutron decay is a shade under a MeV and the neutrino masses are probably below $0.1$ eV. The energy of the neutron decay simply cannot be measured accurately enough to determine the neutrino mass.

The closest estimate I kmow of is reported in Neutrino mass limit from tritium beta decay by E. W. Otten, C. Weinheimer, but their estimate is $m(\nu_e)\lt 2$ eV, so it's a fair way from the expected mass.

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