Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Observation of anomalous muon-electron pairs in a neutrino exposure

  • Published:
Zeitschrift für Physik C Particles and Fields

Abstract

Muon electron pairs were detected in an Al multiplate spark chamber, exposed to a neutrino beam from the CERN PS. The leptons were not accompanied by other particles, except occasionally by protons. The background came mainly from muon associated π0 production, with one decay gamma lost. It was determined empirically, together with the small contribution from υ e reactions. For electron energies above 2 GeV the background is 5.7±1.5 events, whereas 18 (μe)-candidates have been observed. Hence the effect is established, with a rate of about 10−4 as compared to the muonic reactions above 3 GeV. Charm creation as the origin of this (μe)-production process is excluded; heavy neutral lepton production does not fit the kinematics observed. Instead the events are compatible with the two-body decay of an object with variable invariant mass of order 1 GeV, possibly resulting from axion interactions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. H.Faissner et al.: Proc. Internat. Neutrino Conference, Baksan 1977, Vol. 1, p. 250, Markov et al., ed. Moscow, 1978

  2. E.Radermacher: Proc. of the Ben Lee Memorial Internat. Conference, FNAL 1977, p. 387, D. B. Cline, F. E. Mills, eds. Batavia, 1978

  3. D.Hoffmann: Proc. Internat. Neutrino Conference, Purdue 1978, p. 967, C. Fowler, ed. Lafayette, 1979

  4. G.Puglierin: Proc. Top. Conference on Neutrino Physics, Oxford 1978, p. 182, A.G.Michette, P.B.Renton, eds. Rutherford, Chilton, Didcot 1978

    Google Scholar 

  5. E.Radermacher: Proc. XIX International Conference on High Energy Physics, Tokyo 1978, p. 321, S.Homma, M.Kawaguchi, H.Miyazawa, eds. Int. Academic Printing Japan, 1979

    Google Scholar 

  6. D.Hoffmann: 7th Neutrino-Workshop. Balatonszéplak, 1980

  7. H.Faissner: Proc. European Phys. Soc. Conf. on High Energy Physics Palermo 1975, p. 291, A.Zichichi, ed. Bologna, 1976

  8. H.Faissner et al.: Proc. Internat. Neutrino Conference Aachen 1976, p. 223. H.Faissner, H.Reithler, P.Zerwas, eds. Braunschweig: Vieweg 1977

    Google Scholar 

  9. H.Faissner: Proc. Internat. Conf. on High Energy Physics, Dubna 1964, Vol. 2, p. 352, Ya.A. Smorodinsky et al., eds. Moscow, 1966

  10. H.Steiner: Master's Thesis, Universität Erlangen (1967)

  11. H.Deden et al.: Phys. Lett.67B, 474 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  12. H.Faissner et al.: Phys. Rev. Lett.41, 213 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  13. H.Reithler: Proc. Internat. Symposium on Lepton and Photon Interactions at High Energies, Hamburg 1977, p. 343, F.Gutbrod, ed. DESY, 1977

  14. H.de Witt: Master's Thesis, Technische Hochschule Aachen (1977); H.de Witt: Ph. D. Thesis (in preparation)

  15. New fluxes: J.B.M.Pattison, H.Wachsmuth: Private communication

  16. T.Eichten et al.: Phys. Lett.46B, 274 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  17. K.Schultze: Fortschr. Phys.19, 815 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  18. D.Hoffmann: Ph. D. Thesis, III. Phys. Inst. A, Technische Hochschule Aachen (1980), also Internal Report PITHA Nr. 80/01

  19. M.K.Gaillard, B.WLee, J.L. Rosner: Rev. Mod. Phys.47, 227 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  20. M.K.Gaillard: Proc. International Neutrino Conference Aachen 1976, loc. cit. p. 553; M.K.Gaillard: Proc. Internat. Neutrino Conference Baksan 1977, loc. cit., Vol. 1, p. 303, and references quoted therein

    Google Scholar 

  21. L.M.Sehgal, P.Zerwas: Nucl. Phys. B108, 483 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  22. G.Köpp, L.M.Sehgal, P.M.Zerwas: Nucl. Phys. B123, 61 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  23. J.Lovseth, M.Radomski: Phys. Rev. D3, 2686 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  24. R.W.Brown, R.H.Hobbs, J.Smith, N.Stanko: Phys. Rev. D3, 3273 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  25. G.Bernardini et al.: Phys. Lett.13, 86 (1964); Nuovo Cimento38, 608 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  26. B.C.Barish: Phys. Rep.39C, 279 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  27. D.Rein, L.M.Sehgal, P.M.Zerwas: Nucl. Phys. B138, 85 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  28. D.S.Baranov et al.: Phys. Lett.70B, 269 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Y.G.Rjabov: Proc. XIX International Conference on High Energy Physics, Tokyo 1978,loc. cit. p. 365

    Google Scholar 

  30. C.H.Albright, J.Smith: Phys. Rev. D19, 2204 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  31. G.Farrar, F.Fayet: Cal. Tech. preprint 68-648. For a review on Supersymmetries see D.Z. Freedman, Proc. XIX International Conference on High Energy Physics, Tokyo 1978, loc. cit., p. 535, and references quoted therein

  32. R.M.Barnett, M.Dine, L.McLerran: SLAC-PUB-2475, February 1980

  33. J.C.Pati, Abdus Salam: Phys. Rev. D8, 1240 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  34. J.C.Pati, AbdusSalam: Phys. Rev. Lett.31, 661 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  35. W.Konetschy, W.Kummer: Phys. Lett.70B, 433 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  36. W.A.Bardeen, S.-H.H.Tye, J.A.M.Vermaseren: Phys. Lett.76B, 580 (1978) We are greatly indebted to Dr. Vermaseren for pointing out to us the possibility of a flavour-mixing axion-lepton interaction

    Google Scholar 

  37. H.Faissner et al.: Phys. Lett. (to be published)

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. E. Radermacher

    Present address: CERN, Geneva, Switzerland

  2. E. Frenzel

    Present address: Bundeswehr-Hochschule, Munich

  3. U. Samm

    Present address: Gesellschaft für elektronische Datenverarbeitung, Aachen

Authors and Affiliations

  1. III. Physikalisches Institut, Technische Hochschule Aachen, D-5100, Aachen, Germany

    H. Faissner, M. Grimm, T. Hansl, D. Hoffmann, H. Reithler, H. Tuchscherer & H. deWitt

Authors
  1. H. Faissner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Frenzel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. Grimm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. T. Hansl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. D. Hoffmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. E. Radermacher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. H. Reithler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. U. Samm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. H. Tuchscherer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. H. deWitt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Faissner, H., Frenzel, E., Grimm, M. et al. Observation of anomalous muon-electron pairs in a neutrino exposure. Z. Phys. C - Particles and Fields 10, 95–100 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01547479

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01547479

Keywords

Search

Navigation