Parity violation with respect to massive neutrinos

[Creator]

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?

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

Creator

 

[R0man]

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.