Atmospheric Neutrino: Pion Decay to Muon & Muon Neutrino

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Kolahal Bhattacharya
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Neutrino
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

Pions primarily decay into a muon and a muon neutrino due to conservation of angular momentum, with a branching ratio of only 1% for decay into an electron and an electron neutrino. This decay process is crucial in understanding atmospheric neutrinos. The discussion references the HyperPhysics resource and Griffiths' book on particle physics for further clarification on the mechanisms involved in pion decay.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of particle physics concepts, specifically pion decay
  • Familiarity with conservation laws in physics, particularly angular momentum
  • Knowledge of neutrino types and their interactions
  • Basic grasp of branching ratios in particle decay processes
NEXT STEPS
  • Read Griffiths' "Introduction to Elementary Particles" for detailed insights on particle decay
  • Explore the HyperPhysics resource on hadrons for foundational knowledge
  • Investigate the implications of angular momentum conservation in particle physics
  • Study the differences between muon neutrinos and electron neutrinos in decay processes
USEFUL FOR

Students and researchers in particle physics, physicists studying neutrino interactions, and anyone interested in the mechanisms of pion decay and atmospheric neutrinos.

Kolahal Bhattacharya
Messages
133
Reaction score
1
Why does pions(coming through atmosphere) decays into a muon and a muon neutrino, not directly into electron and lelectron neutrino?I know it's because splin angular momentum conservation...but I need to be more clear about it.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Actually some of the pions do decay directly into electron and anti-neutrino (or positron and neutrino). But the branching ratio for this process is very small- only about 1%.

To explain this, please read:http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/particles/hadron.html"

And Griffiths' book on particle physics also has a very good discussion.

Cheers.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Similar threads

Graduate Atmospheric electron neutrinos
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
Undergrad Why Does π+ Decay to Muon and Muonic Neutrino?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
Graduate Beta Decay, why did they have to resort to Neutrinos?
  • · Replies 32 ·
2
Replies
32
Views
4K
Undergrad Open Questions about Neutrinos Today
  • · Replies 87 ·
3
Replies
87
Views
20K
Undergrad Progress In Calculating The HLbL Contribution To Muon g-2
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
3K
Undergrad Can Oscillations Explain Neutrino Anomalies?
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
4K
Undergrad Positron decay direction from muon
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K
Graduate Why Does Strange Quark Decay Involve an Electron Instead of a Muon?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Undergrad Generation number conservation
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
High School Where does the mass of a W boson come from in beta decay?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K