Why the Neutrino oscillates and the electron doesn't?

[the_pulp]

I mean, the electron neutrino can transform in a muon neutrino after a while. And that surprised the physics community because the electron can't transform to a muon. But

1) can't the electron transform into a W and a W into a muon?
2) So, Why we say that the neutrino oscillate and the electron doesn´t?
3) Why we make all that mess of mixing angle? can't we say that the electron neutrino transforms into a W and then it transform into a muon neutrino?

Sorry for my ignorance and thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge!

 

[AdrianTheRock]

Assuming you mean a process like e^- → W^- + v_e → W^- + v_μ → μ^-, this is prohibited for a free particle by energy/momentum conservation even if the total energy of the incoming electron is sufficient to create a muon. This is similar to why a free electon cannot radiate photons.

 

[mfb]

Assuming you mean a process like e^- → W^- + v_e → W^- + v_μ → μ^-, this is prohibited for a free particle by energy/momentum conservation even if the total energy of the incoming electron is sufficient to create a muon. This is similar to why a free electon cannot radiate photons.

Well, with the same argument, you could rule out v_e -> v_μ.
The interesting point at mixing is the difference of flavor and mass eigenstates - if electrons and muons could mix, there is no "mass of an electron", as an electron would be a superposition of three different mass eigenstates.

An interesting question - but even if mixing is possible, I think it would be extremely rare.