Neutrino oscillations and electron-capture storage-ring experiments

Abstract

Oscillations in the electron-capture (EC) decay rate observed in storage-ring experiments are reconsidered in connection with the neutrino mass difference. Taking into account that - according to Relativity Theory - time is slowed down in the reference frame of the orbiting charged particles as compared to the neutral particles (neutrinos) moving on a rectilinear path after the EC decay, we derive a value of $\Delta m^{2}_{21}=(0.768\pm0.012)\cdot10^{-4} eV^{2}$ for the neutrino mass-squared difference which fully agrees with that observed in other neutrino-oscillation experiments. To further check the connection between EC-decay oscillations and $\Delta m^{2}_{21}$ we suggest experiments with different orbital speeds, i.e., different values of the Lorentz factor.