Particle quantum states with indefinite mass and neutrino oscillations

Abstract

In this work we develop a mathematical formalism which allows obtaining oscillation formula for neutrino of any energy. We demonstrate that in the ultra-relativistic limit the results obtained in this new approach agree with the previously used phenomenological theory which is only applicable to ultra-relativistic neutrinos. To this end we do the following. The Hilbert spaces of particle states are constructed in such a way that the neutrinos are combined in a multiplet with its components being considered as different quantum states of a single particle. The same is done for the charged leptons and the down- and up-type quarks. In the theory based on the Lagrangian of the fermion sector of the Standard Model modified in accordance with this construction, the phenomenon of neutrino oscillations arises as a direct consequence of the general principles of quantum field theory. Using the example of the pion decay, when the resulting neutrino has to be ultra-relativistic, it is shown that the neutrino states produced in the decay process can be described by a superposition of states with different masses and identical canonical momenta with very high accuracy.