Structure Formation with Decaying Neutrinos

Abstract

We consider the effects of a massive, unstable neutrino on the evolution of large--scale structure and anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background. Comparison with large--scale structure data allows us to rule out a wide range of masses and lifetimes for such neutrinos. We also define a range of masses and lifetimes which delay matter--radiation equality and improve the agreement with the data of Cold Dark Matter models with critical density.