The $β$-spectrum in presence of background potentials for neutrinos

Abstract

We compute the spectrum of $β$-decay, assuming that (Majorana or Dirac) neutrinos propagate in constant potentials. We study the modifications of the spectrum due to the effect of these potentials. Data on tritium decay and on ${}^3$H--${}^3$He mass difference allow us to infer bounds in the electronvolts range on the potentials.