Closing the Windows on Mev Tau Neutrinos

K. S. Babu, T. M. Gould, I. Z. Rothstein

Published 1993-10-26Version 1

In this note, we analyze various constraints on the ``visible'' decay modes of a massive $\tau $ neutrino, $\nu_\tau\rightarrow\nu^\prime\,\gamma $ and $\nu_\tau\rightarrow\nu^\prime\, e^+ e^-$, where $\nu^\prime$ is a light neutrino. The BEBC beam dump experiment provides model-independent constraints on these modes. The lifetime for the $\nu^\prime\, e^+e^-$ mode is constrained to be $\tau_{\nu^\prime\, e^+e^-} \ge 0.18~(m_{\nu_\tau}/MeV)~sec.$ We point out that the same experiment implies a similar constraint on the $\nu^\prime\,\gamma$ mode. This results in a new upper limit on the transition magnetic moment of $\nu_\tau$, $\mu_{\rm tran} \le 1.1 \times 10^{-9} (MeV/m_{\nu_\tau})^2 \mu_B $. Furthermore, a limit on the electric charge of $\nu_\tau$ may be obtained, $Q_{\nu_\tau} \le 4 \times 10^{-4}e$. Combining these constraints with those arising from supernova observations and primordial nucleosynthesis calculations, we show that these ``visible'' decays cannot be the dominant decay modes of the $\tau$ neutrino.