Sterile neutrino decay as a common origin for LSND/MiniBooNe and T2K excess events (1107.0279v2)

Abstract: We point out that the excess of electron-like neutrino events recently observed by the T2K collaboration may have a common origin with the similar excess events previously reported by the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments and interpreted as a signal from the radiative decays of a sterile neutrino \nu_h with the mass around 50 MeV produced in muon neutrino neutral current (NC) interactions. In this work we assumed that the \nu_h can also be produced in tau neutrino NC reactions.

• The paper shows that radiative decays of a 50 MeV sterile neutrino may explain the excess electron-like events observed in LSND, MiniBooNE, and T2K.
• It analyzes production in muon neutrino neutral current interactions and extends the mechanism to tau neutrino channels for a unified interpretation.
• The findings suggest a common origin for these anomalies, potentially prompting revisions to standard neutrino interaction models.

Abstract: We point out that the excess of electron-like neutrino events recently observed by the T2K collaboration may have a common origin with the similar excess events previously reported by the LSND and MiniBooNE experiments and interpreted as a signal from the radiative decays of a sterile neutrino \nu_h with the mass around 50 MeV produced in muon neutrino neutral current (NC) interactions. In this work we assumed that the \nu_h can also be produced in tau neutrino NC reactions.