New Lower Limits on the Lifetime of Heavy Neutrino Radiative Decay

TL;DR

This paper analyzes data from the 2006 solar eclipse to establish new lower limits on the lifetime of heavy neutrinos decaying radiatively, improving constraints using this observational method.

Contribution

It provides the most stringent lower limits to date on heavy neutrino radiative decay lifetime using eclipse data analysis.

Findings

No decay signals detected in eclipse data

Set new lower bounds on neutrino lifetime

Method proves highly sensitive for such searches

Abstract

The data collected during the 2006 total solar eclipse are analyzed in the search for signals produced by a hypothetical radiative decay of massive neutrinos. In the absence of the expected light pattern, we set lower limits for the massive neutrino components proper lifetime. The reached sensitivity indicates thet these are the best limits obtainable with this method.