Sterile neutrinos and right-handed currents in KATRIN

TL;DR

This paper explores how future KATRIN-like experiments can detect keV-scale sterile neutrinos coupled to right-handed currents, potentially revealing new physics related to dark matter and neutrino mass mechanisms.

Contribution

It demonstrates that right-handed currents can enhance sterile neutrino signals in beta decay spectra, improving detection prospects and distinguishing them from standard contributions.

Findings

KATRIN-like experiments can detect sterile neutrinos below 18 keV.

Right-handed currents can produce a distinguishable spectral peak.

Enhanced sensitivity compared to standard models.

Abstract

Kurie-plot experiments allow for neutrino-mass measurements based on kinematics in an almost model-independent manner. A future tritium-based KATRIN-like experiment can be sensitive to light sterile neutrinos with masses below 18 keV, which are among the prime candidates for warm dark matter. Here we consider such keV neutrinos in left--right symmetric extensions, i.e. coupled to right-handed currents, which allow for an enhanced contribution to beta decay even for small active--sterile mixing, without violating astrophysical X-ray constraints. The modified spectral shape is in principle distinguishable from the standard contribution---especially for sterile neutrino masses below 9 keV, which can lead to a distinct peak. We compare the sensitivity to constraints from the LHC and neutrinoless double beta decay.