Massless Neutrino Oscillations via Quantum Tunneling

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel interpretation of neutrino oscillations as a quantum tunneling process, suggesting that massless neutrinos can oscillate, challenging the traditional requirement of non-zero mass.

Contribution

It introduces a new theoretical framework viewing neutrino oscillations as quantum tunneling, applicable to various particle mixing phenomena, even with massless neutrinos.

Findings

Neutrino oscillations can occur via quantum tunneling without non-zero mass.

The approach extends to quark mixing and meson systems.

Potential implications for understanding fundamental particle interactions.

Abstract

In the current theory, neutrino oscillations require that the masses of neutrinos are non-vanishing. By analogy with the oscillation of quantum two-state system, we assume that neutrino oscillations may be regarded as quantum tunneling process. The difference of the quantum numbers between two particles may be regarded as a barrier between them. Thus neutrinos with vanishing mass can also oscillate. The hypothesis can also be applied to quark mixing, flavor violation of charged leptons, CP violation of neutral-kaon system, neutral meson mixing and electroweak mixing.