Tau neutrino
Appearance
Fermionic | |
---|---|
Family | Lepton |
Generation | Third |
Interactions | Weak, gravity |
Symbol | ν τ |
Antiparticle | Tau antineutrino ( ν τ) |
Theorized | Mid 1970s |
Discovered | DONUT collaboration (2000) |
Mass | Nonzero (See Neutrino mass) |
Electric charge | 0 e |
Color charge | No |
Spin | 1/2 |
Weak isospin | 1/2 |
Weak hypercharge | −1 |
Chirality | left-handed (for right-handed neutrinos, see sterile neutrino) |
The tau neutrino or tauon neutrino is an
SLAC–LBL group.[1] The discovery of the tau neutrino was announced in July 2000 by the DONUT collaboration (Direct Observation of the Nu Tau).[2][3] In 2024, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory published findings of seven astrophysical tau neutrino candidates.[4][5]
Discovery
The DONUT experiment from Fermilab was built during the 1990s to specifically detect the tau neutrino. These efforts came to fruition in July 2000, when the DONUT collaboration reported its detection.[2][3] The tau neutrino is last of the leptons, and is the second most recent discovered particle of the Standard Model (i.e., it was observed 12 years before the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012).
See also
- Electron neutrino
- Muon neutrino
- PMNS matrix
References
- ^
Perl, M.L.; et al. (1975). "Evidence for anomalous lepton production in
e+
e−
annihilation". . - ^ a b Jackson, Judy; et al. (20 July 2000). "Physicists find first direct evidence for tau neutrino at Fermilab" (Press release). Batavia, IL: Fermilab.
- ^ a b
Kodama, K.; et al. (S2CID 119335798.
- ^ Lea, Robert (March 14, 2024), "Scientists may have just caught 7 exotic "ghost particles" as they pierced through Earth", Space.com, retrieved 16 March 2024
- ^ Pennsylvania State University (March 13, 2024), "IceCube identifies seven astrophysical tau neutrino candidates", phys.org, retrieved 16 March 2024