Threshold e− p⟶ nνe scattering and the electron neutrino mass

Abstract

The most precise measurement of the electron neutrino mass has been obtained from the shape of the electron energy spectrum near the endpoint in tritium decay. The Mainz and Troitsk experiments indicated an excess instead of expected depletion of counts in that region. Results derived from such measurements are subject to numerous atomic corrections which are absent in the scattering e− p ⟶ nνe. This new idea is presented in the article, with its advantages and difficulties, and is compared to the method of tritium decay.