An explanation of the "negative neutrino mass squared" anomaly in tritium $\beta$-decay based on a theory of mass

Abstract

A proposed solution of the anomalous behavior of the electron spectrum near the endpoint of tritium $\beta$-decay is offered. It is based on a new theory of mass in which mass becomes a dynamical variable, and the electron in the tritium $\beta$-decay has a narrow mass distribution. The predicted Kurie plots explain the main feature (``$m_{\nu }^2<0$'') of this anomalous behavior.

5 pages, 1 Figure. Submitted to Physics Letters B (Dec. 2000)