Abstract

In order to solve the Neutron decay mass gap problem, Pauli proposed a precise solution. The brilliant idea of a 3^rd particle came to Pauli (fully shared by Fermi) to compensate the energy-mass gap that emerged from the disintegration of the neutron, or negative b decay (bd^-): N® P + e^-.

The basic requirements originally requested by Pauli and Fermi for the new particle, later called neutrino, are essentially three: it is electrically neutral and it must have the same mass and spin of an electron. Hence, if the mass of the neutrino (n) corresponded to that assumed by Pauli and Fermi, the βd^- mass gap problem would be brilliantly solved.

However, the current upper limits of the mass of the n are < 2eV.

Here we show that a clear incongruity comes out: the mass attributed to the n will never be able to solve the energy gap problem of the βd^- : it takes ≃ 250,000 n to compensate the energy-mass gap.

Unless we consider, instead of n, another particle, probably still unknown, as the 3^rd particle of βd^-. To find a solution, we hypothesized the existence of an electron with no electric charge: a neutral electron (e°).

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