Abstract

As is well known, the third particle of Neutron β-decay, later named neutrino (v), was hypothesised by Pauli to compensate for the conspicuous energy-mass gap, equal to 0.78281 MeV, emerging from the disintegration of the neutron. To this end, while safeguarding the various Conservation Laws, this third particle had to be free of electric charges and had to have the same spin and mass as the electron.

Subsequently, in line with gauge theories, the scientific community assigned a zero mass to all particles, including v, thus leaving the mass gap unjustifiably unresolved.

In our opinion, on the contrary, in order to compensate for this mass gap and satisfy all of Pauli's requirements, the third particle could be represented by an electron, but without electric charge, i.e. a neutral electron (e°).

Subsequently, Majorana's sophisticated mathematical formalism showed that the 'hypothetical v' could be represented by a self-conjugated massive particle with half-integer spin but no electric charge, i.e. a neutral spinor, later called the Majorana particle or Majorana spinor (S_M).

Furthermore, as Maiani reports, the neutrinos we observe should be very light Majorana particles, which, as explained in the article, could coincide with a neutral electron.

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