Elektronnøytrino

An elektronnøytrino, often denoted by the Greek letter nu with a subscript e ($\nu_e$), is a fundamental subatomic particle. It is a type of lepton and a fermion, meaning it has an intrinsic angular momentum of 1/2. Elektronnøytrino are produced in certain types of radioactive decay, specifically beta decay, where a neutron transforms into a proton, an electron, and an antineutrino, or vice-versa. They are also produced in nuclear reactions within stars, such as the Sun, and in particle accelerators.

One of the defining characteristics of elektronnøytrino is their extremely weak interaction with other matter. They have no electric charge and a very small, possibly zero, mass. This lack of charge and mass means they can travel vast distances through matter, such as entire planets or galaxies, without being significantly affected. Their detection is therefore very challenging and requires specialized, large detectors deep underground to shield them from other cosmic radiation.

Elektronnøytrino are distinct from other types of neutrinos, namely the muon neutrino ($\nu_\mu$) and the tau neutrino ($\nu_\tau$). Neutrino oscillation is a phenomenon where a neutrino of one flavor can transform into another flavor over time or distance. This discovery provided strong evidence that neutrinos have mass, a crucial aspect of the Standard Model of particle physics.