Possible detection of relic neutrinos and determination of their mass: quantitative analysis

Abstract

We consider the possibility that a large fraction of the ultrahigh energy cosmic rays are decay products of Z bosons which were produced in the scattering of ultrahigh energy cosmic neutrinos on cosmological relic neutrinos. We compare the observed ultrahigh energy cosmic ray spectrum with the one predicted in the above Z-burst scenario and determine the mass of the heaviest relic neutrino as well as the necessary ultrahigh energy cosmic neutrino flux via a maximum likelihood analysis.

5 pages, 3 figures, talk to be presented at the 27th International Cosmic Ray Conference, Hamburg, Germany, August 7-15, 2001