Search for right handed coupling in nu -N scattering.

Abstract

The relative absence of \ensuremath{\nu}${\mathrm{\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}$-induced charged current events with respect to ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}}$-induced events at large (g0.45) and large y (g0.70) enables us to limit the right handed coupling of the weak current. Our data restrict \ensuremath{\Vert}\ensuremath{\eta}${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Vert}}}^{2}$=\ensuremath{\Vert}${\mathit{g}}_{\mathit{R}}$/${\mathit{g}}_{\mathit{L}}$${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Vert}}}^{2}$0.0 015 with 90% C.L. Within the framework of left-right symmetric models, this measurement imposes a limit upon the mixing angle of the left and right handed bosons. Unlike the limits imposed by the \ensuremath{\mu}-decay and nuclear \ensuremath{\beta}-decay experiments, our limit is valid irrespective of the mass of the right handed neutrino.