Astrophysical Consequences of the Existence of Charged Intermediate Vector Bosons

Abstract

Two-photon annihilation into a neutrino-antineutrino pair, which is forbidden to the lowest order in the coupling constant for weak interactions if the conventional form of weak interaction is assumed, is permitted at that order if it is supposed that the reaction is carried by a charged intermediate vector boson (W). The rate of loss of energy in stellar evolution through this process is calculated. Evolutionary time scales derived with and without this rate are compared with results from astronomical observations. Comparisons with present data are inconclusive, but further observations and calculations that may give more accurate information concerning the question of the existence of charged W mesons are suggested.