The Weight of the Matter:

Finding neutrinos have mass

Report by

RAdm. RM Wey

COSR: SFS – SFC

Long had it been considered an axiom that neutrinos held no mass, as the standard model of particle physics predicted. However, strong evidence suggests something to the contrary.

Research conducted into this very question of electron -, muon -, and tau - neutrino mass has shown that at least one (if not all) of these particles weighs something.

That such particles do indeed have mass is truly no small matter. For if, one has such, so may they all and that sheds light on a truth ‘beyond’ the standard model.

With neutrinos outnumbering electrons and protons by six hundred million to one, merely possessing a mass of just one tenth of one electron volt would account for about as much mass as the entire visible universe.

However, whether neutrinos weigh enough to alter the fate of the universe in any significant way (or of the composition of matter) has yet to be determined.

Current research being conducted may finally fill the last holes in the standard model, giving us (perhaps) a view of a much larger, more beautiful picture.

A Update on Gamma - Rays:

New insights on the brightest

Flashes in the heavens

An update by:

FComm. D. L. Wey

DCOSR: SFS - SFC

Back in April of ’98, a report was filed on what was known, at the time, of Gamma - Ray bursts. Current research has added to that knowledge as follows:

Current accepted theory is that such bursts are caused by megaexplosions in distant galaxies. One such burst occurred in a galaxy some twelve billion light years distant; To be so bright, the burst must have been of such intensity as to outshine any object previously recorded.

Yet, no sooner had this phenomenon occurred when another, nearly one hundred times closer but some one hundred thousand times dimmer shown itself, but unlike the usual afterglow associated with such previously observed phenomenon, the effect was not followed by less energetic radiation, but by a supernova. The first time such have ever been seen together.

It is thought that, perhaps, "hypernovae"(also known as "colapsars") stars of such density and mass that they do not undergo the usual fate of supernovae are responsible for the power of such cosmic flashes. Now, the discovery of what are termed ‘Magnetars’ (a heavy, supermagnetic star, one such designated SGR 1806-20 possessing a magnetic field one hundred times stronger that any other known star (or eight hundred trillion gauss) lends weight to this belief.