Comments on "Can quantum statistics help distinguish Dirac from Majorana neutrinos?" (arXiv:2402.05172 [hep-ph])

Abstract

In a recent article arXiv:2402.05172 [hep-ph], the authors discuss the question "whether quantum statistics can help distinguish between Dirac and Majorana neutrinos." The paper contains, among other things, an unsubstantiated critique of the results derived in our papers arXiv:2106.11785 [hep-ph] and arXiv:2307.05654 [hep-ph]. One of the criticisms is related to our expression for differential decay rate for the back-to-back neutrino-antineutrino configuration in the decay $B^0 \to \mu^- \, \mu^+ \, \nu_\mu \, \overline{\nu}_\mu$. We show that the claim is wrong and point out how the correct result was obtained. The second criticism is related to the implementation of the anti-symmetrization as dictated by quantum statistics for Majorana neutrinos and antineutrinos (which are identical, by definition). Any direct observation of the neutrinos, as done in Ref. \cite{Akhmedov:2024}, would project the neutrinos into distinguishable helicity states, thus nullifying all observable effects of quantum statistics. They have missed the point that our procedure holds when the neutrino and antineutrino remain undetected by the detector. In the back-to-back kinematic configuration, one can infer the neutrino energies without directly detecting their identities. This smartly ensures that the quantum statistical effects are not erased. Their overriding assertion that our papers arXiv:2106.11785 [hep-ph] and arXiv:2307.05654 [hep-ph] are incorrect fails to recognize that in both arXiv:2106.11785 [hep-ph] and arXiv:2307.05654 [hep-ph] we also point out generic conditions under which the practical Dirac-Majorana confusion theorem holds. "Clearly there is no confusion over confusion theorem."