A new measurement of the cross section of the inverse muon decay reaction νμ + e− → μ− + νe

Abstract We have measured the cross section for inverse muon decay in the CERN neutrino wide band beam. From 4808 events observed in the CHARM II detector we derived for the Born term of the asymptotic cross section slope the result (18.16±1.36) × 10 −42 cm 2 GeV −1 . This cross section is in good agreement with the standard model prediction and allows to constrain the scalar coupling of the electron and muon to their neutrinos to | g LL S | 2