A Supersymmetric Resolution of the KARMEN Anomaly

Abstract

We consider the hypothesis that the recently reported anomaly in the time structure of signals in the KARMEN experiment is due to the production of a light photino (or Zino) which decays radiatively due to violation of $R$-parity. Such a particle is shown to be consistent with all experimental data and with cosmological nucleosynthesis. There are difficulties with constraints from SN~1987A but these may be evaded if squarks are non-degenerate in mass.

Comments: LaTeX; 8 pages, 2 figures (uuencoded compressed postscript files included); Physics Letters B (in press); (Changes: References updated ; One expression corrected without any changes in conclusions)