The atmospheric flux νμ/νe anomaly as manifestation of proton decay p→e+νν

In a scenario in which absolute fluxes of low energy atmospheric neutrinos are at or below expectations of published calculations, the observed small νμ/νe ratio is emenable to non-oscillation interpretation. The rate of single-ring, e-like events of 200 to 500 MeV/c in Kamiokande data would appear to be enhanced. The shower momentum spectrum of the event excess is compatible with proton decay p→e+νν with τ/B ∼ 4 × 1031 yr.