Ricard Tomàs

Role of dense matter in collective supernova neutrino transformations

For neutrinos streaming from a supernova core, dense matter suppresses self-induced flavor transformations if the electron density n{sub e} significantly exceeds the neutrino density n{sub {nu}} in the conversion region. If n{sub e} is comparable to n{sub {nu}}, one finds multiangle decoherence, whereas the standard self-induced transformation behavior requires that in the transformation region n{sub {nu}} is safely above n{sub e}. This condition need not be satisfied in the early phase after the supernova core bounce. Our new multiangle effect is a subtle consequence of neutrinos traveling on different trajectories when streaming from a source that is not pointlike.

No Collective Neutrino Flavor Conversions during the Supernova Accretion Phase

We perform a dedicated study of the supernova (SN) neutrino flavor evolution during the accretion phase, using results from recent neutrino radiation hydrodynamics simulations. In contrast to what was expected in the presence of only neutrino-neutrino interactions, we find that the multiangle effects associated with the dense ordinary matter suppress collective oscillations. The matter suppression implies that neutrino oscillations will start outside the neutrino decoupling region and therefore will have a negligible impact on the neutrino heating and the explosion dynamics. Furthermore, the possible detection of the next galactic SN neutrino signal from the accretion phase, based on the usual Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein effect in the SN mantle and Earth matter effects, can reveal the neutrino mass hierarchy in the case that the mixing angle θ(13) is not very small.

Probing nonstandard neutrino interactions with supernova neutrinos

We analyze the possibility of probing nonstandard neutrino interactions (NSI, for short) through the detection of neutrinos produced in a future galactic supernova (SN). We consider the effect of NSI on the neutrino propagation through the SN envelope within a three-neutrino framework, paying special attention to the inclusion of NSI-induced resonant conversions, which may take place in the most deleptonized inner layers. We study the possibility of detecting NSI effects in a Megaton water Cherenkov detector, either through modulation effects in the {nu}{sub e} spectrum due to (i) the passage of shock waves through the SN envelope, (ii) the time dependence of the electron fraction, and (iii) the Earth matter effects; or, finally, through the possible detectability of the neutronization {nu}{sub e} burst. We find that the {nu}{sub e} spectrum can exhibit dramatic features due to the internal NSI-induced resonant conversion. This occurs for nonuniversal NSI strengths of a few %, and for very small flavor-changing NSI above a fewx10{sup -5}.

Analysis of matter suppression in collective neutrino oscillations during the supernova accretion phase

The usual description of self-induced neutrino flavor conversions in core collapse supernovae (SNe) is based on the dominance of the neutrino density n_nu over the net electron density n_e. However, this condition is not met during the post-bounce accretion phase, when the dense matter in a SN is piled up above the neutrinosphere. As recently pointed-out, a dominant matter term in the anisotropic SN environment would dephase the flavor evolution for neutrinos traveling on different trajectories, challenging the occurrence of the collective behavior in the dense neutrino gas. Using the results from recent long term simulations of core-collapse SN explosions, based on three flavor Boltzmann neutrino transport in spherical symmetry, we find that both the situations of complete matter suppression (when n_e >> n_nu) and matter-induced decoherence (when n_e \gtrsim n_nu) of flavor conversions are realized during the accretion phase. The matter suppression at high densities prevents any possible impact of the neutrino oscillations on the neutrino heating and hence on the dynamics of the explosion. Furthermore, it changes the interpretation of the Earth matter effect on the SN neutrino signal during the accretion phase, allowing the possibility of the neutrino mass hierarchy discrimination at not too small values of the leptonic mixing angle \theta_{13} (i.e. \sin^2{\theta}_{13} \gtrsim 10^{-3}).

Neutrino mass hierarchy and three-flavor spectral splits of supernova neutrinos

It was recently realized that three-flavor effects could peculiarly modify the development of spectral splits induced by collective oscillations, for supernova neutrinos emitted during the cooling phase of a protoneutron star. We systematically explore this case, explaining how the impact of these three-flavor effects depends on the ordering of the neutrino masses. In inverted mass hierarchy, the solar mass splitting gives rise to instabilities in regions of the (anti)neutrino energy spectra that were otherwise stable under the leading two-flavor evolution governed by the atmospheric mass splitting and by the 1-3 mixing angle. As a consequence, the high-energy spectral splits found in the electron (anti)neutrino spectra disappear, and are transferred to other flavors. Imperfect adiabaticity leads to smearing of spectral swap features. In normal mass hierarchy, the three-flavor and the two-flavor instabilities act in the same region of the neutrino energy spectrum, leading to only minor departures from the two-flavor treatment.

Supernova bounds on Majoron-emitting decays of light neutrinos

Neutrino masses arising from the spontaneous violation of ungauged lepton-number are accompanied by a physical Goldstone boson, generically called Majoron. In the high-density supernova medium the effects of Majoron-emitting neutrino decays are important even if they are suppressed in vacuo by small neutrino masses and/or small off-diagonal couplings. We reconsider the influence of these decays on the neutrino signal of supernovae in the light of recent Super-Kamiokande data on solar and atmospheric neutrinos. We find that majoron-neutrino coupling constants in the range

High-energy neutrino yields from astrophysical sources: Weakly magnetized sources

3\times 10^{-7}\lsim g\lsim 2\times 10^{-5}

SN 1987A and the status of oscillation solutions to the solar neutrino problem

or

Generalized bounds on Majoron - neutrino couplings

g \gsim 3 \times 10^{-4}

Probing supernova physics with neutrino oscillations

are excluded by the observation of SN1987A. Then we discuss the potential of Superkamiokande and the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory to detect majoron neutrino interactions in the case of a future galactic supernova. We find that these experiments could probe majoron neutrino interactions with improved sensitivity.