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Coherent Active-Sterile Neutrino Flavor Transformation in the Early Universe

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
; ;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0319 (United States)

We solve the problem of coherent Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein resonant active-to-sterile neutrino flavor conversion driven by an initial lepton number in the early Universe. We find incomplete destruction of the lepton number in this process and a sterile neutrino energy distribution with a distinctive cusp and high energy tail. These features imply alteration of the nonzero lepton number primordial nucleosynthesis paradigm when there exist sterile neutrinos with rest masses m{sub s}{approx}1 eV. This could result in better light element probes of (constraints on) these particles.

OSTI ID:
20860904
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 97; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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