Simulation of coherent nonlinear neutrino flavor transformation in the supernova environment: Correlated neutrino trajectories

Journal Article · Wed Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review. D, Particles Fields

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.74.105014· OSTI ID:20864156

Huaiyu, Duan; Fuller, George M; Carlson, J; Yongzhong, Qian ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0319 (United States)

We present results of large-scale numerical simulations of the evolution of neutrino and antineutrino flavors in the region above the late-time post-supernova-explosion proto-neutron star. Our calculations are the first to allow explicit flavor evolution histories on different neutrino trajectories and to self-consistently couple flavor development on these trajectories through forward scattering-induced quantum coupling. Employing the atmospheric-scale neutrino mass-squared difference (vertical bar {delta}m{sup 2} vertical bar {approx_equal}3x10{sup -3} eV{sup 2}) and values of {theta}{sub 13} allowed by current bounds, we find transformation of neutrino and antineutrino flavors over broad ranges of energy and luminosity in roughly the 'bi-polar' collective mode. We find that this large-scale flavor conversion, largely driven by the flavor off-diagonal neutrino-neutrino forward scattering potential, sets in much closer to the proto-neutron star than simple estimates based on flavor-diagonal potentials and Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein evolution would indicate. In turn, this suggests that models of r-process nucleosynthesis sited in the neutrino-driven wind could be affected substantially by active-active neutrino flavor mixing, even with the small measured neutrino mass-squared differences.

• OSTI ID: 20864156
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Journal Name: Physical Review. D, Particles Fields Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 74; ISSN PRVDAQ; ISSN 0556-2821
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ANTINEUTRINOS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COSMIC NEUTRINOS
COUPLING
FLAVOR MODEL
MASS DIFFERENCE
NEUTRINO-NEUTRINO INTERACTIONS
NEUTRON STARS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS
POTENTIALS
R PROCESS
SCATTERING
SUPERNOVAE
TRANSFORMATIONS