Hybrid method to resolve the neutrino mass hierarchy by supernova (anti)neutrino induced reactions

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 2016 · Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2016/02/007· OSTI ID:22525004

Vale, D. ^[1]; Rauscher, T. ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Bijenička c. 32, HR-10000 Zagreb (Croatia)
2. Centre for Astrophysics Research, University of Hertfordshire, College Lane, Hatfield AL10 9AB (United Kingdom)

We introduce a hybrid method to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy by simultaneous measurements of responses of at least two detectors to antineutrino and neutrino fluxes from accretion and cooling phases of core-collapse supernovae. The (anti)neutrino-nucleus cross sections for {sup 56}Fe and {sup 208}Pb are calculated in the framework of the relativistic nuclear energy density functional and weak interaction Hamiltonian, while the cross sections for inelastic scattering on free protons p(ν-bar {sub e},e{sup +})n are obtained using heavy-baryon chiral perturbation theory. The modelling of (anti)neutrino fluxes emitted from a protoneutron star in a core-collapse supernova include collective and Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein effects inside the exploding star. The particle emission rates from the elementary decay modes of the daughter nuclei are calculated for normal and inverted neutrino mass hierarchy. It is shown that simultaneous use of (anti)neutrino detectors with different target material allows to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy from the ratios of ν{sub e}- and ν-bar {sub e}-induced particle emissions. This hybrid method favors neutrinos from the supernova cooling phase and the implementation of detectors with heavier target nuclei ({sup 208}Pb) for the neutrino sector, while for antineutrinos the use of free protons in mineral oil or water is the appropriate choice.

• OSTI ID: 22525004
• Journal Information: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Journal Issue: 02 Vol. 2016; ISSN 1475-7516
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ANTINEUTRINOS
CHIRALITY
CROSS SECTIONS
DENSITY FUNCTIONAL METHOD
GRAVITATIONAL COLLAPSE
HAMILTONIANS
INELASTIC SCATTERING
IRON 56
LEAD 208
NEUTRINO DETECTION
NEUTRON STARS
POSITRONS
PROTONS
PROTOSTARS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
REST MASS
STAR ACCRETION
SUPERNOVAE
WEAK INTERACTIONS