Resonant neutrino spin-flavor precession and supernova nucleosynthesis and dynamics

Journal Article · Sat Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1997 · Physical Review, D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.55.3265· OSTI ID:515986

Nunokawa, H; Qian, Y; Fuller, G M ^[1]

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1. Institute for Nuclear Theory, University of Washington, Box 351550, Seattle, Washington 98195 (United States)

We discuss the effects of resonant spin-flavor precession (RSFP) of Majorana neutrinos on heavy element nucleosynthesis in neutrino-heated supernova ejecta and the dynamics of supernovae. In assessing the effects of RSFP, we explicitly include matter-enhanced (MSW) resonant neutrino flavor conversion effects where appropriate. We point out that for plausible ranges of neutrino magnetic moments and protoneutron star magnetic fields, spin-flavor conversion of {nu}{sub {tau}} (or {nu}{sub {mu}}) with a cosmologically significant mass (1{endash}100 eV) into a light {bar {nu}}{sub e} could lead to an enhanced neutron excess in neutrino-heated supernova ejecta. This could be beneficial for models of r-process nucleosynthesis associated with late-time neutrino-heated ejecta from supernovae. Similar spin-flavor conversion of neutrinos at earlier epochs could lead to an increased shock reheating rate and, concomitantly, a larger supernova explosion energy. We show, however, that such increased neutrino heating likely will be accompanied by an enhanced neutron excess which could exacerbate the problem of the overproduction of the neutron number N=50 nuclei in the supernova ejecta from this stage. In all of these scenarios, the average {bar {nu}}{sub e} energy will be increased over those predicted by supernova models with no neutrino mixings. This may allow the SN 1987A data to constrain RSFP-based schemes. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

• OSTI ID: 515986
• Journal Information: Physical Review, D, Journal Name: Physical Review, D Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 55; ISSN 0556-2821; ISSN PRVDAQ
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
COSMIC NEUTRINOS
FLAVOR MODEL
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC MOMENTS
MAJORANA THEORY
NEUTRINO OSCILLATION
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
PRECESSION
R PROCESS
SPIN
SUPERNOVAE