Big bang cosmology, relic neutrinos, and absorption of neutrino cosmic rays

Journal Article · Mon Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 1984 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/162524· OSTI ID:5924260

Weiler, T

The proposal to search for relic neutrinos through their absorption effect on the neutrino cosmic-ray flux is carefully examined. Resonant absorption at E/sub v/approx.10/sup 21/ eV/sup 2//m(1+z), where m is the neutrino mass and z is the cosmological redshift of the neutrino source, has been previously predicted. However, we show that detection of the neutrino flux in the absorption region requires an improbable power output for a single source. A summation over a distribution of sources is then performed, using the quasar distribution as a model. The summation increases a neutrino flux but spreads the absorption dip. It is concluded that within the context of big bang cosmology, detection of relic neutrinos through their absorption effects depends crucially on whether or not there exist sources at large z, emitting a sufficient flux of ultraenergy neutrinos. The astrophysical conditions which allow detection appear very unlikely but not impossible.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego
• DOE Contract Number: AT03-81ER40029
• OSTI ID: 5924260
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 285:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640106* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABSORPTION
COSMIC NEUTRINOS
COSMIC RADIATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
COSMOLOGY
EINSTEIN FIELD EQUATIONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EMISSION
ENERGY SPECTRA
EQUATIONS
FERMIONS
FIELD EQUATIONS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LEPTONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NEUTRINOS
QUASARS
RADIATION FLUX
RADIATIONS
RED SHIFT
SPECTRA