Probing Lorentz violation in neutrino propagation from a core-collapse supernova

John Ellis, Hans-Thomas Janka, Nikolaos E. Mavromatos, Alexander S. Sakharov, Edward K. G. Sarkisyan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Supernova explosions provide the most sensitive probes of neutrino propagation, such as the possibility that neutrino velocities might be affected by the foamy structure of space-time thought to be generated by quantum-gravitational effects. Recent two-dimensional simulations of the neutrino emissions from core-collapse supernovae suggest that they might exhibit variations in time on the scale of a few milliseconds. We analyze simulations of such neutrino emissions using a wavelet technique, and consider the limits that might be set on a linear or quadratic violation of Lorentz invariance in the group velocities of neutrinos of different energies, v/c = [1 +/- (E/M-nu LV1)] or [1 +/- (E/M-nu LV2)(2)], if variations on such short time scales were to be observed, where the mass scales M-nu LVi might appear in models of quantum gravity. We find prospective sensitivities to M-nu LV1 similar to 2 x 10(13) GeV and M-nu LV2 similar to 10(6) GeV at the 95% confidence level, up to 2 orders of magnitude beyond estimates made using previous one-dimensional simulations of core-collapse supernovae. We also analyze the prospective sensitivities to scenarios in which the propagation times of neutrinos of fixed energies are subject to stochastic fluctuations.
Original languageEnglish
Article number045032
JournalPhysical Review D (Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology)
Volume85
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 23 Feb 2012

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