Constraining axionlike particles with invisible neutrino decay using the IceCube observations of NGC 1068

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Pant, Bhanu Prakash
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Pant, Bhanu Prakash
author_facet Pant, Bhanu Prakash
contents In the beyond Standard Model (BSM) scenarios, the possibility of neutrinos decaying into a lighter state is one of the prime quests for the new-generation neutrino experiments. The observation of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos by IceCube opens up a new avenue for studying neutrino decay. In this work, we investigate a novel scenario of invisible neutrino decay to axionlike particles (ALPs). These ALPs propagate unattenuated and reconvert into gamma rays in the magnetic field of the Milky Way. This is complementary and independent of the previously done studies where gamma rays produced at the source are used to investigate the ALP hypothesis. We exploit the Fermi-LAT and IceCube observations of NGC 1068 to set constraints on the ALP parameters. Being a steady source of neutrinos, it offers a better prospect over transient sources. We obtain 95% confidence level (CL) upper limits on the photon-ALP coupling constant $g_{aγ}\lesssim 1.37 \times 10^{-11}$ GeV$^{-1}$ for ALP masses $m_{a} \leq 2 \times 10^{-9}$ eV. Our results are comparable to previous upper limits obtained using the GeV to sub-PeV gamma-ray observations. Moreover, we estimate the contribution from NGC 1068-like sources to diffuse gamma-ray flux at GeV energies under the ALP scenario.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2311_14597
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Constraining axionlike particles with invisible neutrino decay using the IceCube observations of NGC 1068
Pant, Bhanu Prakash
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
In the beyond Standard Model (BSM) scenarios, the possibility of neutrinos decaying into a lighter state is one of the prime quests for the new-generation neutrino experiments. The observation of high-energy astrophysical neutrinos by IceCube opens up a new avenue for studying neutrino decay. In this work, we investigate a novel scenario of invisible neutrino decay to axionlike particles (ALPs). These ALPs propagate unattenuated and reconvert into gamma rays in the magnetic field of the Milky Way. This is complementary and independent of the previously done studies where gamma rays produced at the source are used to investigate the ALP hypothesis. We exploit the Fermi-LAT and IceCube observations of NGC 1068 to set constraints on the ALP parameters. Being a steady source of neutrinos, it offers a better prospect over transient sources. We obtain 95% confidence level (CL) upper limits on the photon-ALP coupling constant $g_{aγ}\lesssim 1.37 \times 10^{-11}$ GeV$^{-1}$ for ALP masses $m_{a} \leq 2 \times 10^{-9}$ eV. Our results are comparable to previous upper limits obtained using the GeV to sub-PeV gamma-ray observations. Moreover, we estimate the contribution from NGC 1068-like sources to diffuse gamma-ray flux at GeV energies under the ALP scenario.
title Constraining axionlike particles with invisible neutrino decay using the IceCube observations of NGC 1068
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.14597