Inhomogeneous Kinetic Equation for Mixed Neutrinos: Tracing the Missing Energy

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Fiorillo, Damiano F. G., Raffelt, Georg G., Sigl, Günter
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Fiorillo, Damiano F. G.
Raffelt, Georg G.
Sigl, Günter
author_facet Fiorillo, Damiano F. G.
Raffelt, Georg G.
Sigl, Günter
contents Flavor-dependent neutrino transport is described by a well-known kinetic equation for occupation-number matrices in flavor space. However, as an overlooked theoretical problem, we show that in the inhomogeneous case, neutrino-neutrino refractive energy is not conserved. We derive the missing gradient terms in the fast flavor limit (vanishing neutrino masses), and prove that the missing refractive energy is traded with the huge reservoir of neutrino kinetic energy through gradients of the weak interaction potential. Even small changes of the kinetic energy accommodate the refractive energy gained or lost. Flavor evolution alone is negligibly affected by the new terms.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2401_05278
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Inhomogeneous Kinetic Equation for Mixed Neutrinos: Tracing the Missing Energy
Fiorillo, Damiano F. G.
Raffelt, Georg G.
Sigl, Günter
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Flavor-dependent neutrino transport is described by a well-known kinetic equation for occupation-number matrices in flavor space. However, as an overlooked theoretical problem, we show that in the inhomogeneous case, neutrino-neutrino refractive energy is not conserved. We derive the missing gradient terms in the fast flavor limit (vanishing neutrino masses), and prove that the missing refractive energy is traded with the huge reservoir of neutrino kinetic energy through gradients of the weak interaction potential. Even small changes of the kinetic energy accommodate the refractive energy gained or lost. Flavor evolution alone is negligibly affected by the new terms.
title Inhomogeneous Kinetic Equation for Mixed Neutrinos: Tracing the Missing Energy
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.05278