Probing self-interacting ultrahigh-energy neutrinos with the cosmic 21-cm signal

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Summary

The study investigates the constraints on secret self-interactions of neutrinos by examining the impact of radiative scattering of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos produced from the decay of superheavy dark matter on the cosmic 21-cm signal.

Highlights

• The 21-cm signal is affected by the scattering of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos with the cosmic neutrino background.
• The study uses a toy model of a light scalar interacting with neutrinos and leptonic partners to introduce self-interactions between neutrinos.
• The energy injection rate due to the radiative scattering of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos is calculated and its impact on the 21-cm brightness temperature is analyzed.
• The constraints on the self-interacting neutrino coupling as a function of the mediator mass are obtained for specific values of the energy of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos.
• The study compares the constraints with the sensitivity of the IceCube experiment and finds that the 21-cm signal provides more competitive bounds on the self-interacting neutrino coupling.
• The analysis assumes that the superheavy dark matter constitutes a significant fraction of the total dark matter.
• The study also discusses the potential caveats and limitations of the analysis.

Key Insights

• The scattering of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos with the cosmic neutrino background can significantly impact the 21-cm signal, providing a new probe of neutrino self-interactions.
• The constraints on the self-interacting neutrino coupling obtained from the 21-cm signal are more competitive than those from the IceCube experiment for certain values of the mediator mass.
• The analysis highlights the importance of considering the energy injection rate due to the radiative scattering of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos when studying the 21-cm signal.
• The study demonstrates the potential of the 21-cm signal to constrain models of neutrino self-interactions, which can have implications for our understanding of the early universe and the properties of neutrinos.
• The analysis assumes a simple model of neutrino self-interactions, and more complex models may be necessary to fully capture the physics of neutrino self-interactions.
• The study highlights the need for further investigation into the potential caveats and limitations of the analysis, such as the impact of astrophysical processes on the 21-cm signal.
• The constraints on the self-interacting neutrino coupling obtained from the 21-cm signal can provide valuable insights into the properties of neutrinos and the early universe, and can be used to inform models of neutrino self-interactions.

Mindmap

Citation

Dhuria, M., & Teli, B. G. (2024). Probing self-interacting ultrahigh-energy neutrinos with the cosmic 21-cm signal. arXiv. https://doi.org/10.48550/ARXIV.2406.19279