Probing self-interacting ultrahigh-energy neutrinos with the cosmic 21-cm signal
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: In this study, we investigate the constraints on secret self-interactions of neutrinos by examining the impact of radiative scattering of ultrahigh-energy neutrinos. These neutrinos are produced from the decay of superheavy dark matter and interact with the cosmic neutrino background. We explore how these interactions influence the 21-cm hydrogen signal during the cosmic dark ages and cosmic dawn, periods relatively free from astrophysical uncertainties, providing a clearer signal for studying nonstandard neutrino interactions. By analyzing the global brightness temperature measurements, we constrain the scattering cross section of ultrahigh-energy self-interacting neutrinos, determining the coupling constant g to be within ∼ 10 − 4 to ∼ 10 − 3 for neutrino energies in the PeV to EeV range. Interestingly, these constraints are more competitive than those from existing astrophysical and collider experiments. As future 21-cm experiments focus on measuring brightness temperature across a wide range of redshifts from the cosmic dark ages to reionization, using the epoch of 21-cm to probe neutrino properties could provide crucial insights into dark matter and neutrino physics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Authors: Mansi Dhuria, Bishnu Gupta Teli
Institution: Pandit Deendayal Energy University
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Award: G8961789285
OpenAlex ID: W4405736741