Effects of Inelastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering on Supernova Dynamics and Radiated Neutrino Spectra

Understand

Based on the shell model for Gamow-Teller and the Random Phase Approximation for forbidden transitions, we have calculated reaction rates for inelastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (INNS) under supernova (SN) conditions, assuming a matter composition given by Nuclear Statistical Equilibrium.

• The rates have been incorporated into state-of-the-art stellar core-collapse simulations with detailed energy-dependent neutrino transport.
• While no significant effect on the SN dynamics is observed, INNS increases the neutrino opacities noticeably and strongly reduces the high-energy tail of the neutrino spectrum emitted in the neutrino burst at shock breakout.
• Relatedly the expected event rates for the observation of such neutrinos by earthbound detectors are reduced by up to about 60%.