Big Bang Nucleosynthesis with Independent Neutrino Distribution Functions

We have performed new Big Bang Nucleosynthesis calculations which employ arbitrarily-specified, time-dependent neutrino and antineutrino distribution functions for each of up to four neutrino flavors. We self-consistently couple these distributions to the thermodynamics, the expansion rate and scale factor-time/temperature relationship, as well as to all relevant weak, electromagnetic, and strong nuclear reaction processes in the early universe. With this approach, we can treat any scenario in which neutrino or antineutrino spectral distortion might arise. These scenarios might include, for example, decaying particles, active-sterile neutrino oscillations, and active-active neutrino oscillations in the presence of significant lepton numbers. Our calculations allow lepton numbers and sterile neutrinos to be constrained with observationally-determined primordial helium and deuterium abundances. We have modified a standard BBN code to perform these calculations and have made it available to the community.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Sterile neutrinos, dark matter, and the pulsar velocities in models with a Higgs singlet

We identify the range of parameters for which the sterile neutrinos can simultaneously explain the cosmological dark matter and the observed velocities of pulsars. To satisfy all cosmological bounds, the relic sterile neutrinos must be produced sufficiently cold. This is possible in a class of models with a gauge-singlet Higgs boson coupled to the neutrinos. Sterile dark matter can be detected by the x-ray telescopes. The presence of the singlet in the Higgs sector can be tested at the Large Hadron Collider.Comment: 4 pages, one figur

Dark matter sterile neutrinos in stellar collapse: alteration of energy/lepton number transport and a mechanism for supernova explosion enhancement

We investigate matter-enhanced Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein (MSW) active-sterile neutrino conversion in the $\nu_e \rightleftharpoons \nu_s$ channel in the collapse of the iron core of a pre-supernova star. For values of sterile neutrino rest mass $m_s$ and vacuum mixing angle $\theta$ (specifically, $0.5 {\rm keV} 5\times{10}^{-12}$) which include those required for viable sterile neutrino dark matter, our one-zone in-fall phase collapse calculations show a significant reduction in core lepton fraction. This would result in a smaller homologous core and therefore a smaller initial shock energy, disfavoring successful shock re-heating and the prospects for an explosion. However, these calculations also suggest that the MSW resonance energy can exhibit a minimum located between the center and surface of the core. In turn, this suggests a post-core-bounce mechanism to enhance neutrino transport and neutrino luminosities at the core surface and thereby augment shock re-heating: (1) scattering-induced or coherent MSW $\nu_e\to\nu_s$ conversion occurs deep in the core, at the first MSW resonance, where $\nu_e$ energies are large ($\sim 150$ MeV); (2) the high energy $\nu_s$ stream outward at near light speed; (3) they deposit their energy when they encounter the second MSW resonance $\nu_s\to\nu_e$ just below the proto-neutron star surface.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure

Where to find a dark matter sterile neutrino?

We propose a strategy of how to look for dark matter (DM) particles possessing a radiative decay channel and derive constraints on their parameters from observations of X-rays from our own Galaxy and its dwarf satellites. When applied to the sterile neutrinos in keV mass range, it allows a significant improvement of restrictions to its parameters, as compared with previous works.Comment: 5 pp, revtex; v3: 1-sigma limits have been replaced by more conservative 3-sigma limits, a picture illustrating the data analysis methods has been ade

On the hadronic contribution to sterile neutrino production

Sterile neutrinos with masses in the keV range are considered to be a viable candidate for warm dark matter. The rate of their production through active-sterile neutrino transitions peaks, however, at temperatures of the order of the QCD scale, which makes it difficult to estimate their relic abundance quantitatively, even if the mass of the sterile neutrino and its mixing angle were known. We derive here a relation, valid to all orders in the strong coupling constant, which expresses the production rate in terms of the spectral function associated with active neutrinos. The latter can in turn be expressed as a certain convolution of the spectral functions related to various mesonic current-current correlation functions, which are being actively studied in other physics contexts. In the naive weak coupling limit, the appropriate Boltzmann equations can be derived from our general formulae.Comment: 28 pages. v2: small clarifications added, published versio

Anomalous Maxwell equations for inhomogeneous chiral plasma

Using the chiral kinetic theory we derive the electric and chiral current densities in inhomogeneous relativistic plasma. We also derive equations for the electric and chiral charge chemical potentials that close the Maxwell equations in such a plasma. The analysis is done in the regimes with and without a drift of the plasma as a whole. In addition to the currents present in the homogeneous plasma (Hall current, chiral magnetic, chiral separation, and chiral electric separation effects, as well as Ohm's current) we derive several new terms associated with inhomogeneities of the plasma. Apart from various diffusion-like terms, we find also new dissipation-less terms that are independent of relaxation time. Their origin can be traced to the Berry curvature modifications of the kinetic theory.Comment: 16 pages; published versio

Sterile neutrinos in cosmology and how to find them in the lab

A number of observed phenomena in high energy physics and cosmology lack their resolution within the Standard Model of particle physics. These puzzles include neutrino oscillations, baryon asymmetry of the universe and existence of dark matter. We discuss the suggestion that all these problems can be solved by new physics which exists only below the electroweak scale. The dedicated experiments that can confirm or rule out this possibility are discussed.Comment: Invited talk at XXIII Int. Conf. on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics, May 25-31, Christchurch, New Zealan

Long-range magnetic fields in the ground state of the Standard Model plasma

In thermal equilibrium the ground state of the plasma of Standard Model particles is determined by temperature and exactly conserved combinations of baryon and lepton numbers. We show that at non-zero values of the global charges a translation invariant and homogeneous state of the plasma becomes unstable and the system transits into a new state, containing a large-scale magnetic field. The origin of this effect is the parity-breaking character of weak interactions and chiral anomaly. This situation can occur in the early Universe and may play an important role in its subsequent evolution.Comment: 6 pages. Comments are welcom

Sterile Neutrino-Enhanced Supernova Explosions

We investigate the enhancement of lepton number, energy, and entropy transport resulting from active-sterile neutrino conversion $\nu_e\to\nu_s$ deep in the post-bounce supernova core followed by re-conversion $\nu_s\to\nu_e$ further out, near the neutrino sphere. We explicitly take account of shock wave and neutrino heating modification of the active neutrino forward scattering potential which governs sterile neutrino production. We find that the $\nu_e$ luminosity at the neutrino sphere could be increased by between $\sim 10$ and $\sim 100$ during the crucial shock re-heating epoch if the sterile neutrino has a rest mass and vacuum mixing parameters in ranges which include those required for viable sterile neutrino dark matter. We also find sterile neutrino transport-enhanced entropy deposition ahead of the shock. This `` pre-heating\rq\rq can help melt heavy nuclei and thereby reduce the nuclear photo-dissociation burden on the shock. Both neutrino luminosity enhancement and pre-heating could increase the likelihood of a successful core collapse supernova explosion.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Light-cone Superstring Field Theory, pp-wave background and integrability properties

We show that the three strings vertex coefficients in light--cone open string field theory satisfy the Hirota equations for the dispersionless Toda lattice hierarchy. We show that Hirota equations allow us to calculate the correlators of an associated quantum system where the Neumann coefficients represent the two--point functions. We consider next the three strings vertex coefficients of the light--cone string field theory on a maximally supersymmetric pp--wave background. Using the previous results we are able to show that these Neumann coefficients satisfy the Hirota equations for the full Toda lattice hierarchy at least up to second order in the 'string mass' $\mu$.Comment: 23 pages, 3 figures, footnote and references adde