This document presents the data analysis procedures proposed for use with the COMPTEL instrument aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) in the search for radiative neutrino decay from supernovae. The proposed analysis methodology is an extension of a standard procedure used by the COMPTEL team in searching for a variety of source types. We have applied the procedures to a set of simulated data to demonstrate the feasibility of the method to this project

Miller, Richard S.

Svoboda, Robert C.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

(NASA-CR-193118) A SEARCH FOR
RADIATIVE NEUTRINO DECAY FROM
SUPERNOVAE (New Hampsl_ire Univ.)
6 p
N93-30052
Uncl as
G3/93 0167316
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19930020863 2020-03-17T04:35:18+00:00Z
NASA-CR-193118
LSU-HEPA-93-7
A SEARCH FOR RADIATIVE NEUTRINO
DECAY FROM SUPERNOVAE
Data Analysis Procedures
Richard S. Miller
University of New Hampshire
and
Robert C. Svoboda
Louisiana State University
/
/672/d,
1. INTRODUCTION
This document presents the data analysis procedures proposed for use with COMP-
TEL instrument aboard the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory in the search for radia-
tive neutrino decay from supernovae. The proposed analysis methodology is an extension
of a standard procedure used by the COMPTEL team in searching for a variety of source
types. We have applied the procedures to a set of simulated data to demonstrate the
feasibility of the method to this project.
2. v DECAY SIMULATION
A computer model has been developed which simulates the radiative decay of a mas-
sive neutrino species. Specifically, the simulation generates neutrino spectra relevant for
type-II supernovae and allows the neutrinos to stream from the surface of a proto-neutron
star and decay in flight. An expanding spherically-symmetric shell is assumed and the
appropriate relativistic kinematics are used. We have shown [1, 2] that the gamma ray
spectra and intensities are dependent upon when in its history the supernova is observed,
the supernova distance, the length of the observation period, and the postulated neutrino
mass, lifetime and radiative decay branching ratio (m_3"_,B.r).
Thus for a given COMPTEL supernova observation the first step in the data analy-
sis chain is to generate gamma ray energy/angular distributions for a range of neutrino
mass, lifetime and radiative decay branching ratios which correspond to a 3-D grid in the
(m_,,%,,B.y)-parameter space. These energy spectra and angular distributions can then
be compared with the relevant COMPTEL data to search for the existence of radiative
neutrino decay, and hence the existence of a massive neutrino species.
3. MAPPING v SIMULATION TO COMPTEL DATASPACE
Our simulation of radiative neutrino decay from supernovae produces a gamma ray
energy spectrum and an angular distribution for given values of m_, "r_ and B. r. However,
the comparison of the expected energy spectra from radiative neutrino decay with the
COMPTEL data is non-trivial. As is well known the COMPTEL instrument does not
measure the energy spectrum of a source directly. The relevant parameter for a Compton
telescope is the scattering angle ¢ which is defined through
1cos¢ = 1 - mc2( E1 + E2) (1)
where E1 and E2 is the energy deposition in the D1 and D2 modules, respectively. There-
fore, to search for the decay gamma ray emission from radative decay we must map the %g'q
energy and and angular distributions into the COMPTEL dataspace.
We take the approach described by de Boer, et al[3]. The COMPTEL data space
consists of three parameters: X, ¢, ¢. The first two parameters represent an aribtrary
spatial coordinate system centered on the COMPTEL pointing axis and the third the
scattering angle defined above. The COMPTEL dataspace response to a source (in the
locally flat approximation) is a cone with apex at (Xo,¢o), the source position, running
at an angle of 45 ° with the (X,¢)-plane. However, because of finite resolution of event
location within the detector modules, and energy measurement and deposition (which
determine the scattering angle ¢) the cone becomes a mantle. The density of events
along this mantle is given, for a particular gamma ray energy E.r, by the Klein-Nishina
cross section. This mantle defines the PSF, f(x, ¢, ¢; Xo, ¢o, E-c).
The expected number of events due to a point source located at (Xo, ¢o) with intensity
distribution (or energy spectrum) I(Xo, ¢o; E.r) is given by
e(x, ¢, ¢; E-r) = g(x, ¢) f I(Xo, ¢o; E-c) A(Xo, ¢o; E-c) T f(x, ¢, ¢; Xo, ¢o, E-c) dE_ (2)
while for a source with an angular distribution different from a point source
?
e(x , ¢, ¢; E-c) = g(x, ¢) J I(X', ¢'; E7) A(X' , ¢'; E_) T f(x, ¢, ¢; X', ¢', E-c) dx' de' dE-c
(3)
where, g(x, ¢) is a geometrical absorption factor due to the finite size of the instrument
(assumed to be independent of ¢), A(X', ¢'; ET) is the effective area for a given photon
arrival direction iX', ¢'), and T is the integration time. The discretized form of this is
e(d) -- g(d) f(d,,; E-c)I(,;E-C)X(,;E,) (4)
E. r $
where, d = (X,¢,¢) a dataspace bin, s = (X',¢') a sky pixel bin, and X = AT the
exposure. Thus the second step in the data analysis chain is to map the output of the
v decay simulation into the COMPTEL dataspace using the procedure outlined above.
Once the expected number of events for each dataspace bin is computed the search for
radiative neutrino decay can proceed as discussed below.
4. SEARCHING FOR A SOURCE
To compare our v decay simulation (after mapping into the COMPTEL dataspace)
with the actual observational data we will use the Likelihood Ratio Method (LRM). Using
our decay simulation and the mapping procedure described above we can determine a
priori the number of gamma rays expected for each dataspace bin given a particular
COMPTEL observation period, an assumed value of m_,r_, and B. r (or range of values),
and a source distance (redshiff). In general the expected number of events per dataspace
bin is given by (see section 3):
B(d) if Hoe(d) = ( ) + g(d) EE_ E, f(d, s; E-c)I(s; E-c)X(s; Ex) if _,
where B(d) is the dataspace event density due to galactic diffuse, instrumental, and
known source emissions, and Ho and H_ represent the hypotheses for background alone
and background plus neutrino decay, respectively. With these assumptions we can assign
a likelihood to a dataspace of n bins under a given hypothesis H as
n
rL iL((n,}; H) = II e, exp(-el)/n,! (5)
i=1
where ni is the observed number of counts in bin i. The likelihood ratio is defined by
R = L({ni}; H_)/L({ni}; Ho) (6)
and it has been established that _ = 2log R will adopt a X 2 distribution with 3 degrees
of freedom (ie.,m_,r_,B_) in the event that the hypothesis Ho is true. Thus the third
step in the data analysis chain is to form the parameter _ for each sampled grid point
in the (m_,r_,B_)-parameter space.
5. ANALYSIS PROCEDURE
For a given supernova, gamma ray energy spectra/angular distributions are generated
for values of m_,7"_,B, r based on the source's distance (redshift) and a specific COMPTEL
observation period. Using the methodology outlined above we can test for the presence
of radiative neutrino decay from a specific supernova as follows:
1. Determine the expected number of events per dataspace bin for hypothesis Ho
(which includes background and any known sources).
2. Compute the likelihood function L({nl}; Ho).
3. Given a value of m_,T_ and B. r compute the expected number of events per datas-
pace bin. This represents hypothesis H_.
4. Compute the likelihood function L({nl}; H_,).
5. Calculate _.
6. Repeat steps 3 _ 5 for all values on the 3-D grid in (m_,T_,B_)-parameter space.
7. Find grid point with maximum I. This is the best fit point.
8. If lambdam_, >_ Xc (TBD) we reject the null hypothesis (Ho), and can exclude
grid points in (m_,rv,BT)-parameter space are if they satisfy the condition _ _<
9. We claim a positive detection of radiative neutrino decay if A,_== >_ 5a.
By keeping a record of the mass and lifetime parameters sampled and the corresponding
)_ values we can generate an exclusion plot in (m_,'r_,,B.r)-parameter space for each super-
nova observation, and as a final data product produce a exclusion plot for all supernovae
observations combined. This method has the advantage that exposure and sensitivity
differences between different observation periods, sources, and spacecraft status' are in-
cluded in the calculations and thus combining the results from multiple observations
Table1: Sources/ObservationPeriods
! SN Obs.Period Source GROz-axis Off-AxisAngle
RA DEC RA DEC (deg.)
1987A 6 083.86 -69.27 091.28 -67.27 3.0
1987A 17 083.86 -69.27 083.48 -72.27 3.0
1993:/ 216 147.86 69.30 143.66 71.46 4.7
shouldbestraight forward.
6. SUGGESTED SOURCES
The astrophysicalsourceswhich will be usedto carry out this searchare super-
novaeof type-II. Werestrict our searchto type-II supernovaesinceit hasbeenshown
experimentally[4, 5] that neutrinosareemittedduring the collapseand coolingof the
progenitor.In addition,themeasuredflux andenergyof theelectron-antineutrinoburst
from SN1987Awasessentiallythe sameasthe predictionsmadewith computersimu-
lationsof core-collapsesupernovae.Thusweassumethat, at leastin neutrinos,type-II
supernovaearestandardcandles.
To samplethe largestregionof (m_,7-_,B_)-parameterspacethe searchshouldbe
performedwith a combinationof nearbyandextra-galacticsupernovae.Observationsof
SN1987Awill allowaverysensitivesearchfor massiveneutrinos>few-100 eV because of
its relatively close proximity, while extra-galactic supernovae which occur within COMP-
TEL's field of view will allow a search for a less massive neutrino. Observations of the
recent type-II supernova SN1993J in M81, at approximately 3.2 Mpc, will allow a region
of parameter space to be sampled which would not be senstively sampled by any other
known source. We therefore recommend that the search for radiative neutrino decay
concentrate on the sources and COMPTEL observation periods given in Table 1. It is
also possible that a region of the parameter space not sampled by SN1987a or SN1993j
will be accessible if an extragalactic supernova occurs serendipitously within the COMP-
TEL field of view (near the pointing axis).
7. APPLICATION
As an example of the analysis procedures described above, we have processed two
of the suggested sources to determine the general results which can be obtained. It
should be stressed that the goal here is not to duplicate or estimate the results of a more
detailed analysis to be completed in the near future, but rather to study the feasibility
and overall features of the analysis technique.
For this analysis a number of assumptions have been made: a) the effective area
of COMPTEL is fixed at 30 cm 2, b) energy and angular resolution is perfect, c) the
geometrical absorption factor is fixed at 1, and d) the diffuse gamma-ray background is
assumed uniform and no other sources are present in the COMPTEL FOV. During this
visit we hope to reconcile these assumptions and, with the help and experience of the
COMPTEL team, incorporate accurate models of the energy, off-axis angle, and position
Table2: Input Parameters- t, Decay
SN Obs. Period
1987A
1993J
Distance
(Mpc)
6 0.055
216 3.2
resolutions into the simulation and analysis procedures.
The relevant input parameters to the radiative neutrino decay simulation (not given
in Table 1) are given in Table 2 for two sources, SN1987A and SN1993J. For both
analyses the neutrino output (v_-+b--/, say) of the supernova in neutrinos was assumed
to be 6.3 x l0 ss MeV with a Fermi-Dirac temperature of 8 MeV. Figure 1 shows the
exclusion region in (m_,r_,)-parameter space from the SMIV[ observations of SN1987A [6]
(currently the best limits) assuming a branching ratio to a radiative decay mode of 1.
Figures 2 and 3 show the exclusion regions obtained in the simulations for both SN1987A
and SN1993J.
8. QUESTIONS
Question 1. We have developed software routines which perform the anal-
ysis procedures described above - Does the COMPTEL team have similar
software which can be used to compare our results?
Question 2. Do the tables for the geometrical absorption factor (g), the
effective area (A), and angular and position resolution exist for the range of
energies and/or observational periods for which we are interested?
Question 3. We have used a dataspace of the size 80°x80°x60 ° for (X,¢,¢)-
Based on the experience of the COMPTEL team what are the suggested bin
sizes in COMPTEL dataspace?
Question 4. How can we get access to the background models or estimates
made for each of the viewing periods of interest?
References
[1] R. S. Miller. A Search For Radiative Neutrino Decay From Supernovae, NASA
Graduate Student Fellowship Proposal, 1992
[2] R. C. Svoboda. A Search For Radiative Neutrino Decay From Supernovae, GI_0
Guest Investigator Proposal, 1992
[3] H. de Boer et al. Data Analysis in Astronomy IV. Plenum Press, New York, 1992
[4] R. Bionta et al. Phys. Rev. Lett., 58, 1494
[5] K. Hirata et al. Phys. Rev. Left., 58, 1490
[6] S. A. Bludman. preprint CfPA-TH-91-011, Center for Particle Astrophysics, Uni-
versity of California, Berkeley.


A search for radiative neutrino decay from supernovae

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