Detecting MeV neutrinos from evolved stars

Abstract

Detecting MeV neutrinos from evolved stars

Gwangeon Seong1, Kyujin Kwak1, Bok-Kyun Shin1, and Dongsu Ryu1

1Department of Physics, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea

Stars emit neutrinos throughout their lifetimes, mostly at energies around and below E ~ MeV. So far, stellar neutrinos have been observed from the Sun and SN 1987A, but observations have been limited to those with E >~ several MeV due to the difficulties of detecting lower-energy neutrinos. In this study, we explore the possibility of detecting E <~ MeV neutrinos emitted during the evolution of massive stars, particularly focusing on the carbon burning phase of the red supergiants (RSGs). Using the MESA (Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics) code, we follow the evolution of massive stars and calculate the energy spectrum of neutrinos emitted via various production processes within RSGs. We then estimate the flux of such neutrinos from nearby RSGs reaching Earth and investigate the prospect of detecting them in neutrino observatories, especially based on hybrid-type technology using a water-based scintillator.