Neutrinos in cosmology - INDICO (Indico)...species by number density. Light neutrinos (m < eV)...

82
Neutrinos in cosmology Yvonne Y. Y. Wong RWTH Aachen INSS 2012, Blacksburg VA, July 10 – 21, 2012

Transcript of Neutrinos in cosmology - INDICO (Indico)...species by number density. Light neutrinos (m < eV)...

  • Neutrinos in cosmology

    Yvonne Y. Y. WongRWTH Aachen

    INSS 2012, Blacksburg VA, July 10 – 21, 2012

  • BBN

    Structureformation

    Last scatteringsurface (CMB)

    Inflation: seedsfor structureformation?

  • BBN

    Structureformation

    Last scatteringsurface (CMB)

    Inflation: seedsfor structureformation?

    Why study neutrinos??

    Big bang neutrinos are the second most abundant known particle species by number density.

    Light neutrinos (m < eV) behave as:● Radiation at early times (BBN).● Matter at late times (structure formation).

  • ● Lecture 1: Neutrinos and homogeneous cosmology

    – Homogeneous and isotropic universe

    – Particles in cosmology: the hot universe

    – Evidence for relic neutrinos

    – Prospects for direct detection

    ● Lecture 2: Neutrinos in the inhomogeneous universe

    Plan...

  • ● J. Lesgourgues and S. Pastor, Massive neutrinos and cosmology, Phys. Rep. 429 (2006) 307 [astro-ph/0603494].

    ● S. Hannestad, Primordial neutrinos, Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 56 (2006) 137 [hep-ph/0602058].

    ● Y. Y. Y. Wong, Neutrino mass in cosmology: status and prospects, Ann. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 61 (2011) 69 [arXiv:1111.1436].

    ● A. D. Dolgov, Neutrinos in cosmology, Phys. Rept. 370 (2002) 333 [hep-ph/0202122].

    Useful references...

  • 1. Neutrinos and homogeneous cosmology...

  • 1.1 Homogeneous and isotropic universe...

  • ● Modern cosmology is based on the hypothesis that our universe is homogeneous and isotropic on sufficiently large length scales.

    – Homogeneous → same everywhere

    – Isotropic → same in all directions

    – Sufficiently large scales → > O(100 Mpc)

    ● I pc = 1 parsec = 3.0856 x 1018 cm

    – Distance from Sun to Galactic centre ~ 10 kpc

    – Distance to the Virgo cluster ~ 20 Mpc

    – Size of the visible universe ~ O(10 Gpc)

    Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker universe...

  • ● Homogeneity and isotropy imply maximally symmetric 3-spaces (3 translational and 3 rotational symmetries).

    – A spacetime metric that satisfies these requirements:

    Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker universe...

    ds2=−dt 2+a2(t)[ dr21−K r2+r2(d θ2+sin2θd ϕ2)] FLRW metrica(t) = Scale factor

    Spatial geometryK = -1 (hyperbolic), 0 (flat), +1 (spherical)

  • ● Test particles moving on geodesics in a FRLW universe suffer cosmological redshift:

    ● For photons:

    ● In a FRLW universe, there is a one-to-one correspondence between t, a, and z → We use them interchangeably as a measure of time.

    Kinematics: cosmological redshift...

    ∣⃗p∣∝a−1Proper momentum of a point particle measuredby a comoving observer

    λ0λe=E eE0=a ( t0)a (te)

    ≡1+zz = Redshift parameter

    Wavelength measured by comoving observer

    Wavelength emittedby comoving emitter

    t0= today

  • ● Matter/energy content is encoded in the stress-energy tensor Tμν.

    ● Homogeneity and isotropy imply only one viable form:

    – Fluids at rest with respect to the FLRW coordinates (or comoving frame)

    Matter/energy content...

    T̄ (α)μ ν=(−ρ̄α(t) ḡ 00 00 P̄α(t) ḡ ij)

    ρα = Energy density of fluid α in the fluid's rest frame

    Pα = Pressure of fluid αin the fluid's rest frame

  • ● Relativistic (at least for a significant part of their evolution history

    – Photons (mainly the CMB)– Relic neutrinos (analogous to the CMB)– Gravitational waves??

    ● Nonrelativistic matter– Atoms (or constituents thereof)– Dark matter (does not emit light but feels gravity)

    ● Other funny things

    – Vacuum energy/dark energy– ??

    Matter/energy content: what is out there?

  • ● Local conservation of energy-momentum:● In a FLRW universe:

    ● A general fluid can be specified by an equation of state parameter:

    – Nonrelativistic matter (wm ~ 0):

    – Radiation (wr = 1/3):

    – Vacuum energy (wΛ = -1):

    Matter/energy content: conservation laws...

    ∇μT (α)μν=0

    d ρ̄αdt +3

    ȧa (ρ̄α+P̄α)=0

    Continuity equation;one equation per fluid α

    ρ̄m∝a−3

    ρ̄r∝a−4

    ρ̄Λ∝constant

    wα( t )≡ P̄α( t )/ρ̄α(t)

  • log(ρ)

    log(a)

    ρ̄r∝a−4

    ρ̄Λ=const

    ρ̄m∝a−3

    Radiation domination Matter domination Λ domination

    Matter-radiationequality

    Matter-Λequality

  • log(ρ)

    log(a)-3 0

    ρ̄r∝a−4

    ρ̄Λ=const

    -9 -6

    ρ̄m∝a−3

    Radiation domination Matter domination Λ domination

    Matter-radiationequality

    Matter-Λequality

    Today

    a0=1 By convention

  • log(ρ)

    log(a)-3 0

    ρ̄r∝a−4

    ρ̄Λ=const

    -9 -6

    ρ̄m∝a−3

    Radiation domination Matter domination Λ domination

    Matter-radiationequality

    Matter-Λequality

    Today

    a0=1 By convention

    Structure formation

    Last scattering Surface (CMB)

    Big bangnucleosynthesis

  • 13.4 billion years ago(at photon decoupling)

    Composition today

    ● Different evolution for different forms of energy densities means that radiation dominated in the early universe, while dark energy was relatively unimportant.

    MasslessNeutrinos(3 families)

  • ● Derived from the Einstein equation:

    ● The Friedmann equation is an evolution equation for the scale factor a(t):

    ● Friedmann+continuity equations → specify the whole system.

    Friedmann equation...

    H 2(t)≡( ȧa )2

    =8πG3 ∑α ρ̄α−K

    Friedmann equation

    Rμν−12gμνR=8πGT μν

    H(t) = Hubble parameter

  • ● You may also have seen the Friedmann equation in this form:

    ● Current observations:

    Friedmann equation: critical density...

    H 2(t)=H 2(t 0)[Ωma−3+Ωra−4+ΩΛ+ΩK a−2 ]

    Ωα=ρ̄α(t 0)ρcrit( t0)

    , ρcrit(t )≡3H 2(t )8πG , ΩK≡−

    Ka2( t0)H

    2(t 0)

    Ωm∼0.3, ΩΛ∼0.7, Ωr∼10−5

    ∣ΩK∣

  • ● Solutions in some limits:

    – Radiation domination:

    – Matter domination:

    – Vacuum energy domination:

    Friedmann equation: solutions...

    a∝ t1 /2

    a∝ t 2/3

    a∝exp(H 0√ΩΛ t)

  • 1.2 Particles in cosmology: the hot universe...

  • ● The early universe was a very dense and hot place.

    → Frequent particle interactions.

    ● If the interaction rate is so large

    such that

    → the interaction is in a state of equilibrium.

    The hot universe...

    Interaction rate, Γ >> Expansion rate, H

    =n 〈 v〉

  • ● When an interaction is in a state of equilibrium, all participating particles have phase space distributions described by one of the equilibrium forms.

    – All scattering processes lead to kinetic/thermal equilibrium:

    – Annihilation processes XX ↔ YY ↔ γγ lead to chemical equilibrium:

    f eq( p)=1

    exp [(E ( p)−μ)/T ]±1

    X=− X

    + Fermi-Dirac- Bose-Einstein

    μ = Chemical potential

    f(p) = Phase space distribution

    Equilibrium thermodynamics...

    Same temperature for all participating particle species

  • ● Number density:

    ● Energy density:

    ● Pressure:

    ρ= g(2π)3

    ∫ d 3 pE f ( p⃗)

    n= g(2π)3

    ∫ d 3 p f ( p⃗) g = Internal d.o.f. = 2 for neutrinos

    P= g(2π)3

    ∫ d 3 p∣p⃗∣2

    3Ef ( p⃗)

    Compare with g = 4 for electrons/positrons = 2 for photons

  • Relativistic Non-Bose Fermi relativistic

    Number density, n:

    Energy density, ρ:

    Pressure, P:

    32

    g T 3 g mT2 3/2

    e−m /T3432

    gT 3

    2

    30g T 4 7

    82

    30gT 4 mn

    132

    30g T 4 1

    3782

    30gT 4 negligible

    Assuming T >> μ

  • ● As the temperature drops, some interactions become unable to keep up with the expansion.

    → These interactions falls out of equilibrium, i.e., they freeze out.

    ● A rough “out-of-equilibrium” condition:

    ● Particle species is decoupled when all of its interactions satisfy this condition, because then it has no more thermal contact with other particle species in the universe.

    Interaction rate, Γ

  • ● At temperatures O(1) < T < O(100) MeV, weak interactions keep neutrinos coupled to other particles in the thermal bath:

    – Weak interaction rate:

    – Hubble expansion rate:

    ● When the weak rate drops below the Hubble expansion rate, the neutrinos lose thermal contact with other particles → neutrinos decouple.

    Neutrino decoupling

    Γ=σ νe ne∼G F2 T 5

    H=√ 8πG3 ∑i ρ̄i∼ T2

    mpl

    ν+ e↔ν+ e , ν ν̄↔e+ e-

    T νdec∼1 MeV Neutrino decoupling temperature

  • Time

    Photon temperature, Tγ

    Events

    Neutrino temperature

    Phase spacedensity

    Thermal history of neutrinos...

  • T =T

    Time

    Photon temperature, Tγ

    ~GF2 T 5

    H~ T2

    mplanck

    Weak interaction:

    Expansion rate:H

    Neutrinos in thermal contact with cosmic plasma

    Events

    Neutrino temperature

    Phase spacedensity Relativistic Fermi-Dirac

    Thermal history of neutrinos...

    1 MeV

    f E≃1

    exp [ p /T ]1

  • T =T

    Time

    Photon temperature, Tγ 1 MeV

    Neu

    trino

    deco

    uplin

    g

    ~GF2 T 5

    H~ T2

    mplanck

    Weak interaction:

    Expansion rate:H

    H ⇒~H

    Neutrinos in thermal contact with cosmic plasma

    Events

    Neutrino temperature

    Phase spacedensity

    No thermal contact

    Relativistic Fermi-Dirac

    Thermal history of neutrinos...

    f E≃1

    exp [ p /T ]1

  • T =T T = 411 1 /3

    T

    Time

    Photon temperature, Tγ 1 MeV 0.2 MeV

    Neu

    trino

    deco

    uplin

    g

    ~GF2 T 5

    H~ T2

    mplanck

    Weak interaction:

    Expansion rate:

    e+e-

    ann

    ihila

    tion

    HH ⇒~H

    Neutrinos in thermal contact with cosmic plasma

    Events

    Neutrino temperature

    Phase spacedensity

    No thermal contact

    Relativistic Fermi-Dirac

    Thermal history of neutrinos...

    f E≃1

    exp [ p /T ]1

    e-e+→γ γbecomes “one-way”

  • ● Before annihilation: Entropy mainly from: photons, electrons/positrons, and neutrinos.

    ● After annihilation: Entropy from photons and (colder) neutrinos:

    ● Using

    s a1=4390

    2T 3 a1

    s a2=22

    45 [2T 3 a2 78 6T 3 a2]a1

    3 s a1=a 23 s a2 ; a1T a1=a2T a2

    T = 411 1 /3

    T Neutrino temperatureafter annihilation

    s≡∑i

    iPiT i

    ∝a−3Entropy

    Neutrino temperature...

  • ● Neutrino decoupling and electron/positron annihilation occur at similar times (T ~ 1 MeV vs T ~ 0.2 MeV).

    – Some neutrinos are still decoupled to the plasma when the annihilation happens.

    → Neutrinos at the high energy tail are affected by the entropy released in the annihilation.

    – Expect neutrinos to be a little hotter than .

    Non-instantaneous decoupling...

    T = 411 1 /3

    T

  • ● To track the decoupling and reheating processes properly, we use the Boltzmann equation.

    ● Suppose we have a process:

    ● Then:

    d f 1 p , t d t

    = 12 E1∫∏

    i=2

    4 d 3 pi23 2 E i

    244P1P2−P3−P4∣M∣2

    × f 3 f 41± f 11± f 2− f 1 f 2 1± f 31± f 4

    1234

    9D phase space Energy-momentumconservation Matrix element

    Phase space density of 1

    Statistical factors+ for boson- for fermion

  • From S. Pastor

    10× f

    Relativistic FD

    Real νµ,τ

    Real νe

    Neutrino phase space distribution after e+e- annihiliation

  • ● It is convenient to express the increase of neutrino energy density in terms of an increase in the effective number of neutrino families:

    ∑ii≡N eff× , 0

    “Standard” energy density per flavourassuming the “standardneutrino temperature

    Total energy density in neutrinos

    N eff=3.04

    ● Non-instantaneous decoupling and finite temperature QED effects together lead to:

  • ● Temperature:

    ● Number density per flavour:

    T ,0= 411 1 /3

    T CMB ,0=1.95 K~10−4 eV

    n ,0 =611

    32

    T CMB , 03 =

    311nCMB ,0 = 112 cm

    −3

    CMB number density

    TCMB,0 = 2.725 ± 0.001 K

    A summary: the relic neutrino background today...

  • ● Energy density per flavour:

    ● Closure bound:

    Nonrelativistic= Neutrinodark matter

    i≡i ,0crit , 0

    ; crit ,0=3H 0

    2

    8G

    Gerstein & Zel'dovich 1966; Cowsik & McClelland 1972

    ρν ,0={ 78 ( 411 )4/3

    ρCMB ,0 ⇒ Ων ,0h2 = 6×10−6

    mν nν ,0 ⇒ Ων ,0h2 =

    mν94 eV

    } m≪T ,0~10−4 eVm≫T ,0~10

    −4 eV

    If relativistic today

    If nonrelativistic today

    1 ⇒ m90 eVMore on this tomorrow

  • ● Nonrelativistic neutrinos cluster gravitationally in dark matter halos.

    – Expect mν-dependent variations in number density and phase space distribution.

    Ringwald & Y3W 2004

    mν =

    mν =

    mν =

    mν =

    Distance from the Galactic centre

    Ove

    rden

    sity

    nν/n

    ν in

    the

    Milk

    y W

    ay

    Solar system (~ 8 kpc)Local variations...

  • ● Nonrelativistic neutrinos cluster gravitationally in dark matter halos.

    – Expect mν-dependent variations in number density and phase space distribution.

    Ringwald & Y3W 2004

    Local variations... Rel. Fermi-DiracClustered

    Pha

    se s

    pace

    den

    sity

    at r

    = 8

    kpc

    Neutrino momentum/temperature

  • 1.3 Evidence for relic neutrinos...

  • ● Big Bang nucleosynthesis

    ● Precision cosmology– Cosmic microwave background

    – Large-scale structure distribution

    (Indirect) evidence for relic neutrinos...

  • ● Relevant temperatures:

    ● Production of

    – Deuterium

    – Helium-3

    – Helium-4

    – Lithium-7

    – small amounts of others● Two phases

    Big Bang nucleosynthesis...

    T~O 100O 10 keV(after neutrino decoupling)

  • Phase 1: Setting the n/p ratio...

    e p en

    en e− p

    n=885.6±0.8 s

    ● At T > 1 MeV the neutron-to-proton ratio is set by the interactions:

    ● After freeze-out neutron decay can still change the n/p ratio:

    np eq≃exp −mn−mpT

    Freeze-out

    Relevant temperatures:T ~ 0.1 → 0.01 MeV

  • Phase 2: Formation of nuclei... Relevant temperatures:T ~ 0.1 → 0.01 MeV

    ● Beginning with Deuterium.

    ● Starting time set by the baryon-to-photon ratio η.

    – Large entropy (small η) leads to the destruction of nuclei by photo-disintegration.

    ● The rest is governed by (known) nuclear physics.

    → Standard BBN has only one free parameter, η.

  • Standard BBN predictions as functions of the baryon-to-photon ratio η

  • Deuterium Destroyed in stars. Data from high-z, low metallicity QSO absorption line systems

    Helium-3 Produced and destroyed in stars. Complicated evolution.

    Data from solar system and galaxies, but not used in BBN analyses.

    Helium-4 Produced in stars by H burning. Data from low metallicity, extragalactic HII regions.

    Lithium-7 Destroyed in stars, produced in cosmic ray interactions.

    Data from the oldest, most metal poor stars in the Galaxy.

    Measuring primordial abundances...

    ● Light element abundances we observe in astrophysical systems today are generally not at their primordial values.

    ● For measurements, low metallicity systems with as little evolution as possible are the best bets!

  • ● Neutrinos affect Phase 1 of BBN through the interactions:

    ● Two ways:

    – Change the freeze-out termpature of the interactions.

    – Directly affect the weak interaction rates.

    e p en

    en e− p

    Neutrinos and BBN... ...One

  • ● Expansion of the universe described by the Friedmann equation:

    ● At and before the time of nucelosynthesis, radiation dominates energy density:

    ρtotal≃ργ+∑iρν , i=ργ+N eff ρν

    H 2=(1a d ad t )2

    =8πG3

    ρ total

    Effective number of thermalised neutrinospecies

    Energy density inone thermalisedneutrino species

    First effect: freeze-out time

    Total energy density:radiation, mattervacuum energy...

    Photons

    N eff=3.04Standard:

  • e p en

    en e− p

    ● Increasing Neff raises the freeze-out temperature and hence the neutron-to-proton ratio:

    np freeze≃exp −mn−m pT freeze Freeze-out

  • Helium-4 is most sensitive to Neff...

    e p e n

    en e− p

    n p e − e

    ● Nearly all neutrons end up in Helium-4.

    ∣Y He≡4nHenN ≈ 2n / p1n / p∣t BBNHelium-4 mass fraction ~ 0.25for n/p ~ 1/7

    Freeze-out

    n pe − e

    Depends onexpansion rate,and hence Neff

  • N eff=4

    N eff=3

    N eff=2

    Baryon-to-photon ratio

    Hel

    ium

    -4 a

    bund

    ance

    Helium-4 is most sensitive to Neff...

  • Strumia & Vissani 2006

    Neff

    Helium-4 mass fraction, YHe

    Time

    BBN prefers Neff > 0.

    Neff = 3

    He-4 measurements in low metallicityextragalactic HII regions

  • ● Recent analyses suggest a mild preference for Neff > 3 (or Ns > 0) from the Deuterium+Helium-4 abundance.

    Evidence for Neff > 3 from BBN??

    τn=878.5sτn=885.7s+ CMB prior onbaryon density

    Hamann, Hannestad, Raffelt & Y3W 2011

  • ● Neutrinos affect Phase 1 of BBN through the interactions:

    ● Two ways:

    – Change the freeze-out termpature of the interactions.

    – Directly affect the weak interaction rates.

    e p en

    en e− p

    Neutrinos and BBN... ...Two

  • ● Electron neutrinos affect directly the interactions:

    before the interactions freeze out.

    ● In the standard model, neutrinos and antineutrinos have the same abundance.

    – If there is an asymmetry in the neutrino and antineutrino number densities, it will affect the neutron-to-proton ratio primarily through these interactions.

    Second effect: weak interaction rate

    e p en

    en e− p

  • ● Neutrino-anitneutrino asymmetries are usually parameterised in terms of a finite chemical potential in the equilibrium phase space distribution:

    ● Effects on the neutron-to-proton ratio:

    – i.e., a large asymmetry in the electron neutrinos drives down n/p.– Current constraint:

    np≈exp [−mn−mpT − e] , ≡T

    f e E =1

    exp [ p−/T ]1, f eE =

    1exp[ p /T ]1

    Neutrinos Antineutrinos

    µ = Chemical potential

    e0.1 e.g., Raffelt & Serpico 2004

    Assuming chemcialequilibrium holds

    ξ = Degeneracy parameter

  • ● BBN is also sensitive to neutrino-antineutrino asymmetries in the muon and tau neutrino sector, because:

    – A large lepton asymmetry also contributes to the energy density:

    – More importantly, flavour oscillations equilibrate all asymmetries prior to weak freeze-out.

    A large lepton asymmetry in νμ,τ?

    N eff=3+∑i[ 307 ( ξνiπ )

    2

    +157( ξνiπ )

    4]

  • Dolgov et al. 2002Y3W 2002Abazajian et al. 2002

    e. ,0.1

    Bound on applies to all neutrino flavours!

    e

    time

    Che

    mic

    al p

    oten

    tial ντ

    νµ

    νe

    1. νμ ↔ ντ equilibration at T ~ 10 MeV.

    2. νe ↔ νμ,ντ equilibration at T ~ 2 – 3 MeV.

    BBN

    matm2 ,atm msun

    2 ,sun

  • ● Big Bang nucleosynthesis

    ● Precision cosmology– Cosmic microwave background

    – Large scale structure distribution

    (Indirect) evidence for relic neutrinos...

  • Precision cosmological probes

    Cosmic microwave background

    CMB temperature anisotropy spectrum

  • Galaxy clustering

    Lyman-α forest

    Gravitationallensing

    Cluster abundance

    Precision cosmological probes

    Large-scale structure distribution

    Matter power spectrum

  • ● For CMB and LSS, the main role of relic neutrinos is to fix the epoch of matter-radiation equality.

    log(ρ)

    log(a)

    ρ̄Λ=const

    ρ̄m∝a−3

    Radiation domination Matter domination Λ domination

    Matter-radiationequality

    Matter-Λequality

    aeq

    ρ̄r∝a−4

  • CMB TT

    ● CMB: Delaying matter-radiation equality enhances the first peak of the temperature anisotropies relative to the plateau via the early Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect.

  • ● Sachs-Wolfe effect:

    ObserverRedshift

    Ψ=0

    Gravitational potential Blueshift

    Observed temperature fluctuation

    ΔTT observed

    =ΔTT intrinsic

    Ψ

  • ● Integrated Sachs-Wolfe (ISW) effect:

    ● Except during matter domination, gravitational potentials decay with time.

    → Photons suffer less redshift than in the case of constant Ψ → Larger observed temperature fluctuations.

    ObserverRedshift

    Observer

    time

    Ψ=0

    Gravitational potential

  • ● LSS: Delaying matter-radiation equality shifts the turning point of the matter power spectrum to a smaller k (larger comoving Hubble radius at equality).

    N eff=1 ,3 ,5 ,7 ,9

    Large-scale structure

    k eq=4.7×10−4√Ωm(1+ zeq)hMpc−1

  • ● Recent CMB+LSS data appear to prefer Neff > 3!

    Dunkley et al. [Atacama Cosmology Telescope] 2010 Keisler et al. [South Pole Telescope] 2011

    WMAP+ACTWMAP+ACT+H0+BAO

    WMAP

    Stan

    dard

    val

    ue

    Stan

    dard

    val

    ue

    Evidence for Neff > 3 from CMB+LSS??

  • ● Neff>3 trend has been there since WMAP-5.

    ● Exact numbers depend on the cosmological model, and the combination of data.

    ● Many model+data combinations find Neff>3 at 95% – 99% C.L.

    ● Central value Neff ~ 4.

    W-5=WMAP-5; W-7=WMAP-7

    = >95% C.L.

    Abazajian et al., “Light sterile neutrinos: a white paper”, 2012

  • Planck and Neff...

    Bashinsky & Seljak 2004Helium fractionas a free parameter

    68% sensitivities

    ● If Neff is as large as 4, it will be settled almost immediately by Planck (launched May 14, 2009; public data release early 2013).

  • 1.4 Prospects for direct detection...

  • ● G. B. Gelmini, Prospects for relic neutrino searches, Phys. Scripta T121 (2005) 131 [hep-ph/0412305].

    ● A. Ringwald, Prospects for direct detection of the cosmic neutrino background, arXiv:0901.1529.

    Useful references...

  • Direct detection is difficult because...

    ● Neutrinos interact weakly.

    ● Momentum transfer per scattering is too small to cross most interaction thresholds.

    – A zero threshold interaction?

    N~G F

    2 m2

    ≃10−56 meV

    2

    cm2

    p~m vearth≃10−3m

    Speed of Earth wrt to the CMB,~ 370 km s-1

    cf wimp detection, ~ 10-46 cm2

    Neutrino-nucleoncross-section

  • Weinberg 1962

    N N 'e − e1.

    2.

    3.

    Assuming massless neutrinos

    β-decay and related...

    Electronenergy

    β-de

    cay

    end-

    poin

    t spe

    ctru

    m

  • QβQβ-EF

    Weinberg 1962

    N N 'e − eN N 'e − e , e

    RNB~degenerate

    Phase space blocking

    EF = Fermi energy of degenerate relic (anti-)neutrinos

    1.

    2.

    3.

    Assuming massless neutrinos

    β-decay and related...β-

    deca

    y en

    d-po

    int s

    pect

    rum

    Electronenergy

  • Qβ+EF

    Weinberg 1962

    N N 'e − eN N 'e − e , e

    RNB~degenerate

    eRNBN N 'e − , e

    RNB~degenerate

    Phase space blocking

    EF = Fermi energy of degenerate relic (anti-)neutrinos

    1.

    2.

    3.

    Assuming massless neutrinos

    Capture of degeneraterelic neutrinos

    β-decay and related...

    QβQβ-EF

    Electronenergy

    β-de

    cay

    end-

    poin

    t spe

    ctru

    m

  • ● In 1962, detection required:

    ● Present limit from BBN:

    → Impossible even for KATRIN (end-point resolution ~ 1 eV).

    N N 'e − e

    Phase space blocking

    1.

    2.

    3.

    S. Weinberg, Phys. Rev. 128 (1962) 1457

    0.1

    ~EFT , 0

    200 eV10−4 eV

    ~106

    Relic neutrino temperature

    Degeneracyparameter

    ⇒E F10−5 eV

  • QβQβ-mν Qβ+mν

    Cocco, Mangano & Messina 2007Lazauskas, Vogel & Volpe 2007Blennow 2008

    2mν

    N N 'e − e e

    RNBN N 'e −1.

    2.

    mν = Neutrino mass

    Monochromatic signal from relic neutrino captureRate~6.5 nn / year / 100 g 3 H

    … and a recent revival...β-

    deca

    y en

    d-po

    int s

    pect

    rum

    Electronenergy

  • Lazauskas, Vogel & Volpe 2007

    ● The challenge: energy resolution!!!!

    – Otherwise signal will be swamped by the β-decay tail.

    Signal

    Tritium β-decay tail folded with ∆E = 0.5 eV resolution

    Fiducial mν = 1 eV

    EmFor S/N > 1:

  • Blennow 2008

    Signal vs background : fiducial mν = 0.05 eV

    E=0.03 eV E=0.06 eV

    ⇒ S /N1⇒ S /N1

  • This is what it takes to get an end-point energy resolution of ~1 eV...

    KATRIN main spectrometer

  • Summary...

    ● Relic neutrinos = a fundamental prediction of hot big bang theory.

    ● Good (indirect) evidence for their existence from BBN and CMB/LSS observations.

    – Maybe there are even more than three neutrino species....

    – Planck will tell!

    ● Direct detection (with existing technology) is still a long way away.

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