arXiv · 2608.14785
Unveiling Neutrino Nature with the Diffuse Supernova Background
Abstract
The true nature of neutrinos--whether Dirac or Majorana--is a foundational, unresolved question. We demonstrate that the diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB) offers an untapped avenue to resolve this issue, provided neutrino magnetic moments are $\gtrsim 10^{-14}\mu_B$. The intense magnetic fields characteristic of a subset of collapsing massive stars can trigger resonant chirality flips. This flavor conversion physics alters DSNB fluxes in measurable ways that depend on the neutrino nature. A $20$~yr combined exposure at Hyper-Kamiokande loaded with gadolinium and JUNO can unravel this signature at $90\%$ ($99\%$) confidence if the fraction of magnetorotational events exceeds $12\%$ ($20\%$) of cosmic core collapses. This result holds independent of the mass ordering and establishes the DSNB as a critical gateway to unveiling the true identity of the neutrino.
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Marco Manno, Pablo Martínez-Miravé, Irene Tamborra. 2026-08-14. Unveiling Neutrino Nature with the Diffuse Supernova Background. https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.14785
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