Non-conservation of Lepton Numbers in the Neutrino Sector Could Change the Prospects for Core Collapse Supernova Explosions

Abstract

We show that interactions violating the conservation of lepton numbers in the neutrino sector could significantly alter the standard low entropy picture for the pre-supernova collapsing core of a massive star. A rapid neutrino-antineutrino equilibration leads to entropy generation and enhanced electron capture and, hence, a lower electron fraction than in the standard model. This would affect the downstream core evolution, the prospects for a supernova explosion, and the emergent neutrino signal. If realized by lepton-number-violating neutrino self-interactions (LNV $\nu$SI), the relevant mediator mass and coupling ranges can be probed by future accelerator-based experiments.

Comments: 5+9 pages, 2+6 figures. Matches version published in Phys. Rev. Lett., added discussion on alpha particles in the Supplemental Material