Constraints on neutrino-Majoron couplings using SN1987A data

Abstract

Neutrino decay to a lighter neutrino and a massless or almost massless (pseudo)scalar Goldstone boson remains of wide interest, as in the search for ultralight dark matter or for neutrinoless double beta-decay, and for its implications in astrophysics and cosmology. Neutrino interactions with Majorons can affect the dynamics of supernovae and impact the emitted neutrino flux. Using a three-neutrino framework and detailed supernova simulations, we perform the first likelihood analysis of the 24 neutrino events from SN1987A, including nonradiative decay in matter to a massless (pseudo)scalar boson like a Majoron. Focusing on the induced spectral distortions, we present bounds on the neutrino-Majoron couplings, as a function of the lightest neutrino mass, that are either complementary or competitive with current ones.

Comments: 7 pages, 3 figures, matches the accepted version in PRD Letters