Neutrino Oscillations in the Early Universe with Nonequilibrium Neutrino Distributions

Abstract

Around one second after the big bang, neutrino decoupling and $e^{+}$-$e^{-}$ annihilation distort the Fermi-Dirac spectrum of neutrino energies. Assuming neutrinos have masses and can mix, we compute the distortions using nonequilibrium thermodynamics and the Boltzmann equation. The flavor behavior of neutrinos is studied during and following the generation of the distortion.

Comments: accepted for publication in Physical Review D