Indirect photofission of light elements from high-energy neutrinos in the early universe

John Gratsias; Robert J. Scherrer; David N. Spergel

doi:10.1016/0370-2693(91)91570-L

Indirect photofission of light elements from high-energy neutrinos in the early universe

John Gratsias, Robert J. Scherrer, David N. Spergel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

High-energy neutrinos in the early universe can produce electron-positron pairs by annihilating with cosmic background neutrinos. These high-energy electrons thermalize to produce a cascade of lower-energy photons which can fission light elements. We use this process to constrain "invisible" particle decays, in which a decaying particle produces neutrinos but no electromagnetically interacting particles in its decay. These limits are applied to specific neutrino and gravitino decay models.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	298-302
Number of pages	5
Journal	Physics Letters B
Volume	262
Issue number	2-3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/0370-2693(91)91570-L
State	Published - Jun 20 1991

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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10.1016/0370-2693(91)91570-L

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title = "Indirect photofission of light elements from high-energy neutrinos in the early universe",

abstract = "High-energy neutrinos in the early universe can produce electron-positron pairs by annihilating with cosmic background neutrinos. These high-energy electrons thermalize to produce a cascade of lower-energy photons which can fission light elements. We use this process to constrain {"}invisible{"} particle decays, in which a decaying particle produces neutrinos but no electromagnetically interacting particles in its decay. These limits are applied to specific neutrino and gravitino decay models.",

author = "John Gratsias and Scherrer, {Robert J.} and Spergel, {David N.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank J. Hagelin for helpful comments. J.G. and R.J.S. were supported in part by the Ohio State University Office of Research and Graduate Studies. R.J.S. was supported in part by the Department of Energy and by NASA. D.N.S. was supported in part by the National Science Foundation and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.",

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T1 - Indirect photofission of light elements from high-energy neutrinos in the early universe

AU - Gratsias, John

AU - Scherrer, Robert J.

AU - Spergel, David N.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank J. Hagelin for helpful comments. J.G. and R.J.S. were supported in part by the Ohio State University Office of Research and Graduate Studies. R.J.S. was supported in part by the Department of Energy and by NASA. D.N.S. was supported in part by the National Science Foundation and by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

PY - 1991/6/20

Y1 - 1991/6/20

N2 - High-energy neutrinos in the early universe can produce electron-positron pairs by annihilating with cosmic background neutrinos. These high-energy electrons thermalize to produce a cascade of lower-energy photons which can fission light elements. We use this process to constrain "invisible" particle decays, in which a decaying particle produces neutrinos but no electromagnetically interacting particles in its decay. These limits are applied to specific neutrino and gravitino decay models.

AB - High-energy neutrinos in the early universe can produce electron-positron pairs by annihilating with cosmic background neutrinos. These high-energy electrons thermalize to produce a cascade of lower-energy photons which can fission light elements. We use this process to constrain "invisible" particle decays, in which a decaying particle produces neutrinos but no electromagnetically interacting particles in its decay. These limits are applied to specific neutrino and gravitino decay models.

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ER -

Indirect photofission of light elements from high-energy neutrinos in the early universe

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