High Energy Neutrinos from Novae in Symbiotic Binaries: The Case of V407 Cygni

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential for detecting high-energy neutrinos from novae in symbiotic binary systems, specifically V407 Cygni, by analyzing particle acceleration and interactions responsible for observed gamma rays.

Contribution

It demonstrates that proton-proton interactions in nova shocks can produce detectable neutrinos above 10 GeV, linking gamma-ray observations to neutrino signals.

Findings

Proton-proton interactions produce neutrinos > 0.1 GeV.

Neutrino flux from V407 Cygni could be detectable by current/future experiments.

Gamma-ray observations imply potential neutrino detection from novae.

Abstract

Detection of high-energy (~> 100 MeV) gamma rays by the Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) from a nova in the symbiotic binary system V407 Cygni has opened possibility of high-energy neutrino detection from this type of sources. Thermonuclear explosion on the white dwarf surface sets off a nova shell in motion that expands and slows down in a dense surrounding medium provided by the red giant companion. Particles are accelerated in the shocks of the shell, and interact with surrounding medium to produce observed gamma rays. We show that proton-proton interaction, which is most likely responsible for producing gamma rays via neutral pion decay, produces ~> 0.1 GeV neutrinos that can be detected by the current and future experiments at ~> 10 GeV.