Neutrino Masses in a Neutrinosphere

TL;DR

This paper estimates neutrino energies in a neutrinosphere, revealing significant differences in effective masses of neutrino species compared to vacuum, using cubic equations for energy eigenvalues.

Contribution

It introduces a method to calculate neutrino energies in dense matter and highlights the impact on neutrino effective masses within a neutrinosphere.

Findings

Large differences in effective neutrino masses compared to vacuum

Use of cubic equations to determine energy eigenvalues

Effective masses depend on dense matter conditions

Abstract

The energies of neutrinos in a neutrinosphere, the dense matter created after the gravitational collapse of a massive star, are estimated. Cubic equations for energy eigenvalues of neutrinos are used, with the effective masses found by taking the neutrinos at rest in neutrinosphere matter. Large differences in the effective mass of some neutrino species in a neutrinosphere compared to vacuum are found.