Supernova Bounds on keV-mass Sterile Neutrinos

TL;DR

This paper investigates how supernova observations constrain the properties of keV-mass sterile neutrinos, which are potential warm dark matter candidates, by analyzing their production and energy-loss effects in supernova cores.

Contribution

It provides new bounds on sterile neutrino masses and mixing angles derived from supernova energy-loss considerations, enhancing understanding of their viability as dark matter.

Findings

Stringent bounds on sterile neutrino parameters

Constraints improve previous limits

Implications for dark matter models

Abstract

Sterile neutrinos of keV masses are one of the most promising candidates for the warm dark matter, which could solve the small-scale problems encountered in the scenario of cold dark matter. We present a detailed study of the production of such sterile neutrinos in a supernova core, and derive stringent bounds on the active-sterile neutrino mixing angles and sterile neutrino masses based on the standard energy-loss argument.