Distinguishing Neutrino Mass Hierarchies using Dark Matter Annihilation Signals at IceCube

TL;DR

This paper investigates how future IceCube neutrino observations of dark matter annihilation signals could differentiate between neutrino mass hierarchies, using a model with type-II seesaw mechanism.

Contribution

It demonstrates that neutrino signals from dark matter annihilation can be used to distinguish neutrino mass hierarchies with upcoming IceCube data within a specific theoretical framework.

Findings

Future IceCube extensions can detect DM annihilation signals from Galactic Center and Sun.

Neutrino signals can differentiate between normal and inverted hierarchies.

Model-specific analysis shows potential for hierarchy determination.

Abstract

We explore the possibility of distinguishing neutrino mass hierarchies through the neutrino signal from dark matter annihilation at neutrino telescopes. We consider a simple extension of the standard model where the neutrino masses and mixing angles are obtained via the type-II seesaw mechanism as an explicit example. We show that future extensions of IceCube neutrino telescope may detect the neutrino signal from DM annihilation at the Galactic Center and inside the Sun, and differentiate between the normal and inverted mass hierarchies, in this model.