Peeking into the Origins of IceCube Neutrinos: I. Buried Transient TeV Miniburst Rates

TL;DR

This paper explores the possibility that IceCube's astrophysical neutrinos originate from buried transient sources like superluminous supernovae, which could produce detectable TeV neutrino bursts and align with multimessenger constraints.

Contribution

It investigates how buried transient sources can explain IceCube neutrinos while satisfying gamma-ray background constraints, suggesting superluminous supernovae as potential origins.

Findings

IceCube data constrains properties of transient sources.

Buried GeV-TeV emission could exceed supernova explosion energies.

TeV neutrino bursts may soon be detectable, aiding astrophysical understanding.

Abstract

Any interpretation of the astrophysical neutrinos discovered by IceCube must accommodate a variety of multimessenger constraints. We address implications of these neutrinos being produced in transient sources, principally if buried within supernovae so that gamma rays are absorbed by the star. This would alleviate tension with the isotropic Fermi GeV background that >10 TeV neutrinos rival in detected energy flux. We find that IceCube data constrain transient properties, implying buried GeV-TeV electromagnetic emission near or exceeding canonical SN explosion energies of ~10^51 erg, indicative of an origin within superluminous SNe. TeV neutrino bursts with dozens of IceCube events -- which would be of great use for understanding r-process nucleosynthesis and more -- may be just around the corner if they are a primary component of the flux.