Studying Both the Universe and Neutrinos Themselves Using Cosmic and Astrophysical Neutrinos

TL;DR

This paper explores how cosmic and astrophysical neutrinos can be used both to study the universe and to investigate neutrinos themselves, highlighting theoretical methods and experimental challenges.

Contribution

It discusses novel theoretical approaches and potential experimental techniques for using neutrinos as probes in cosmology and particle physics.

Findings

Theoretical tools like gravitational lensing and inverse beta decay are insightful.

Experimental precision and event rates pose significant challenges.

Neutrino astronomy has promising future prospects.

Abstract

With neutrino astronomy just beginning to burgeon, and the prospects of detecting the cosmic neutrino background closer than ever, we live in an era with the unique opportunity not only to investigate the universe with this novel probe, but conversely to utilise the cosmos as a laboratory to study neutrinos themselves. This thesis aims to expound on some of the ways to seize this opportunity, using corollaries of our standard model, gravitational lensing, inverse beta decay, and the neutrino's spin to achieve our goals. Theoretically, these tools prove insightful and impressive, but difficulties in experimental precision and a low rate of certain astrophysical events hinder the capabilities of these mechanisms. Regardless, the future of neutrino astronomy is certainly bright.