Neutrino spectrum and energy loss rates due to weak processes on hot $^{56}$Fe in pre-supernova environment

TL;DR

This study uses advanced nuclear models to calculate neutrino spectra and energy loss rates from hot $^{56}$Fe nuclei in pre-supernova environments, revealing significant neutrino emission and the limitations of simplified spectral models.

Contribution

It introduces TQRPA calculations for hot nuclei and demonstrates their impact on neutrino emission and energy loss in pre-supernova conditions, improving upon previous approximations.

Findings

Hot nuclei produce high-energy neutrinos and antineutrinos.

Energy loss via neutrino emission is significantly increased in hot nuclei.

Neutral current de-excitation via neutrino-antineutrino pairs is a major antineutrino source.

Abstract

Applying TQRPA calculations of Gamow--Teller strength functions in hot nuclei, we compute the (anti)neutrino spectra and energy loss rates arising from weak processes on hot $^{56}$Fe under pre-supernova conditions. We use a realistic pre-supernova model calculated by the stellar evolution code MESA. Taking into account both charged and neutral current processes, we demonstrate that weak reactions with hot nuclei can produce high-energy (anti)neutrinos. We also show that, for hot nuclei, the energy loss via (anti)neutrino emission is significantly larger than that for nuclei in their ground state. It is found that the neutral current de-excitation via the $\nu\bar\nu$-pair emission is presumably a dominant source of antineutrinos. In accordance with other studies, we confirm that the so-called single-state approximation for neutrino spectra might fail under certain pre-supernova conditions. }