Speaker
Description
Core-collapse supernovae are promising sites of explosive nucleosynthesis, where the electron fraction of the ejecta is strongly influenced by the spectra and angular distributions of electron neutrinos and antineutrinos. Recent multidimensional simulations suggest that fast neutrino flavor conversion can occur in the decoupling region of core-collapse supernovae, potentially modifying the neutrino radiation field before it shapes the composition of the outflow. However, the connection between nonlinear flavor conversion and nucleosynthesis remains insufficiently understood.
In this contribution, I discuss how collective neutrino flavor conversion may affect supernova nucleosynthesis through changes in the local $\nu_e$ and $\bar{\nu}_e$ distributions, charged-current reaction rates, and the resulting electron fraction $Y_e$. I focus on the possible occurrence of fast flavor conversion in multidimensional core-collapse supernova environments and examine how flavor-modified neutrino distributions could be incorporated into nucleosynthesis post-processing calculations. Particular attention is given to how angular crossings and nonlinear flavor equilibration may alter the local $\nu_e$ and $\bar{\nu}_e$ radiation fields, as well as to the theoretical uncertainties involved in applying local flavor-conversion prescriptions to dynamical ejecta.
This study aims to clarify which aspects of flavor conversion are most relevant for nucleosynthesis predictions and to identify the conditions under which flavor effects may leave observable imprints on supernova ejecta composition.
| Category | Theory |
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