2005/09/30 by Cecilia Lunardini
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Cherenkov radiation #Detector #Electron #Electron neutrino #Flux (metallurgy) #Inverse #Neutrino #Neutrino Physics Research #Neutrino detector #Neutrino oscillation #Nuclear physics #Optics #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #Physics #Supernova #astro-ph #hep-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/j.astropartphys.2006.06.008
published as Astropart.Phys.26:190-201,2006 · LaTeX, 28 pages, 8 figures. Major improvements: qualitative arguments replaced with full statistical analysis; direct measurements of the supernova rate used; title slightly modified for consistency and figures added. Noticeable changes in the results
arxiv created 2006/06/06 · openalex publication_date 2006/07/18 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
I calculate the diffuse flux of electron antineutrinos from all supernovae using the information on the neutrino spectrum from SN987A and the information on the rate of supernovae from direct supernova observations. The interval of flux allowed at 99 % confidence level is 0.05 - 0.35 cm-2 s -1 above the SuperKamiokande (SK) energy cut of 19.3 MeV. This result is at least a factor of 4 smaller than the current SK upper limit of 1.2 cm-2 s -1, thus motivating the experimental efforts to lower the detection energy threshold or to upgrade to higher volumes. A Megaton water Cherenkov detector with 90 % efficiency would record 2 - 44 inverse beta decay events a year depending on the energy cut.