Diffuse Supernova Neutrino Background

Colloquium: Astronomy Colloquia | October 11 | 4 p.m. | 2 LeConte Hall

Speaker/Performer: John Beacom, Ohio State University

Sponsor: Department of Astronomy

The diffuse supernova neutrino background (DSNB) is the weak glow of MeV neutrinos and antineutrinos from distant core-collapse supernovae. The DSNB has not been detected yet, but the Super-Kamiokande upper limit on the electron antineutrino flux is close to predictions, now quite precise, based on astrophysical data. If Super-Kamiokande is modified with dissolved gadolinium to reduce detector backgrounds, then it should detect the DSNB at a rate of a few events per year, providing a new probe of supernova neutrino emission and the cosmic core-collapse rate. Neutrino astronomy, while uniquely powerful, has proven extremely difficult -- only the Sun and the nearby Supernova 1987A have been detected to date -- so the promise of detecting new sources soon is exciting indeed.

Event Contact: rhelgens@astro.berkeley.edu, 510-642-5275