Abstract
Core-collapse supernovae may depend sensitively on charged-current neutrino interactions in warm, low-density, neutron-rich matter. A proton in neutron-rich matter is more tightly bound than is a neutron. This energy shift increases the electron energy in , increasing the available phase space and absorption cross section. Likewise decreases the positron energy in , decreasing the phase space and cross section. We have calculated using a model-independent virial expansion and we find that is much larger, at low densities, than the predictions of many mean-field models. Therefore could have a significant impact on charged-current neutrino interactions in supernovae. Preliminary simulations of the accretion phase of core-collapse supernovae find that increases energies and decreases the luminosity.
- Received 14 September 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevC.86.065806
©2012 American Physical Society