Physics & Astronomy ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 4-20-2020

Abstract

Hot and dense astrophysical environments such as the early universe, core collapse novae and binary neutron star mergers generate dense neutrino gases which can sub- sequently have an important effect on processes which occur in these environments. In this thesis we will present the results from several numerical simulations of these gases particularly in cases which are relevant to core collapse supernovae. These simulations employ fewer imposed spatial symmetries than those used in earlier works, and provide insight into behavior which may be expected to occur in three key regions of the explosion. We observe that when the neutrino gas develops fine scale spatial structure an equilibration of the flavor content also obtains on average. We also observe that when flavor conversion develops in regions of low neutrino number density, the gas does not display the development of fine scale spatial structure, and instead a spectral split is obtained similarly to more symmetric simulations. Finally, at high number densities, the gas forms dynamic flavor oscillation waves which can redistribute and transport the electron lepton number content of the gas.

Degree Name

Physics

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Physics & Astronomy

First Committee Member (Chair)

Huaiyu Duan

Second Committee Member

Rouzbeh Allahverdi

Third Committee Member

Dinesh Loomba

Fourth Committee Member

Yong-Zhong Qian

Language

English

Keywords

neutrino oscillations, supernovae, neutron stars, nucleosynthesis, neutrino astronomy

Document Type

Dissertation

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