Dark Matter and Pulsar Kicks from a Singlet Neutrino

Abstract

A singlet neutrino with mass in the 2-20 keV range is a viable candidate for dark matter. If such a particle exists, it would be emitted from a supernova with an appreciable anisotropy due neutrino oscillations in a medium polarized by a strong magnetic field. An asymmetric emission of singlet neutrinos could explain the observed velocities of pulsars. Future X-ray telescopes may be able to detect a 1–10 keV photon line from the decays of the relic sterile neutrinos. In addition, one may be able to detect gravity waves from a pulsar being accelerated by neutrinos in the event of a nearby supernova.