Impact of sterile neutrino dark matter on core-collapse supernovae

Abstract

We summarize the impact of sterile neutrino dark matter on core-collapse supernova explosions. We explore various oscillations between electron neutrinos or mixed [Formula: see text] neutrinos and right-handed sterile neutrinos that may occur within a core-collapse supernova. In particular, we consider sterile neutrino masses and mixing angles that are consistent with sterile neutrino dark matter candidates as indicated by recent X-ray flux measurements. We find that the interpretation of the observed 3.5 keV X-ray excess as due to a decaying 7 keV sterile neutrino that comprises 100% of the dark matter would have almost no observable effect on supernova explosions. However, in the more realistic case in which the decaying sterile neutrino comprises only a small fraction of the total dark matter density due to the presence of other sterile neutrino flavors, WIMPs, etc. a larger mixing angle is allowed. In this case a 7 keV sterile neutrino could have a significant impact on core-collapse supernovae. We also consider mixing between [Formula: see text] neutrinos and sterile neutrinos. We find, however, that this mixing does not significantly alter the explosion and has no observable effect on the neutrino luminosities at early times.