Neutrino–Beam–Plasma Interactions

Abstract

We examine the anomalous energy transfer from neutrinos to the background dense plasma via the excitation of electron plasma waves. Relativistic equations including external magnetic fields are presented. Solutions of the dispersion relation describing the nonlinear coupling between a neutrino beam and plasma waves demonstrate the existence of two regimes: (a) the kinetic regime and (b) the hydrodynamical regime. We demonstrate that the hydrodynamical regime has a growth rate many orders of magnitude larger than the kinetic regime. A nonlinear equation describing the coupling of plasma waves is derived from the relativistic kinetic equations where the neutrino pondero-motive force is explicitly written. We show the similarity between a neutrino beam driven plasma wave and an electron beam driven plasma wave, there is also a striking similarity to photon driven plasma wakes.