Radiative neutrino decay and the unusual X-ray flux from Sn 1987A

Abstract

Abstract The radiative neutrino decay in the mass and a lifetime range, m v =10–100 keV and τ v =10 3 –10 5 s, is often argued to be forbid by γ-ray data from past supernovas. We demonstrate that this argument is not always correct, and accordingly attempt to explain via radiative neutrino decay the unusual soft component of the X-ray spectrum from SN 1987A, observed by the satellite Ginga. Our fit to the data suggests that τ v =(1–3)×10 4 s ·( m v /50 keV ).