Searching for high-energy neutrinos from the most luminous supernovae with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory

Abstract

The sources of the astrophysical neutrino flux discovered by IceCube remain for the most part unresolved. Extragalactic core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) have been suggested as potentially able to produce high-energy neutrinos. In recent years, the Zwicky Transient Facility has discovered a population of exceptionally luminous supernovae, whose powering mechanisms have not yet been fully established. A fraction of these objects fall in the broader category of type IIn CCSNe, showing signs of interaction with a dense circumstellar medium. Theoretical models connect the supernova photometric properties to the dynamics of a shock-powered emission, predicting particle acceleration. In this contribution, we outline the plan for a search of high-energy neutrinos targeting the population of superluminous and type IIn supernovae with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory.