Constraining electron number density in the Sun via Earth-based neutrino flavor data

Constraining electron number density in the Sun via Earth-based neutrino flavor data
Caroline Laber-Smith, Eve Armstrong, A. Baha Balantekin, Elizabeth K. Jones, Lily Newkirk, Amol V. Patwardhan, Sarah Ranginwala, M. Margarette Sanchez, Hansen Torres
arXiv:2404.06468v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Neutrino flavor transformation offers a window into the physics of various astrophysical environments, including our Sun and the more exotic environs of core-collapse supernovae and binary neutron-star mergers. Here, we apply an inference framework – specifically: statistical data assimilation (SDA) – to neutrino flavor evolution in the Sun. We take a model for solar neutrino flavor evolution, together with Earth-based neutrino measurements, to infer solar properties. Specifically, we ask what signature of the radially-varying solar electron number density $n_e(r)$ is contained within these Earth-based measurements. Currently, the best estimates of $n_e(r)$ come from the standard solar model. We seek to ascertain, through novel application of the SDA method, whether estimates of the same from neutrino data can serve as independent constraints.arXiv:2404.06468v1 Announce Type: new
Abstract: Neutrino flavor transformation offers a window into the physics of various astrophysical environments, including our Sun and the more exotic environs of core-collapse supernovae and binary neutron-star mergers. Here, we apply an inference framework – specifically: statistical data assimilation (SDA) – to neutrino flavor evolution in the Sun. We take a model for solar neutrino flavor evolution, together with Earth-based neutrino measurements, to infer solar properties. Specifically, we ask what signature of the radially-varying solar electron number density $n_e(r)$ is contained within these Earth-based measurements. Currently, the best estimates of $n_e(r)$ come from the standard solar model. We seek to ascertain, through novel application of the SDA method, whether estimates of the same from neutrino data can serve as independent constraints.