Sterile Neutrino-Enhanced Supernova Explosions

Abstract

We investigate the enhancement of lepton number, energy, and entropy transport resulting from active-sterile neutrino conversion $\nu_e\to\nu_s$ deep in the post-bounce supernova core followed by re-conversion $\nu_s\to\nu_e$ further out, near the neutrino sphere. We explicitly take account of shock wave and neutrino heating modification of the active neutrino forward scattering potential which governs sterile neutrino production. We find that the $\nu_e$ luminosity at the neutrino sphere could be increased by between $\sim 10 %$ and $\sim 100 %$ during the crucial shock re-heating epoch if the sterile neutrino has a rest mass and vacuum mixing parameters in ranges which include those required for viable sterile neutrino dark matter. We also find sterile neutrino transport-enhanced entropy deposition ahead of the shock. This `` pre-heating\rq\rq can help melt heavy nuclei and thereby reduce the nuclear photo-dissociation burden on the shock. Both neutrino luminosity enhancement and pre-heating could increase the likelihood of a successful core collapse supernova explosion.