Timing coincidence search for supernova neutrinos with optical transient surveys

Abstract

Neutrinos allow the probing of stellar interiors during core collapse, helping to understand the different stages and processes in the collapse. To date, supernova neutrinos have only been detected from a single event, SN1987A. Most studies from then on have focused on two distance extremes; Galactic/local supernovae and all past cosmic supernovae forming the diffuse supernova neutrino background. We focus on the intermediate distance regime as a target for detecting core-collapse supernova neutrinos at next generation detectors like Hyper-Kamiokande. To quantify the significance of neutrino detections, we draw on expected discoveries by surveys of near galaxies as well as large synoptic surveys to monitor for optical counterparts of core-collapse supernovae. We find that detection prospects require approximately ten years of operation. We discuss how the ability of electromagnetic surveys to pinpoint the time of core collapse to within the timescale of hours is key for confident neutrino detections. Transient surveys like DLT40 which frequently observe nearby galaxies can help with such crucial information.