Probing long-range $L_e-L_μ$ forces with supernova neutronization burst neutrinos

Abstract

Ultralight gauge bosons associated with flavour-dependent leptonic symmetries generate long-range potentials that can modify neutrino flavour evolution over astrophysical distances. We investigate the sensitivity of neutronization-burst neutrinos from core-collapse supernovae for such interactions in the anomaly-free $U(1)'_{L_e-L_μ}$ framework. Incorporating the long-range potential into supernova neutrino oscillations, we simulate the corresponding signal in the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) using a realistic detector response of its 40 kt Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber. We show that in the range where the long-range potential dominates over or is comparable to the vacuum oscillation term, the electron-neutrino survival probability can be significantly modified. This would produce observable distortions in the time and energy distributions of the neutronization burst neutrino spectra. Our results demonstrate that future observations of galactic supernova neutrinos, particularly from a nearby event such as Betelgeuse, can provide a sensitive and complementary probe of flavour-dependent long-range leptonic interactions.