Multiple-Mediator-Affected Ultra-High-Energy Neutrino Attenuation: Hints for 5D ${U(1)}_{L_μ- L_τ}$ in IceCube

Abstract

Recent IceCube observations point to the ultra-high energy neutrino flux exhibiting a very soft spectral nature beyond tens of TeV, which is unexpected from the standard cosmic-ray neutrino connection. As a potential explanation for this behaviour, we investigate neutrino self-interactions in an extra-dimensional $ {U(1)}_{L_μ-L_τ} $ gauge theory, where symmetry breaking leads to a tower of Kaluza-Klein gauge bosons in compactified four dimensions. These multiple gauge bosons may enhance the attenuation of astrophysical neutrinos as they propagate in the C$ν$B medium. Unlike single-mediator scenarios, for example, which arise from broken $ {U(1)}_{L_μ- L_τ} $ gauge symmetries in four dimensions, the presence of a Kaluza-Klein tower of mediators produces multiple closely spaced resonances whose interference gives rise to a rich energy-dependent behaviour of the scattering cross-section over a vast range of incident neutrino energies. Alongside $s$-channel resonances, off-resonant $t$- and $u$-channel contributions also become important. We explore the possibility that repeated resonant scattering between astrophysical neutrinos and those in the C$ν$B, mediated by these new multiple gauge bosons may increasingly attenuate the former at higher energies, thereby addressing the possibility of softening its spectral nature within the consideration of a single power law.