Neutrino Flux Bounds and Prospects for High Energy and Ultrahigh Energy Neutrino Source Detection

Abstract

After briefly reviewing various hadronic neutrino source models, we show how to construct generic upper flux bounds. We then turn to the problem of neutrino propagation through the inner Earth and neutrino detection in water-based Cerenkov detectors. Applying the formalism thus developed to the Mannheim-Protheroe-Rachen and the Waxman&Bahcall flux bounds, we find that event rates of several hundred to thousand events per year might be possible in next-generation neutrino telescopes. However, a tomography of the inner Earth will face severe constraints due to the statistical error of the event rates to be expected.