Model Dependence of Astrophysical Lower Bounds on the Neutrino Mass

1989
4 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.Lett. 63 (1989) 1038-1041

Citations per year

19891995200120072013160
Abstract: (APS)
Astrophysical lower bounds on the neutrino mass require assumptions about the phase-space distribution in dark-matter halos. Even with perfect spherical symmetry, a collisionless dark-matter halo can have an anisotropic phase-space distribution from angular momentum conservation. An example gives much less restrictive condition on the neutrino mass, showing that bounds such as that of Tremaine and Gunn are model dependent. I conclude that current mass bounds on neutrinos derived from dwarf galaxy rotation curves are overly restrictive, so that neutrinos in the mass range of 10–100 eV remain a viable candidate for galactic dark matter.
  • NEUTRINO: MASS
  • MASS: NEUTRINO
  • LOWER LIMIT
  • dark matter
  • NEUTRINO: RADIATIVE DECAY
  • RADIATIVE DECAY: NEUTRINO
  • COSMIC RADIATION: PARTICLE SOURCE
  • THERMODYNAMICS: PHASE SPACE
  • NUMERICAL CALCULATIONS