Cosmic Overture Echoed in a Stellar Final Act: Implications of Nanohertz Gravitational Waves for Core Collapse Supernova Neutrinos

Abstract

The growing evidence for nanohertz gravitational waves, from NANOGrav and other observations, may be pointing to a cosmological first-order phase transition at temperatures of $\mathcal{O}(10-100)\mathrm{MeV}$. Such an interpretation requires beyond the Standard Model dynamics in this energy range. If so, it may well be the case that galactic core-collapse supernova explosions would produce the key components related to the first-order phase transition, leaving detectable imprints on the spectrum of neutrinos emitted in the initial few seconds of the collapse. This might provide further evidence in support of the early universe interpretation of the nanohertz gravitational wave signal. The scenario proposed here is also suggestive of a low-mass seesaw mechanism to explain neutrino masses. We outline the prospects for future observations of Galactic supernovae to uncover the signals of this scenario, with further confirmation from future pulsar timing array measurements of primordial nanohertz gravitational waves.

10 pages, 2 figures. Matches the version accepted in PLB

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