Flavor-changing neutrinos could quiet or derail supernova explosions
New modeling shows that neutrino flavor oscillations inside core-collapse supernovae can redistribute energy into non-electron neutrinos, weakening the heating behind the stalled shock and increasing the likelihood of failed explosions, which could help explain discrepancies in observed supernova rates. The result hinges on simplified assumptions and sensitive details like shock density, but points to flavor changes as a potentially important factor in determining a star’s fate.