pith. sign in

arxiv: 2508.10983 · v2 · pith:25KUPB4Tnew · submitted 2025-08-14 · ✦ hep-ph · astro-ph.CO

Shedding light on dark matter spikes through refractive neutrino masses

Federica Pompa , Manibrata Sen This is my paper

Pith reviewed 2026-05-25 07:40 UTC · model grok-4.3

classification ✦ hep-ph astro-ph.CO
keywords refractive neutrino massultralight dark matterDUNEsupernova neutrinosdark matter density spikegalactic centertime-of-flight delay
0
0 comments X

The pith

DUNE can bound refractive neutrino masses from ultralight dark matter using supernova time-of-flight delays, with limits strengthened by galactic center density spikes.

A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.

The paper examines how neutrinos that are massless in vacuum can pick up an effective refractive mass from interactions with ultralight dark matter as they travel. It calculates the resulting time-of-flight delays for neutrinos emitted by a galactic core-collapse supernova and shows that the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment can detect or constrain these delays. The projected sensitivity improves substantially when the neutrino path crosses a dark matter density spike near the Galactic Center. This method supplies a new observational handle on both the mechanism generating neutrino mass and the dark matter density profile in the inner Milky Way.

Core claim

Our analysis shows that DUNE can set competitive bounds on the refractive neutrino mass, with sensitivity significantly enhanced if neutrinos traverse a dark matter density spike near the Galactic Center. Supernova neutrino observations at DUNE provide a powerful and novel avenue to test both the nature of neutrino masses and the distribution of dark matter in the innermost regions of the Milky Way.

What carries the argument

The refractive neutrino mass: an effective mass acquired through interactions with ultralight dark matter during propagation, which produces a density-dependent time-of-flight delay.

If this is right

  • DUNE observations of supernova neutrinos can place competitive upper limits on the refractive neutrino mass parameter.
  • The presence of a dark matter density spike near the Galactic Center tightens those projected limits by a significant factor.
  • Supernova neutrino data supplies an independent probe of both neutrino mass generation and the inner-galactic dark matter distribution.

Where Pith is reading between the lines

These are editorial extensions of the paper, not claims the author makes directly.

  • Confirmation of the effect would favor ultralight dark matter models that produce refractive behavior without violating other constraints.
  • Absence of the delay would restrict the allowed range of dark matter density profiles along galactic lines of sight.
  • Repeated supernova detections could test whether density spikes vary with direction through the galactic center.

Load-bearing premise

Neutrinos interact with ultralight dark matter to acquire a refractive mass that creates a measurable time-of-flight delay while remaining consistent with existing oscillation and cosmological bounds.

What would settle it

DUNE records no detectable time-of-flight delay in neutrinos from a galactic supernova, or the extracted upper limit on the refractive mass shows no improvement when a galactic-center density spike is assumed.

Figures

Figures reproduced from arXiv: 2508.10983 by Federica Pompa, Manibrata Sen.

Figure 1
Figure 1. Figure 1: Image depicting neutrinos from a SN traveling [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p002_1.png] view at source ↗
Figure 2
Figure 2. Figure 2: Time-of-flight delay of SN neutrinos as a function [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p003_2.png] view at source ↗
Figure 3
Figure 3. Figure 3: Energy-integrated time distributions of the detected [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p005_3.png] view at source ↗
Figure 4
Figure 4. Figure 4: ∆χ 2 (mν) profiles as a function of log(mν) for DUNE generated samples, assuming massless neutrinos and a source distance, D = 10 kpc. The results are obtained by marginal￾izing toff . Dotted lines refer to mν ≡ mvac. Solid and dashed lines represent the refractive mass case, mν ≡ mdark, when the neutrino trajectory crosses or avoids the DM spike re￾gion, respectively. The horizontal dashed line indicates … view at source ↗
Figure 5
Figure 5. Figure 5: ∆χ 2 (γ) profiles as a function of γ for DUNE gener￾ated samples, assuming massless neutrinos and D = 10 kpc, obtained by marginalizing both toff and mdark. The horizon￾tal dashed line marks the 95% C.L. bound. substantially enhance the sensitivity of DUNE to mdark, improving projected bounds by up to a factor of three compared to smooth-halo expectations. In the most opti￾mistic scenarios, DUNE could prob… view at source ↗
read the original abstract

The origin of neutrino mass remains an open question in particle physics. One intriguing possibility is that neutrinos are massless in vacuum but acquire an effective refractive mass through interactions with ultralight dark matter during propagation. We investigate the capability of the upcoming Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) to probe such refractive masses using the time-of-flight delays of neutrinos from a galactic core-collapse supernova. Our analysis shows that DUNE can set competitive bounds on the refractive neutrino mass, with sensitivity significantly enhanced if neutrinos traverse a dark matter density spike near the Galactic Center. In particular, we quantify how the presence of a spike modifies the projected limits, demonstrating that supernova neutrino observations at DUNE provide a powerful and novel avenue to test both the nature of neutrino masses and the distribution of dark matter in the innermost regions of the Milky Way.

Editorial analysis

A structured set of objections, weighed in public.

Desk editor's note, referee report, simulated authors' rebuttal, and a circularity audit. Tearing a paper down is the easy half of reading it; the pith above is the substance, this is the friction.

Referee Report

2 major / 1 minor

Summary. The manuscript proposes that neutrinos, massless in vacuum, acquire an effective refractive mass through interactions with ultralight dark matter (ULDM), inducing observable time-of-flight delays in galactic supernova neutrinos at DUNE. It projects competitive bounds on this refractive mass, with sensitivity significantly enhanced when neutrinos traverse a dark matter density spike near the Galactic Center, thereby testing both neutrino mass origins and inner Milky Way DM distributions.

Significance. If the ULDM-neutrino coupling model is internally consistent and evades existing constraints while producing detectable delays, the work offers a novel astrophysical probe combining neutrino timing with DM spike phenomenology. The projection approach is standard for future experiments, but its impact hinges on explicit model viability rather than new data.

major comments (2)
  1. [§2] §2 (model definition): the refractive mass m_refr(ρ_DM) and associated dispersion relation must be derived explicitly from a Lagrangian to confirm the delay formula δt ≈ ∫ [m_refr²(E,x)/(2E²)] dx does not reduce to a parameter choice that trivially satisfies or violates oscillation bounds; without this, the claim that DUNE sensitivity is competitive remains unverified.
  2. [§4] §4 (spike enhancement): the assumed ρ_DM(r) profile for the Galactic Center spike and its line-of-sight integral must be shown to be compatible with SN1987A timing constraints and other ULDM bounds; if the spike dominates the delay by construction, the enhancement factor requires a quantitative error budget to support the 'significantly enhanced' claim.
minor comments (1)
  1. [Abstract] Abstract: the phrase 'competitive bounds' should be quantified with a specific comparison to existing limits (e.g., from cosmology or oscillations) for clarity.

Simulated Author's Rebuttal

2 responses · 0 unresolved

We thank the referee for their careful reading of the manuscript and for the constructive comments. We respond to each major comment below, indicating the revisions that will be incorporated.

read point-by-point responses

  1. Referee: [§2] §2 (model definition): the refractive mass m_refr(ρ_DM) and associated dispersion relation must be derived explicitly from a Lagrangian to confirm the delay formula δt ≈ ∫ [m_refr²(E,x)/(2E²)] dx does not reduce to a parameter choice that trivially satisfies or violates oscillation bounds; without this, the claim that DUNE sensitivity is competitive remains unverified.

    Authors: We agree that an explicit derivation from a Lagrangian is required to substantiate the model. In the revised manuscript we will add a dedicated subsection deriving m_refr(ρ_DM) from the neutrino-ULDM interaction Lagrangian, obtaining the dispersion relation and confirming that the integrated delay formula follows directly. We will also clarify that the refractive effect is energy-dependent and arises only during propagation through the DM medium, thereby remaining compatible with vacuum oscillation data that constrain constant mass-squared differences. revision: yes

  2. Referee: [§4] §4 (spike enhancement): the assumed ρ_DM(r) profile for the Galactic Center spike and its line-of-sight integral must be shown to be compatible with SN1987A timing constraints and other ULDM bounds; if the spike dominates the delay by construction, the enhancement factor requires a quantitative error budget to support the 'significantly enhanced' claim.

    Authors: The adopted spike profile follows standard parametrizations from the literature. In revision we will add an explicit comparison of the predicted delays against SN1987A timing limits, demonstrating consistency within the large statistical uncertainties of that dataset, and will reference existing ULDM bounds to show the chosen coupling remains allowed. We will also include a quantitative error budget obtained by varying the spike parameters (inner slope, normalization, and cutoff radius) over their observationally permitted ranges and reporting the resulting spread in the projected DUNE sensitivity. revision: yes

Circularity Check

0 steps flagged

Sensitivity projections for refractive neutrino mass at DUNE rely on external model assumptions without internal reduction to fitted inputs or self-citations

full rationale

The paper performs a phenomenological sensitivity study: it assumes an effective refractive neutrino mass arising from ULDM-neutrino interactions (taken as given), computes time-of-flight delays for supernova neutrinos, and projects DUNE reach with and without a DM density spike. No derivation chain reduces a claimed prediction to a fitted parameter or self-citation by construction; the refractive mass and spike profile are external inputs, and the output is a set of projected bounds rather than a closed loop. The analysis is self-contained as a forward projection against external benchmarks and contains no load-bearing self-citations or ansatz smuggling.

Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger

0 free parameters · 0 axioms · 0 invented entities

Abstract-only review yields no explicit free parameters, axioms, or invented entities; the refractive-mass mechanism itself is treated as an input model whose validity is not derived within the text.

pith-pipeline@v0.9.0 · 5662 in / 1038 out tokens · 16638 ms · 2026-05-25T07:40:20.471261+00:00 · methodology

discussion (0)

Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.

Lean theorems connected to this paper

Citations machine-checked in the Pith Canon. Every link opens the source theorem in the public Lean library.

What do these tags mean?
matches
The paper's claim is directly supported by a theorem in the formal canon.
supports
The theorem supports part of the paper's argument, but the paper may add assumptions or extra steps.
extends
The paper goes beyond the formal theorem; the theorem is a base layer rather than the whole result.
uses
The paper appears to rely on the theorem as machinery.
contradicts
The paper's claim conflicts with a theorem or certificate in the canon.
unclear
Pith found a possible connection, but the passage is too broad, indirect, or ambiguous to say the theorem truly supports the claim.

Forward citations

Cited by 1 Pith paper

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score.

  1. Formation and Redshift Evolution of Dark Matter Spikes

    astro-ph.CO 2026-05 unverdicted novelty 6.0

    Stellar gravitational heating reduces dark matter spike overdensities by 2-4 orders of magnitude and drives the inner slope to γ_χ ≈ 1.5 within a few Gyrs, remaining above NFW cusps.

Reference graph

Works this paper leans on

56 extracted references · 56 canonical work pages · cited by 1 Pith paper · 19 internal anchors

  1. [1]

    Englert and R

    F. Englert and R. Brout, Phys. Rev. Lett.13, 321 (1964)

    work page 1964

  2. [2]

    P. W. Higgs, Phys. Rev. Lett.13, 508 (1964)

    work page 1964

  3. [3]

    K.-Y. Choi, E. J. Chun, and J. Kim, Phys. Dark Univ. 30, 100606 (2020), arXiv:1909.10478 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2020

  4. [4]

    K.-Y. Choi, E. J. Chun, and J. Kim, (2020), arXiv:2012.09474 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2020

  5. [5]

    E. J. Chun, (2021), arXiv:2112.05057 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2021

  6. [6]

    L. Hui, J. P. Ostriker, S. Tremaine, and E. Witten, Phys. Rev. D95, 043541 (2017), arXiv:1610.08297 [astro- ph.CO]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2017

  7. [7]

    A. Y. Smirnov and V. B. Valera, JHEP09, 177 (2021), arXiv:2106.13829 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2021

  8. [8]

    Sen and A

    M. Sen and A. Y. Smirnov, JCAP 01, 040 (2024), arXiv:2306.15718 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2024

  9. [9]

    Sen and A

    M. Sen and A. Y. Smirnov, Phys. Rev. D111, 103048 (2025), arXiv:2407.02462 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2025

  10. [10]

    S. P. Mikheev and A. Y. Smirnov, Nuovo Cim. C9, 17 (1986)

    work page 1986

  11. [11]

    Wolfenstein, Phys

    L. Wolfenstein, Phys. Rev. D17, 2369 (1978)

    work page 1978

  12. [12]

    Neutrino Oscillations as a Probe of Light Scalar Dark Matter

    A. Berlin, Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 231801 (2016), arXiv:1608.01307 [hep-ph]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2016

  13. [13]

    Fuzzy Dark Matter and Non-Standard Neutrino Interactions

    V. Brdar, J. Kopp, J. Liu, P. Prass, and X.-P. Wang, Phys. Rev. D97, 043001 (2018), arXiv:1705.09455 [hep- ph]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2018

  14. [14]

    Neutrino Oscillations in Dark Backgrounds

    F. Capozzi, I. M. Shoemaker, and L. Vecchi, JCAP07, 004 (2018), arXiv:1804.05117 [hep-ph]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2018

  15. [15]

    A. Dev, P. A. N. Machado, and P. Martínez-Miravé, JHEP 01, 094 (2021), arXiv:2007.03590 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2021

  16. [16]

    Losada, Y

    M. Losada, Y. Nir, G. Perez, and Y. Shpilman, JHEP 04, 030 (2022), arXiv:2107.10865 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2022

  17. [17]

    Huang, M

    G.-y. Huang, M. Lindner, P. Martínez-Miravé, and M. Sen, Phys. Rev. D 106, 033004 (2022), arXiv:2205.08431 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2022

  18. [18]

    A. Dev, G. Krnjaic, P. Machado, and H. Ramani, Phys. Rev. D 107, 035006 (2023), arXiv:2205.06821 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2023

  19. [19]

    Davoudiasl and P

    H. Davoudiasl and P. B. Denton, Phys. Rev. D 108, 035013 (2023), arXiv:2301.09651 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2023

  20. [20]

    Martínez-Miravé, Y

    P. Martínez-Miravé, Y. F. Perez-Gonzalez, and M. Sen, Phys. Rev. D110, 055005 (2024), arXiv:2406.01682 [hep- ph]

    work page arXiv 2024

  21. [21]

    Goertz, M

    F. Goertz, M. Hager, G. Laverda, and J. Rubio, JHEP 02, 213 (2025), arXiv:2407.04778 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2025

  22. [22]

    Amplifying muon-to-positron conversion in nuclei with ultralight dark matter

    P. Sahu and M. Sen, (2025), arXiv:2507.07176 [hep-ph]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2025

  23. [23]

    135, 031801 (2025), arXiv:2503.08439 [hep-ph]

    A.Cheek, L.Visinelli, andH.-Y.Zhang,Phys.Rev.Lett. 135, 031801 (2025), arXiv:2503.08439 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2025

  24. [24]

    Hirata et al

    K. Hirata et al. (Kamiokande-II), Phys. Rev. Lett. 58, 1490 (1987)

    work page 1987

  25. [25]

    R. M. Biontaet al., Phys. Rev. Lett.58, 1494 (1987)

    work page 1987

  26. [26]

    E. N. Alekseev, L. N. Alekseeva, I. V. Krivosheina, and V. I. Volchenko, Phys. Lett. B205, 209 (1988)

    work page 1988

  27. [27]

    E. N. Alekseev, L. N. Alekseeva, V. I. Volchenko, and I. V. Krivosheina, JETP Lett.45, 589 (1987)

    work page 1987

  28. [28]

    Neutrino mass bound in the standard scenario for supernova electronic antineutrino emission

    G. Pagliaroli, F. Rossi-Torres, and F. Vissani, Astropart. Phys. 33, 287 (2010), arXiv:1002.3349 [hep-ph]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2010

  29. [29]

    T. J. Loredo and D. Q. Lamb, Phys. Rev. D65, 063002 (2002), arXiv:astro-ph/0107260

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2002

  30. [30]

    Pompa, F

    F. Pompa, F. Capozzi, O. Mena, and M. Sorel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 121802 (2022), arXiv:2203.00024 [hep- ph]

    work page arXiv 2022

  31. [31]

    Ge, C.-F

    S.-F. Ge, C.-F. Kong, and A. Y. Smirnov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 121802 (2024), arXiv:2404.17352 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2024

  32. [32]

    Dark matter annihilation at the galactic center

    P. Gondolo and J. Silk, Phys. Rev. Lett.83, 1719 (1999), arXiv:astro-ph/9906391

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 1999

  33. [33]

    Balaji, D

    S. Balaji, D. Sachdeva, F. Sala, and J. Silk, JCAP08, 063 (2023), arXiv:2303.12107 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2023

  34. [34]

    Tiwari, P

    A. Tiwari, P. Chanda, S. J. Kapadia, S. Adhikari, A. Vi- jaykumar, and B. Dasgupta, (2025), arXiv:2508.03803 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2025

  35. [35]

    W.-X. Feng, S. Bird, and H.-B. Yu, Astrophys. J.986, 151 (2025), arXiv:2411.05065 [astro-ph.CO]

    work page arXiv 2025

  36. [36]

    Fujiwara and G

    M. Fujiwara and G. Herrera, Phys. Lett. B851, 138573 (2024), arXiv:2312.11670 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2024

  37. [37]

    Ferrer, G

    F. Ferrer, G. Herrera, and A. Ibarra, JCAP 05, 057 (2023), arXiv:2209.06339 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2023

  38. [38]

    J. M. Cline and M. Puel, JCAP 06, 004 (2023), arXiv:2301.08756 [hep-ph]

    work page arXiv 2023

  39. [39]

    DESI DR2 Results II: Measurements of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations and Cosmological Constraints

    M. Abdul Karimet al. (DESI), (2025), arXiv:2503.14738 [astro-ph.CO]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2025

  40. [40]

    G. T. Zatsepin, Pisma Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz.8, 333 (1968). 8

    work page 1968

  41. [41]

    Exploiting the neutronization burst of a galactic supernova

    M. Kachelriess, R. Tomas, R. Buras, H. T. Janka, A. Marek, and M. Rampp, Phys. Rev. D 71, 063003 (2005), arXiv:astro-ph/0412082

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2005

  42. [42]

    Supernova Neutrinos: Production, Oscillations and Detection

    A. Mirizzi, I. Tamborra, H.-T. Janka, N. Sa- viano, K. Scholberg, R. Bollig, L. Hudepohl, and S. Chakraborty, Riv. Nuovo Cim. 39, 1 (2016), arXiv:1508.00785 [astro-ph.HE]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2016

  43. [43]

    High-resolution supernova neutrino spectra represented by a simple fit

    I. Tamborra, B. Muller, L. Hudepohl, H.-T. Janka, and G. Raffelt, Phys. Rev. D 86, 125031 (2012), arXiv:1211.3920 [astro-ph.SR]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2012

  44. [44]

    M. T. Keil, G. G. Raffelt, and H.-T. Janka, Astrophys. J. 590, 971 (2003), arXiv:astro-ph/0208035

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2003

  45. [45]

    R. F. Lang, C. McCabe, S. Reichard, M. Selvi, and I. Tamborra, Phys. Rev. D 94, 103009 (2016), arXiv:1606.09243 [astro-ph.HE]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2016

  46. [46]

    https://webhome.phy.duke.edu/~schol/snowglobes/

    work page

  47. [47]

    Neutrino Signal of Electron-Capture Supernovae from Core Collapse to Cooling

    L. Hudepohl, B. Muller, H. T. Janka, A. Marek, and G. G. Raffelt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 251101 (2010), [Erratum: Phys.Rev.Lett. 105, 249901 (2010)], arXiv:0912.0260 [astro-ph.SR]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2010

  48. [48]

    A. S. Dighe and A. Y. Smirnov, Phys. Rev. D62, 033007 (2000), arXiv:hep-ph/9907423

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2000

  49. [49]

    Acciarri et al

    R. Acciarri et al. (DUNE), (2015), arXiv:1512.06148 [physics.ins-det]

    work page arXiv 2015

  50. [50]

    Abi et al

    B. Abi et al. (DUNE), Eur. Phys. J. C81, 423 (2021), arXiv:2008.06647 [hep-ex]

    work page arXiv 2021

  51. [51]

    Aker et al

    M. Aker et al. (KATRIN), JINST 16, T08015 (2021), arXiv:2103.04755 [physics.ins-det]

    work page arXiv 2021

  52. [52]

    KATRIN Collaboration, KATRIN design report 2004 , Tech. Rep. (Forschungszentrum Jülich, 2005) 51.54.01; LK 01

    work page 2004

  53. [53]

    Abi et al

    B. Abi et al. (DUNE), JINST 15, T08010 (2020), arXiv:2002.03010 [physics.ins-det]

    work page arXiv 2020

  54. [54]

    NuFit-6.0: Updated global analysis of three-flavor neutrino oscillations

    I. Esteban, M. C. Gonzalez-Garcia, M. Maltoni, I. Martinez-Soler, J. P. Pinheiro, and T. Schwetz, JHEP 12, 216 (2024), arXiv:2410.05380 [hep-ph]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2024

  55. [55]

    P. F. de Salas, D. V. Forero, S. Gariazzo, P. Martínez- Miravé, O. Mena, C. A. Ternes, M. Tórtola, and J. W. F. Valle, JHEP02, 071 (2021), arXiv:2006.11237 [hep-ph]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2021

  56. [56]

    Current unknowns in the three neutrino framework

    F. Capozzi, E. Lisi, A. Marrone, and A. Palazzo, Prog. Part. Nucl. Phys.102, 48 (2018), arXiv:1804.09678 [hep- ph]

    work page internal anchor Pith review Pith/arXiv arXiv 2018