Ultraviolet radiation and neutrinos: two messengers from CCSNe in the CSM scenario

TL;DR

This work investigates ultraviolet (UV) emission and high-energy neutrinos as complementary messengers from core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) surrounded by dense circumstellar media (CSM). It employs an analytic shock-breakout model for SN-CSM interaction, with luminosity $L(t)$ depending on shell mass $M$, radius $R$, and timescales $t_{ m dyn}$, $t_0$, $t_a$, and $\beta$, to predict UV signatures detectable by ULTRASAT and compare with ZTF. The study also estimates high-energy neutrino production from proton acceleration during the SN shock breakout, computing detection horizons for IceCube and KM3NeT and the potential for ULTRASAT-triggered multi-messenger alerts. The findings suggest strong prospects for joint UV and neutrino observations of FBOT-like, CSM-embedded SNe, informing alert protocols and guiding near-future multi-messenger campaigns. These results highlight the practical impact of UV surveys in enabling timely neutrino searches and advancing our understanding of the role of dense CSM in shaping early CCSN signals.

Abstract

Massive stars (>8 $M_{\odot}$) often undergo intense mass loss through winds or eruptive events in the final stages of their evolution, leading to the formation of a dense circumstellar medium (CSM). This material, expelled months to years before core collapse, shapes the pre-explosion environment and influences the early supernova (SN) emission. In particular, the interaction of the SN ejecta with the dense CSM can power an extended emission into the UV/optical bands, as seen in a growing fraction of type II SN. Recent events such as SN 2023ixf and SN 2024ggi confirm the relevance of dense environments and highlight the value of UV observations. Moreover, Fast Blue Optical Transients (FBOTs) may represent extreme cases of this interaction, possibly linked to more compact/massive CSM. In this work, we model the SN-CSM shock interaction in order to (i) estimate the maximum detection horizons and expected rates for future UV missions like ULTRASAT, and (ii) to estimate the intensity and expected rate of potential neutrino signals detectable by IceCube and KM3NeT. We then discuss the prospects for multi-messenger observations of such events in the near future.

Figures (7)

• Figure 1: Bolometric luminosity of SNinteracting with circumstellar shells, computed for CSM masses ranging from $10^{-3}\,M_\odot$ to $0.4\,M_\odot$ and inner shell radii between $10^{13}$ cm and $10^{15}$ cm.
• Figure 2: UV-band luminosity of sources with CSM masses from $10^{-3}\,M_\odot$ to $0.4\,M_\odot$ and inner shell radii between $10^{13}$ cm and $10^{15}$ cm, including the effects of Galactic extinction.
• Figure 4: Maximum redshift detectable by ULTRASAT as a function of the inner CSM shell radius ($R$) and CSM mass ($M$). The color scale (z-axis) indicates the corresponding redshift. The radius ranges from $10^{13}$ to $10^{15}$ cm, while the CSM mass varies between $10^{-3}$ and $0.4\,M_{\odot}$. Absorption effects have been included in the calculation.
• Figure 5: Maximum redshift detectable by ZTF as a function of the inner CSM shell radius ($R$) and CSM mass ($M$). The color scale (z-axis) indicates the corresponding redshift. The radius ranges from $10^{13}$ to $10^{15}$ cm, while the CSM mass spans from $10^{-3}\,M_{\odot}$ to $0.4\,M_{\odot}$. Absorption effects have been included in the calculation.
• Figure 6: Maximum redshift detectable by IceCube as a function of the inner CSM shell radius ($R$) and CSM mass ($M$). The color scale (z-axis) indicates the corresponding redshift. The radius ranges from $10^{13}$ to $10^{15}$ cm, while the CSM mass varies between $10^{-3}\,M_{\odot}$ to $0.4\,M_{\odot}$.