Can New Interactions with Dark Matter Lead to Flux Change of Astrophysical Neutrinos at Icecube?

Abstract

Neutrinos can scatter off the dark matter as they travel through the cosmos and reach the Earth. These interactions can alter the neutrino spectrum at IceCube. Here, we explore the possibility of changes in the neutrino spectrum as neutrino interacts with the dark matter by considering neutrino–dark matter interaction. In this context, interactions via light Z′ mediators are particularly interesting as they can lead to dip and cut-off like features in the neutrino spectrum at IceCube. We illustrate that various models of AGN, which predict more flux than the observed at IceCube, can be resolved through this mechanism. © 2021, Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.