Uncertainties in Limits on TeV-Gravity from Neutrino-Induced Showers

Abstract

In models with TeV-scale gravity, ultrahigh energy cosmic rays can generate microscopic black holes in the collision with atmospheric and terrestrial nuclei. It has been proposed that stringent bounds on TeV-scale gravity can be obtained from the absence of neutrino cosmic ray showers mediated by black holes. However, uncertainties in the cross section of black hole formation and, most importantly, large uncertainties in the neutrino flux affects these bounds. As long as the cosmic neutrino flux remains unknown, the non-observation of neutrino induced showers implies less stringent limits than present collider limits.

Department(s)

Physics

Sponsor(s)

National Science Foundation (U.S.)
United States. Department of Energy
Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics

Comments

This work was supported in part by the NSF through grant AST-0071235 and DOE grant DE-FG0291-ER40606 at the University of Chicago and at the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics by grant NSF PHY-0114422. KICP is a NSF Physics Frontier Center.

Keywords and Phrases

Approximation theory; Cosmic rays; Gravitational effects; High energy physics; Mathematical models; Microscopic examination; Particle beam dynamics; Quantum theory; Collider limits; Microscopic black holes; Neutrino; Neutrino flux; Neutrino induced showers; Nuclei; Ultra high energy cosmic rays; Astrophysics

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0927-6505

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2005 Elsevier, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2005

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