Kavli Affiliate: Pau Amaro Seoane
| First 5 Authors: Robert Stein, Simeon Reusch, Anna Franckowiak, Marek Kowalski, Jannis Necker
| Summary:
The Zwicky Transient Transient Facility (ZTF) performs a systematic neutrino
follow-up program, searching for optical counterparts to high-energy neutrinos
with dedicated Target-of-Opportunity (ToO) observations. Since first light in
March 2018, ZTF has taken prompt observations for 24 high-quality neutrino
alerts from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, with a median latency of 12.2
hours from initial neutrino detection. From two of these campaigns, we have
already reported tidal disruption event (TDE) AT2019dsg and likely TDE
AT2019fdr as probable counterparts, suggesting that TDEs contribute >7.8% of
the astrophysical neutrino flux. We here present the full results of our
program through to December 2021. No additional candidate neutrino sources were
identified by our program, allowing us to place the first constraints on the
underlying optical luminosity function of astrophysical neutrino sources.
Transients with optical absolutes magnitudes brighter that -21 can contribute
no more than 87% of the total, while transients brighter than -22 can
contribute no more than 58% of the total, neglecting the effect of extinction.
These are the the first observational constraints on the neutrino emission of
bright populations such as superluminous supernovae. None of the neutrinos were
coincident with bright optical AGN flares comparable to that observed for TXS
0506+056/IC170922A, suggesting that most astrophysical neutrinos are not
produced during such optical flares. We highlight the outlook for
electromagnetic neutrino follow-up programs, including the expected potential
for the Rubin Observatory.
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