In the framework of quantum field theory, a graviton interacts locally with aquantum state having definite mass, i.e. the gravitational mass eigenstate,while a weak boson interacts with a state having definite flavor, i.e. theflavor eigenstate. An interaction of a neutrino with an energetic graviton maytrigger the collapse of the neutrino to a definite mass eigenstate withprobability expressed in terms of PMNS mixing matrix elements. Thus, gravitonswould induce quantum decoherence of a coherent neutrino flavor state similarlyto how weak bosons induce quantum decoherence of a neutrino in a definite massstate. We demonstrate that such an essentially quantum gravity effect may havestrong consequences for neutrino oscillation phenomena in astrophysics due torelatively large scattering cross sections of relativistic neutrinos undergoinglarge-angle radiation of energetic gravitons in gravitational field of aclassical massive source (i.e. the quasi-classical case of gravitationalBethe-Heitler scattering). This graviton-induced {\it decoherence} is comparedto {\it decoherence} due to propagation in the presence of the Earth mattereffect. Based on this study, we propose a new technique for the indirectdetection of energetic gravitons by measuring the flavor composition ofastrophysical neutrinos.
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机译：在量子场论的框架中，引力子与具有确定质量的量子态（即引力质量本征态）局部相互作用，而弱玻色子与具有确定质量的状态（即风味本征态）相互作用。中微子与高能引力子的相互作用可能会触发中微子的坍塌，直至具有一定的质量本征态，概率以PMNS混合矩阵元素表示。因此，引力子将引起相干中微子风味态的量子去相干，类似于弱玻色子如何在确定的质量态中引起中微子的量子去相干。我们证明，由于相对论中微子的相对较大的散射截面在非常规质量源的引力场中经受高能引力子的大角度辐射，因此这种本质上的量子引力效应可能对天体物理学中的中微子振荡现象产生重大影响。 -海特勒散射）。由于在地球物质效应存在下的传播，这种引力子引起的{\ it decoherence}与{\ it decoherence}相比较。在这项研究的基础上，我们提出了一种通过测量天体中微子的风味成分间接检测高能引力子的新技术。
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