New Supernova Limit on Large Extra Dimensions

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If large extra dimensions exist in nature, supernova (SN) cores will emit large fluxes of Kaluza-Klein gravitons, producing a cosmic background of these particles with energies and masses up to about 100 MeV. Radiative decays then give rise to a diffuse cosmic gamma-ray background with Egamma < 100 MeV which is well in excess of the observations if more than 0.5-1% of the SN energy is emitted into the new channel. This argument complements and tightens the well-known cooling limit from the observed duration of the SN1987A neutrino burst. For two extra dimensions we derive a conservative bound on their radius of R < 0.9 x 10-4 mm, for three extra dimensions it is R < 1.9 x 10-7 mm.