Supernova neutrinos: collective oscillations and heavy element synthesis

The study of neutrinos and their role in the energy transport and nucleosynthesis has become a cornerstone in understanding core-collapse supernovae and the chemical evolution of the universe. The intricate dynamics of neutrino flavor oscillations during a supernova explosion, in particular 'collective' oscillations induced by neutrino-neutrino interactions, could have a profound impact on these phenomena. In particular, these oscillations provide a unique probe of both neutrino physics and of the supernova environment itself. We discuss some recent advancements in the theoretical modeling of neutrino oscillations, as well as their connection to the observed element abundances in the universe. This talk also highlights the synergies between observational supernova neutrino detection and our growing understanding of nucleosynthesis, with implications for both fundamental physics and astrophysics.