Effects of CPT and Lorentz Invariance Violation on Pulsar Kicks

The breakdown of Lorentz and CPT invariance, as described by the extension of the standard model, gives rise to a modification of the dispersion relation of particles. Consequences of such a modification are reviewed in the framework of pulsar kicks induced by neutrino oscillations (active-sterile conversion). A peculiar feature of the modified energy-momentum relations is the occurrence of terms of the form delta Pi, (p) over cap, where delta Pi accounts for the difference of spatial components of flavor depending coefficients which lead to the departure of the Lorentz symmetry, and (p) over cap = p/p, being p the neutrino momentum. Owing to the relative orientation of p with respect to delta Pi, the coupling delta Pi.(p) over cap may induce the mechanism to generate the observed pulsar velocities. Topics related to the velocity distribution of pulsars; are also discussed.