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Constraints on Axionlike Particles from a Hard X-Ray Observation of Betelgeuse
Mengjiao Xiao1, Kerstin M Perez1, Maurizio Giannotti2
1Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|February 5, 2021
Summary
This study searched for axionlike particles (ALPs) using hard X-ray observations of Betelgeuse. No excess events were detected, leading to new limits on the coupling between ALPs and photons.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Particle Physics
Background:
- Betelgeuse is not a typical source of hard X-rays.
- Axionlike particles (ALPs) produced in stellar cores could convert to photons in magnetic fields.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a novel search for axionlike particles (ALPs) using hard X-ray observations of Betelgeuse.
- To constrain the properties of ALPs, specifically their mass and photon coupling.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a 50 ks observation of Betelgeuse by the NuSTAR satellite telescope.
- Analyzed hard X-ray data (E_{γ}>10 keV) for an excess of events above the expected background.
- Modeled the Galactic magnetic field in the direction of Betelgeuse.
Main Results:
- No significant excess of events attributable to ALPs was found.
- Established a 95% confidence level upper limit on the ALP-photon coupling constant (g_{aγ}).
Conclusions:
- The study sets new upper limits on the ALP-photon coupling for specific ALP mass ranges.
- These results constrain theoretical models involving axionlike particles and their interactions.
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