来自中子星磁层中轴子暗物质转换的无线电信号。

Radio Signals from Axion Dark Matter Conversion in Neutron Star Magnetospheres.

机构信息

Department of Physics, Maryland Center for Fundamental Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.

Department of Physics, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.

出版信息

Phys Rev Lett. 2018 Dec 14;121(24):241102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.241102.

DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.241102

PMID:30608750

Abstract

We show that axion dark matter may be detectable through narrow radio lines emitted from neutron stars. Neutron star magnetospheres host both a strong magnetic field and a plasma frequency that increases towards the neutron star surface. As the axions pass through the magnetosphere, they can resonantly convert into radio photons when the plasma frequency matches the axion mass. We solve the axion-photon mixing equations, including a full treatment of the magnetized plasma, to obtain the conversion probability. We discuss possible neutron star targets and how they may probe the QCD-axion parameter space in the mass range of ∼0.2-40 μeV.

摘要

我们表明，轴子暗物质可能通过中子星发射的窄无线电波线检测到。中子星磁层既具有强磁场又具有等离子体频率，且等离子体频率随着中子星表面增加。当轴子穿过磁层时，当等离子体频率与轴子质量匹配时，它们可以共振转化为无线电光子。我们求解轴子-光子混合方程，包括对磁化等离子体的全面处理，以获得转换概率。我们讨论了可能的中子星目标，以及它们如何在约 0.2-40 μeV 的质量范围内探测 QCD-轴子参数空间。