来自参宿四硬X射线观测对类轴子粒子的限制。

Constraints on Axionlike Particles from a Hard X-Ray Observation of Betelgeuse.

作者信息

Xiao Mengjiao, Perez Kerstin M, Giannotti Maurizio, Straniero Oscar, Mirizzi Alessandro, Grefenstette Brian W, Roach Brandon M, Nynka Melania

机构信息

Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.

Physical Sciences, Barry University, 11300 NE 2nd Ave., Miami Shores, Florida 33161, USA.

出版信息

Phys Rev Lett. 2021 Jan 22;126(3):031101. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.031101.

DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.126.031101

PMID:33543977

Abstract

We use the first observation of Betelgeuse in hard x rays to perform a novel search for axionlike particles (ALPs). Betelgeuse is not expected to be a standard source of x rays, but light ALPs produced in the stellar core could be converted back into photons in the Galactic magnetic field, producing a detectable flux that peaks in the hard x-ray band (E_{γ}>10 keV). Using a 50 ks observation of Betelgeuse by the NuSTAR satellite telescope, we find no significant excess of events above the expected background. Using models of the regular Galactic magnetic field in the direction of Betelgeuse, we set a 95% C.L. upper limit on the ALP-photon coupling of g_{aγ}<(0.5-1.8)×10^{-11} GeV^{-1} (depending on magnetic field model) for ALP masses m_{a}<(5.5-3.5)×10^{-11} eV.

摘要

我们利用对参宿四的首次硬X射线观测来开展一项对类轴子粒子（ALP）的全新搜寻。参宿四预计并非标准的X射线源，但恒星核心产生的轻ALP可在银河磁场中转换回光子，产生在硬X射线波段（Eγ>10 keV）达到峰值的可探测通量。利用核星（NuSTAR）卫星望远镜对参宿四进行的50千秒观测，我们发现事件数量并未显著超过预期背景。通过参宿四方向上常规银河磁场的模型，对于质量ma<(5.5 - 3.5)×10−11 eV的ALP，我们设定了g aγ<(0.5 - 1.8)×10−11 GeV−1（取决于磁场模型）的95%置信水平上限。