Probing ALP-Photon Mixing with High-Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866908471177248768 |
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| author | Zhou, Yu Liu, Jiejia Takhistov, Volodymyr Mitsuda, Kazuhisa |
| author_facet | Zhou, Yu Liu, Jiejia Takhistov, Volodymyr Mitsuda, Kazuhisa |
| contents | Axion-like particles (ALPs) provide a compelling avenue for exploring physics beyond the Standard Model. In astrophysical magnetized plasmas an ALP-photon coupling $g_{aγ}$ induces energy-dependent oscillations in the photon survival probability that imprint modulations on emission spectra. X-ray observations of bright spectrally-smooth sources can provide particularly sensitive probes of ultralight ALPs with masses $m_a \lesssim 10^{-11}$ eV due to long propagation distances, strong magnetic fields and high photon statistics. We present a comprehensive forecast of ALP-photon conversion in three representative systems: (i) background active galactic nuclei (AGNs) observed through foreground intracluster magnetic fields, (ii) central AGNs within their host cluster halos and (iii) Galactic X-ray binaries viewed through the Milky Way field. Using detailed simulations we assess the prospective sensitivity of high-resolution X-ray missions including XRISM, Athena, and Arcus. For typical magnetic field configurations a 5 Ms XRISM observation of the Perseus Cluster AGN NGC 1275 can reach down to $g_{aγ} \sim 3 \times 10^{-13}$ GeV$^{-1}$ at $m_a \lesssim 10^{-12}$ eV, while Athena's superior energy resolution improves this reach by a factor of $\sim 3$. We quantify the impact of magnetic field modeling, photon statistics, and spectral binning strategies. Our results demonstrate the scientific potential of high-resolution X-ray observations to probe photon-ALP coupling in previously inaccessible parameter space, offering a powerful window into physics beyond the Standard Model. |
| format | Preprint |
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arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_22006 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Probing ALP-Photon Mixing with High-Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy Zhou, Yu Liu, Jiejia Takhistov, Volodymyr Mitsuda, Kazuhisa High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Axion-like particles (ALPs) provide a compelling avenue for exploring physics beyond the Standard Model. In astrophysical magnetized plasmas an ALP-photon coupling $g_{aγ}$ induces energy-dependent oscillations in the photon survival probability that imprint modulations on emission spectra. X-ray observations of bright spectrally-smooth sources can provide particularly sensitive probes of ultralight ALPs with masses $m_a \lesssim 10^{-11}$ eV due to long propagation distances, strong magnetic fields and high photon statistics. We present a comprehensive forecast of ALP-photon conversion in three representative systems: (i) background active galactic nuclei (AGNs) observed through foreground intracluster magnetic fields, (ii) central AGNs within their host cluster halos and (iii) Galactic X-ray binaries viewed through the Milky Way field. Using detailed simulations we assess the prospective sensitivity of high-resolution X-ray missions including XRISM, Athena, and Arcus. For typical magnetic field configurations a 5 Ms XRISM observation of the Perseus Cluster AGN NGC 1275 can reach down to $g_{aγ} \sim 3 \times 10^{-13}$ GeV$^{-1}$ at $m_a \lesssim 10^{-12}$ eV, while Athena's superior energy resolution improves this reach by a factor of $\sim 3$. We quantify the impact of magnetic field modeling, photon statistics, and spectral binning strategies. Our results demonstrate the scientific potential of high-resolution X-ray observations to probe photon-ALP coupling in previously inaccessible parameter space, offering a powerful window into physics beyond the Standard Model. |
| title | Probing ALP-Photon Mixing with High-Resolution X-ray Spectroscopy |
| topic | High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics High Energy Physics - Phenomenology |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.22006 |