Cosmological Neutron Stars Produce Diffuse Axion X-Ray Signatures
Fuente:
arXiv
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1866914206378360832 |
|---|---|
| author | Ning, Orion Raman, Kailash Safdi, Benjamin R. |
| author_facet | Ning, Orion Raman, Kailash Safdi, Benjamin R. |
| contents | Axion-like particles can be abundantly produced through scattering processes in the cores of neutron stars (NSs). If they are ultralight ($m_a \lesssim 10^{-4}$ eV), then they can efficiently convert to detectable photons in the external NS magnetospheres, and if they are heavy ($m_a \gtrsim 1$ eV), then they can decay into photons before reaching Earth. In this work, we search for the resulting X-ray signatures from both of these channels summing over the $\textit{cosmological}$ NS population. We compare the predicted axion-induced X-ray signal to the cosmic X-ray background today as measured by a number of instruments such as NuSTAR, HEAO, Swift, and INTEGRAL. We model the axion-induced signal using NS cooling simulations and magnetic field evolution models. We find no evidence for axions and derive strong constraints for both ultralight and heavy axion scenarios, covering new parameter space for the axion-photon and axion-nucleon couplings. Our results rule out the axion-explanation of the Magnificent Seven X-ray excess from nearby isolated NSs. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_15849 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Cosmological Neutron Stars Produce Diffuse Axion X-Ray Signatures Ning, Orion Raman, Kailash Safdi, Benjamin R. High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena Axion-like particles can be abundantly produced through scattering processes in the cores of neutron stars (NSs). If they are ultralight ($m_a \lesssim 10^{-4}$ eV), then they can efficiently convert to detectable photons in the external NS magnetospheres, and if they are heavy ($m_a \gtrsim 1$ eV), then they can decay into photons before reaching Earth. In this work, we search for the resulting X-ray signatures from both of these channels summing over the $\textit{cosmological}$ NS population. We compare the predicted axion-induced X-ray signal to the cosmic X-ray background today as measured by a number of instruments such as NuSTAR, HEAO, Swift, and INTEGRAL. We model the axion-induced signal using NS cooling simulations and magnetic field evolution models. We find no evidence for axions and derive strong constraints for both ultralight and heavy axion scenarios, covering new parameter space for the axion-photon and axion-nucleon couplings. Our results rule out the axion-explanation of the Magnificent Seven X-ray excess from nearby isolated NSs. |
| title | Cosmological Neutron Stars Produce Diffuse Axion X-Ray Signatures |
| topic | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.15849 |