paper

Constraining resonant photon-axion conversions in the Early Universe

arXiv:0905.4865 · doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2009/08/001

Abstract

The presence of a primordial magnetic field would have induced resonant conversions between photons and axion-like particles (ALPs) during the thermal history of the Universe. These conversions would have distorted the blackbody spectrum of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). In this context, we derive bounds on the photon-ALP resonant conversions using the high precision CMB spectral data collected by the FIRAS instrument on board of the Cosmic Background Explorer. We obtain upper limits on the product of the photon-ALP coupling constant g times the magnetic field strength B down to g B > 10^{-13} GeV^{-1} nG for ALP masses below the eV scale.

Revised version (19 pages, 3 eps figures). Matches the one published on JCAP. Discussion enlarged in the conclusions

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