Searching for Axion-Like Particles with X-ray Polarimeters

Abstract

X-ray telescopes are an exceptional tool for searching for new fundamental physics. In particular, X-ray observations have already placed world-leading bounds on the interaction between photons and axion-like particles (ALPs). ALPs are hypothetical new ultra-light particles motivated by string theory models. They can also act as dark matter and dark energy, and provide a solution to the strong CP problem. In a background magnetic field, ALPs and photons may interconvert. This leads to energy dependent modulations in both the flux and polarisation of the spectra of point sources shining through large magnetic fields. The next generation of polarising X-ray telescopes will offer new detection possibilities for ALPs. Here we present techniques and projected bounds for searching for ALPs with X-ray polarimetry. We demonstrate that upcoming X-ray polarimetry missions have the potential to place world-leading bounds on ALPs.

Published in Galaxies special issue, "The Bright Future of Astronomical X-ray Polarimetry"

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Cited by in corpus (17)

• Superradiance in String Theory
• Behavior of axion-like particles in smoothed out domain-like magnetic fields
• Observability of the very-high-energy emission from GRB 221009A
• Axion-like Particles Implications for High-Energy Astrophysics
• Revisiting the analysis of axion-like particles with the Fermi-LAT gamma-ray observation of NGC1275
• ALP induced polarization effects on photons from galaxy clusters
• Photon-ALP oscillations inducing modifications to photon polarization
• Updated Bounds on Axion-Like Particles from X-ray Observations
• Probing Axions via Light Circular Polarization and Event Horizon Telescope
• Improved Constraints on Anisotropic Birefringent Lorentz Invariance and CPT Violation from Broadband Optical Polarimetry of High Redshift Galaxies
• Accelerating the search for Axion-Like Particles with machine learning
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• Revisiting the evidences for spectral anomalies in distant blazars: new data on the photon-ALP mixing
• How do Magnetic Field Models Affect Astrophysical Limits on Light Axion-like Particles? An X-ray Case Study with NGC 1275