Betelgeuse Constraints on Coupling between Axion-like Particles and Electrons

Abstract

Axion-like particles (ALPs) can be produced by thermal processes in a stellar interior, escape from the star and, if sufficiently light, be converted into photons in the external Galactic magnetic field. Such a process could produce a detectable hard X-ray excess in the direction of the star. In this scenario, a promising class of targets is the red supergiants, massive stars which are experiencing the late part of their evolution. We report on a search for ALP-induced X-ray emission from Betelgeuse, produced via the combined processes of Bremsstrahlung, Compton and Primakoff. Using a 50 ks observation of Betelgeuse by the \emph{NuSTAR} satellite telescope, we set 95\% C.L. upper limits on the ALP-electron ($g_{ae}$) and ALP-photon ($g_{a\gamma }$) couplings. For masses $m_a\le (3.5-5.5)\times 10^{-11}$ eV, we find $g_{a\gamma }\times g_{ae}<(0.4-2.8)\times 10^{-24}$ GeV${}^{-1}$ (depending on the stellar model and assuming a value of the regular Galactic magnetic field in the direction transverse to Betelgeuse of $B_T$=1.4 $\mu$G). This corresponds to $g_{ae}<(0.4-2.8)\times 10^{-12}$ for $g_{a\gamma }>1.0\times 10^{-12}$ GeV${}^{-1}$. This analysis supercedes by over an order of magnitude the limit on $g_{ae}\times g_{a\gamma }$ placed by the CAST solar axion experiment and is among the strongest constraints on these couplings.

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