Kavli Affiliate: Melania Nynka
| First 5 Authors: Mengjiao Xiao, Kerstin M. Perez, Maurizio Giannotti, Oscar Straniero, Alessandro Mirizzi
| Summary:
We use the first observation of Betelgeuse in hard $X$-rays to perform a
novel search for axion-like particles (ALPs). Betelgeuse is not expected to be
a standard source of $X$-rays, but light ALPs produced in the stellar core
could be converted back into photons in the Galactic magnetic field, producing
a detectable flux that peaks in the hard $X$-ray band
($E_gamma>10mathrm{,keV}$). Using a 50 ks observation of Betelgeuse by the
$NuSTAR$ satellite telescope, we find no significant excess of events above the
expected background. Using models of the regular Galactic magnetic field in the
direction of Betelgeuse, we set a 95% C.L. upper limit on the ALP-photon
coupling of ${g_{agamma}<(0.5-1.8)times10^{-11}}$ GeV$^{-1}$ (depending on
magnetic field model) for ALP masses ${m_{a}<(5.5-3.5) times10^{-11}}$ eV.
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