{
  "id": "2204.03121",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2022-04-06T22:54:57.000Z",
  "updated": "2022-04-06T22:54:57.000Z",
  "title": "Betelgeuse Constraints on Coupling between Axion-like Particles and Electrons",
  "authors": [
    "Mengjiao Xiao",
    "Pierluca Carenza",
    "Maurizio Giannotti",
    "Alessandro Mirizzi",
    "Kerstin M. Perez",
    "Oscar Straniero",
    "Brian W. Grefenstette"
  ],
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.HE"
  ],
  "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 ${m_{a}\\leq(3.5-5.5)\\times10^{-11}}$ eV, we find $g_{a\\gamma} \\times g_{ae}< (0.4-2.8)\\times10^{-24}$ 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 ${g_{ae}<(0.4-2.8) \\times10^{-12}}$ for ${g_{a\\gamma}>1.0\\times10^{-12}}$ 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.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2022-04-06T22:54:57.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "axion-like particles",
      "betelgeuse constraints",
      "external galactic magnetic field",
      "cast solar axion experiment",
      "regular galactic magnetic field"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 0,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}