Title: Rate of dark photon emission from electron positron annihilation in massive stars

Abstract

We calculate the rate of production of dark photons from electron-positron pair annihilation in hot and dense matter characteristics of supernova progenitors. Given the nonlinear dependence of the emission rate on the dark photon mass and current astrophysical constraints on the dark photon parameter space, we focus on the mass range of 1–10 MeV. For the conditions under consideration both mixing with the in-medium photon and plasma effects on the electron dispersion relation are non-negligible and are explored in detail. We perform our calculations to the leading order in the fine-structure constant. Transverse and longitudinal photon modes are treated separately given their different dispersion relations. We consider the implications for the evolution of massive stars when dark photons decay either into particles of the standard model or of the dark sector.

Authors:

Rrapaj, Ermal; Sieverding, Andre; Qian, Yong-Zhong

Publication Date:

2019-07-19

Research Org.:

Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC)

OSTI Identifier:

1543175

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1610090

Grant/Contract Number:  

FG02-87ER40328

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Physical Review D

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Physical Review D Journal Volume: 100 Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010

Publisher:

American Physical Society (APS)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; astronomy & astrophysics; physics; particle dark matter; stars