X-ray polarization signals from magnetars with axion-like-particles

Journal Article · 20 January 2019 · Journal of High Energy Physics (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep01(2019)163 · OSTI ID:1611267

Fortin, Jean-François ^[1]; Sinha, Kuver ^[2]

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1. Univ. Laval, Quebec, QC (Canada); DOE/OSTI
2. Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)

Axion-like-particles (ALPs) produced in the core of a magnetar can convert to photons in the magnetosphere, giving rise to novel features in the X-ray spectrum. Since ALPs only mix with the parallel mode of the photon, the polarization of the soft and hard X-ray spectra is predicted to have an O-mode component, in addition to the mainly X-mode component given by most astrophysical models. The relative strength of the O-mode component depends on the intensity of ALPs produced in the core and the probability of conversion. We quantify our results by considering X-ray emission produced both by astrophysical processes and by ALP-photon conversion, in an uncorrelated fashion, and in different relative proportions, which we parametrize by the angle χ_o. We then define a normalized astrophysics-subtracted Stokes parameter R which only acquires non-zero values in the presence of ALP-photon conversion. We find, remarkably, that the parameter R factorizes into a product of the ALP-to-photon conversion probability and cos(2χ_o) and display R, as well as the usual Stokes parameter Q, as a function of the photon energy and relative fractions of ALP and photon intensities. For benchmark points currently allowed by the CAST experiment, the O-mode prediction can be tested in future X-ray polarimeters and used either to constrain ALPs or find evidence for them.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0009956
• OSTI ID: 1611267
• Journal Information: Journal of High Energy Physics (Online), Journal Name: Journal of High Energy Physics (Online) Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 2019; ISSN 1029-8479
• Publisher: Springer BerlinCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English