Axions in neutron star mergers
Abstract
Supernovae and cooling neutron stars have long been used to constrain the properties of axions, such as their mass and interactions with nucleons and other Standard Model particles. We investigate the prospects of using neutron star mergers as a similar location where axions can be probed in the future. We examine the impact axions would have on mergers, considering both the possibility that they free-stream through the dense nuclear matter and the case where they are trapped. We calculate the mean free path of axions in merger conditions, and find that they would free-stream through the merger in all thermodynamic conditions. In contrast to previous calculations, we integrate over the entire phase space while using a relativistic treatment of the nucleons, assuming the matrix element is momentum-independent. In particular, we use a relativistic mean field theory to describe the nucleons, taking into account the precipitous decrease in the effective mass of the nucleons as density increases above nuclear saturation density. We find that within current constraints on the axion-neutron coupling, axions could cool nuclear matter on timescales relevant to neutron star mergers. Our results may be regarded as first steps aimed at understanding how axions affect merger simulations and potentiallymore »
- Authors:
-
- Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)
- Univ. Laval, QB (Canada)
- Univ. of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1662004
- Grant/Contract Number:
- FG02-05ER41375
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 2020; Journal Issue: 07; Journal ID: ISSN 1475-7516
- Publisher:
- Institute of Physics (IOP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; axion; neutron star; neutron star merger; transport; bremsstrahlung
Citation Formats
Harris, Steven P., Fortin, Jean-François, Sinha, Kuver, and Alford, Mark G. Axions in neutron star mergers. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.1088/1475-7516/2020/07/023.
Harris, Steven P., Fortin, Jean-François, Sinha, Kuver, & Alford, Mark G. Axions in neutron star mergers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2020/07/023
Harris, Steven P., Fortin, Jean-François, Sinha, Kuver, and Alford, Mark G. Thu .
"Axions in neutron star mergers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2020/07/023. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1662004.
@article{osti_1662004,
title = {Axions in neutron star mergers},
author = {Harris, Steven P. and Fortin, Jean-François and Sinha, Kuver and Alford, Mark G.},
abstractNote = {Supernovae and cooling neutron stars have long been used to constrain the properties of axions, such as their mass and interactions with nucleons and other Standard Model particles. We investigate the prospects of using neutron star mergers as a similar location where axions can be probed in the future. We examine the impact axions would have on mergers, considering both the possibility that they free-stream through the dense nuclear matter and the case where they are trapped. We calculate the mean free path of axions in merger conditions, and find that they would free-stream through the merger in all thermodynamic conditions. In contrast to previous calculations, we integrate over the entire phase space while using a relativistic treatment of the nucleons, assuming the matrix element is momentum-independent. In particular, we use a relativistic mean field theory to describe the nucleons, taking into account the precipitous decrease in the effective mass of the nucleons as density increases above nuclear saturation density. We find that within current constraints on the axion-neutron coupling, axions could cool nuclear matter on timescales relevant to neutron star mergers. Our results may be regarded as first steps aimed at understanding how axions affect merger simulations and potentially interface with observations.},
doi = {10.1088/1475-7516/2020/07/023},
journal = {Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics},
number = 07,
volume = 2020,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jul 09 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Thu Jul 09 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
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