Strong limits on the DFSZ axion mass with G117-B15A

TL;DR

This study uses asteroseismological models of white dwarf stars G117-B15A and R548 to set stringent upper limits on the mass of DFSZ axions, a candidate for dark matter, based on observed period changes.

Contribution

It provides the first strong astrophysical constraints on DFSZ axion mass using detailed stellar models and observed pulsation period changes.

Findings

Upper limit of 13.5 meV on axion mass with thin hydrogen layers

Relaxed upper limit of 26.5 meV with thick hydrogen layers

Monte Carlo simulations used to estimate error bars on period change rates

Abstract

We compute rates of period change (Pdots) for the 215s mode in G117-B15A and the 213s mode in R548, first for models without axions, and then for models with axions of increasing mass. We use the asteroseismological models for G117-B15A and R548 we derived in an earlier publication . For G117-B15A, we consider two families of solutions, one with relatively thick hydrogen layers and one with thin hydrogen layers. Given the region of parameter space occupied by our models, we estimate error bars on the calculated Pdots using Monte Carlo simulations. Together with the observed Pdot for G117-B15A, our analysis yields strong limits on the DFSZ axion mass. Our thin hydrogen solutions place an upper limit of 13.5 meV on the axion, while our thick hydrogen solutions relaxes that limit to 26.5 meV.