Constraints on Light Hidden Sector Gauge Bosons from Supernova Cooling

TL;DR

This paper establishes new constraints on light hidden sector gauge bosons based on supernova cooling, significantly expanding the excluded parameter space by considering trapping, decay, and scattering effects.

Contribution

It introduces refined bounds on hidden gauge bosons by incorporating trapping, decay, and scattering effects, improving upon previous estimates.

Findings

Expanded exclusion region in mass-coupling space.

Significant background of gauge bosons from cumulative supernovae.

Enhanced understanding of supernova energy loss mechanisms.

Abstract

We derive new bounds on hidden sector gauge bosons which could produce new energy loss mechanisms in supernovae, enlarging the excluded region in mass-coupling space by a significant factor compared to earlier estimates. Both considerations of trapping and possible decay of these particles need to be incorporated when determining such bounds, as does scattering on both neutrons and protons. For masses and couplings near the region which saturates current bounds, a significant background of such gauge bosons may also be produced due to the cumulative effects of all supernovae over cosmic history.