Constraining the neutrino magnetic dipole moment from white dwarf pulsations

TL;DR

This study uses pulsating white dwarf stars to set an upper limit on the neutrino magnetic dipole moment by analyzing their cooling rates and period changes, providing astrophysical constraints on particle properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel astrophysical method to constrain the neutrino magnetic dipole moment using white dwarf pulsation data and models.

Findings

Detected possible additional cooling in the white dwarf PG 1351+489

Derived an upper limit for the neutrino magnetic dipole moment

Results are compatible with existing constraints from other astrophysical observations

Abstract

Pulsating white dwarf stars can be used as astrophysical laboratories to constrain the properties of weakly interacting particles. Comparing the cooling rates of these stars with the expected values from theoretical models allows us to search for additional sources of cooling due to the emission of axions, neutralinos, or neutrinos with magnetic dipole moment. In this work, we derive an upper bound to the neutrino magnetic dipole moment using an estimate of the rate of period change of the pulsating DB white dwarf star PG 1351+489. By comparing the theoretical rate of change of period expected for this star with the rate of change of period with time of PG 1351+489, we assess the possible existence of additional cooling by neutrinos with magnetic dipole moment. Our models suggest the existence of some additional cooling in this pulsating DB white dwarf, consistent with a non-zero magnetic dipole moment. Our upper limit for the neutrino magnetic dipole moment is somewhat less restrictive than, but still compatible with, other limits inferred from the white dwarf luminosity function or from the color-magnitude diagram of the Globular cluster M5. Further improvements of the measurement of the rate of period change of the dominant pulsation mode of PG 1351+489 will be necessary to confirm our bound.