Impact of Axions on the Minimum Mass of Core Collapse Supernova Progenitors

TL;DR

This paper investigates how axions influence the minimum mass of stars that can produce core collapse supernovae, finding that axions increase this threshold and may conflict with observational data.

Contribution

It introduces axions into stellar evolution models and quantifies their impact on the minimum mass for CCSN progenitors, a novel approach in this context.

Findings

Minimum CCSN progenitor mass increases by nearly 2 solar masses due to axions.

Results suggest a potential tension with observationally derived minimum masses.

Axions significantly alter stellar evolution thresholds.

Abstract

In this study we include axions in stellar evolution models adopting the current stringest constraints for their coupling to photons and electrons. We obtain that the minimum stellar mass of Core Collapse Supernova (CCSN) progenitors is shifted up by nearly 2 Mo. This result seems to be in tension with the observationaly derived minimum mass of CCSN progenitors.