# Looking at the axionic dark sector with ANITA

## TL;DR

This paper explores the possibility that the anomalous signals detected by ANITA are caused by radio pulses generated through axion-photon conversion in the ionosphere, providing a novel explanation consistent with observations.

## Contribution

It introduces a new mechanism involving axion-photon conversion in the ionosphere to explain ANITA's anomalous events, connecting dark sector physics with radio signal observations.

## Key findings

- Resonant axion-photon conversion can produce radio pulses matching ANITA signals.
- The proposed mechanism explains the direction and polarization of the events.
- It avoids conflicts with other experimental bounds.

## Abstract

The ANITA experiment has recently observed two anomalous events emerging from well below the horizon. Even though they are consistent with tau cascades, a high energy Standard Model or Beyond the Standard Model explanation is challenging and in tension with other experiments. We study under which conditions the reflection of generic radio pulses can reproduce these signals. We propose that these pulses can be resonantly produced in the ionosphere via axion-photon conversion. This naturally explains the direction and polarization of the events and avoids other experimental bounds.