Probing Relativistic Axions from Transient Astrophysical Sources

TL;DR

This paper explores how transient astrophysical events like axion star explosions can produce relativistic axion bursts detectable by current experiments, offering new insights into axion physics and potential multi-messenger astronomy.

Contribution

It demonstrates that axion bursts from collapsing axion stars are detectable across a wide mass range in existing experiments, revealing a novel method to probe the axion potential.

Findings

Detectable axion bursts from collapsing axion stars in laboratory experiments.

A new diffuse axion background from past axion bursts.

Potential for multi-messenger astronomy with axion signals.

Abstract

Emission of relativistic axions from transient sources, such as axion star explosions, can lead to observable signatures. We show that axion bursts from collapsing axion stars can be detectable over the wide range of axion masses $10^{-15} \, \textrm{eV} \lesssim m \lesssim 10^{-7} \, \textrm{eV}$ in laboratory experiments, such as ABRACADABRA, DMRadio and SHAFT. The detection of axion bursts could provide new insights into the fundamental axion potential, which is challenging to probe otherwise. An ensemble of bursts in the distant past would give rise to a diffuse axion background distinct from the usual cold axion DM. Coincidence with other signatures would provide a new window into multi-messenger astronomy.