Searching for axion dark matter with MeerKAT Radio Telescope
Yun-Fan Zhou (1,2), Nick Houston (3), Gyula I. G. Jozsa (4,5,6), Hao, Chen (7,1,8), Yin-Zhe Ma (9,10,1), Qiang Yuan (1,2), Tao An (11), Yogesh, Chandola (1), Ran Ding (12), Fujun Du (1,2), Shao-Guang Guo (11), Xiaoyuan, Huang (1,2), Mengtian Li (1,2)

TL;DR
This study used the MeerKAT radio telescope to search for axion dark matter signals from a neutron star, setting new constraints on axion-photon coupling in a specific mass range.
Contribution
First observational search for axion dark matter converting into photons near a neutron star using MeerKAT, providing the strongest constraints in a specific mass window.
Findings
No signal detected above 5σ significance.
Set upper limit on axion-photon coupling at 95% confidence.
Constrained axion mass range 3.18-4.35 μeV.
Abstract
Axions provide a natural and well-motivated dark matter candidate, with the capability to convert directly to photons in the presence of an electromagnetic field. A particularly compelling observational target is the conversion of dark matter axions into photons in the magnetospheres of highly magnetised neutron stars, which is expected to produce a narrow spectral peak centred at the frequency of the axion mass. We point the MeerKAT radio telescope towards the isolated neutron star J0806.44123 for -hours of observation and obtain the radio spectra in the frequency range - MHz. By modelling the conversion process of infalling axion dark matter (DM), we then compare these spectra to theoretical expectations for a given choice of axion parameters. Whilst finding no signal above in the data, we provide a unique constraint on the Primakoff coupling of axion DM,…
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Taxonomy
TopicsDark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena · Radio Astronomy Observations and Technology · Scientific Research and Discoveries
