Detecting Supernova Axions with IAXO

TL;DR

This paper explores IAXO's potential to detect axions from supernovae, which could reveal new physics about axions and supernova mechanisms, especially in nearby events with strong axion signals.

Contribution

It demonstrates that IAXO and BabyIAXO can realistically detect supernova axions, expanding the search beyond solar observations and providing insights into supernova physics.

Findings

IAXO can detect supernova axions with certain coupling strengths.

Detection prospects improve for nearby supernovae within 100 parsecs.

Potential to inform supernova physics and axion properties.

Abstract

We investigate the potential of IAXO and its intermediate version, BabyIAXO, to detect axions produced in core-collapse supernovae (SNe). Our study demonstrates that these experiments have realistic chances of identifying SN axions, offering crucial insights into both axion physics and SN dynamics. IAXO's sensitivity to SN axions allows for the exploration of regions of the axion parameter space inaccessible through solar observations. In addition, in the event of a nearby SN, $d \sim O(100)$ pc, and sufficiently large axion couplings, $g_{a \gamma} \gtrsim 10^{-11} GeV^{-1}$, IAXO could have a chance to significantly advance our understanding of axion production in nuclear matter and provide valuable information about the physics of SNe, such as pion abundance, the equation of state, and other nuclear processes occurring in extreme environments.