Direct search for solar axions by using strong magnetic field and X-ray detectors

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for solar axions using a strong magnetic field and X-ray detectors, setting new limits on axion-photon coupling that surpass previous constraints and are sensitive to axion masses below 0.03 eV.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel experimental setup that improves the sensitivity to axion-photon coupling beyond previous limits, especially for low-mass axions.

Findings

No axion signal detected, leading to new upper limits on coupling.

Established a limit of $g_{aetaeta} < 6.0 imes 10^{-10}$ GeV$^{-1}$ for $m_a<0.03$ eV.

Sensitivity surpasses solar age constraints for the first time.

Abstract

We have searched for axions which could be produced in the solar core by exploiting their conversion to X rays in a strong laboratory magnetic field. The signature of the solar axion is an increase in the rate of the X rays detected in a magnetic helioscope when the sun is within its acceptance. From the absence of such a signal we set a 95% confidence level limit on the axion coupling to two photons $g_{a\gamma\gamma}\equiv 1/M < 6.0\times 10^{-10}$ GeV$^{-1}$, provided the axion mass $m_a<0.03$ eV. The limit on the coupling is factor 4.5 more stringent than the recent experimental result. This is the first experiment whose sensitivity to $g_{a\gamma\gamma}$ is higher than the limit constrained by the solar age consideration.