Constraints on axionlike particles with H.E.S.S. from the irregularity of the PKS 2155-304 energy spectrum

Abramowski, A.; Acero, F.; Aharonian, F.; Ait Benkhali, F.; Akhperjanian, A.G.; Angüner, E.; Anton, G.; Balenderan, S.; Balzer, A.; Barnacka, A.; Becherini, Y.; Becker Tjus, J.; Bernlöhr, K.; Birsin, E.; Bissaldi, E.; Biteau, J.; Boisson, C.; Bolmont, J.; Bordas, P.; Brucker, J.; Brun, F.; Brun, P.; Bulik, T.; Carrigan, S.; Casanova, S.; Cerruti, M.; Chadwick, P.M.; Chalme-Calvet, R.; Chaves, R.C.G.; Cheesebrough, A.; Chrétien, M.; Colafrancesco, S.; Cologna, G.; Conrad, J.; Couturier, C.; Dalton, M.; Daniel, M.K.; Davids, I.D.; Degrange, B.; Deil, C.; deWilt, P.; Dickinson, H.J.; Djannati-Ataï, A.; Domainko, W.; Drury, L.O'C.; Dubus, G.; Dutson, K.; Dyks, J.; Dyrda, M.; Edwards, T.; Egberts, K.; Eger, P.; Espigat, P.; Farnier, C.; Fegan, S.; Feinstein, F.; Fernandes, M.V.; Fernandez, D.; Fiasson, A.; Fontaine, G.; Förster, A.; Fußling, M.; Gajdus, M.; Gallant, Y.A.; Garrigoux, T.; Gast, H.; Giebels, B.; Glicenstein, J.F.; Göring, D.; Grondin, M.-H.; Grudzińska, M.; Häffner, S.; Hague,...

Abstract

Axionlike particles (ALPs) are hypothetical light (sub-eV) bosons predicted in some extensions of the Standard Model of particle physics. In astrophysical environments comprising high-energy gamma rays and turbulent magnetic fields, the existence of ALPs can modify the energy spectrum of the gamma rays for a sufficiently large coupling between ALPs and photons. This modification would take the form of an irregular behavior of the energy spectrum in a limited energy range. Data from the H.E.S.S. observations of the distant BL Lac object PKS 2155−304 (z=0.116) are used to derive upper limits at the 95% C.L. on the strength of the ALP coupling to photons, gγa<2.1×10−11  GeV−1 for an ALP mass between 15 and 60 neV. The results depend on assumptions on the magnetic field around the source, which are chosen conservatively. The derived constraints apply to both light pseudoscalar and scalar bosons that couple to the electromagnetic field.

Citation

Abramowski, A., Acero, F., Aharonian, F., Ait Benkhali, F., Akhperjanian, A., Angüner, E., …Collaboration, H. (2013). Constraints on axionlike particles with H.E.S.S. from the irregularity of the PKS 2155-304 energy spectrum. Physical Review D, 88(10), Article 102003. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.88.102003

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2013
• Deposit Date: Feb 5, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 11, 2014
• Journal: Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation, and Cosmology
• Print ISSN: 1550-7998
• Electronic ISSN: 1550-2368
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 88
• Issue: 10
• Article Number: 102003
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.88.102003
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1439921