PIRSA:17090073

Searches for ALPs with Current and Future X-ray Satellites

(2017). Searches for ALPs with Current and Future X-ray Satellites. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/17090073

Searches for ALPs with Current and Future X-ray Satellites. Perimeter Institute, Sep. 26, 2017, https://pirsa.org/17090073 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:17090073,
            doi = {10.48660/17090073},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/17090073},
            author = {},
            keywords = {Particle Physics},
            language = {en},
            title = {Searches for ALPs with Current and Future X-ray Satellites},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2017},
            month = {sep},
            note = {PIRSA:17090073 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }
DOI 10.48660/17090073
Collection
Talk Type Scientific Series
Subject

Abstract

Galaxy clusters represent excellent laboratories to search for Axion-Like Particles (ALPs). They contain magnetic fields which can induce quasi-sinusoidal oscillations in the X-ray spectra of AGNs situated in or behind them. Ultra-deep Chandra observations of the Perseus cluster contain over 5 x 105 counts from the central NGC1275 AGN, and represent an extraordinary dataset for ALP searches. In this talk I will describe how we used these to search for spectral irregularities from the AGN. No irregularities were found at the ~30% level, allowing us to place leading constraints on the ALP-photon mixing parameter gaγγ  <1.5 × 10−12GeV−1 for ma < 10-12 eV. I will move on to discuss the upcoming Athena X-ray Observatory, due for launch in 2028. The X-ray Integral Field Unit (X-IFU) instrument onboard will be far better able to constrain ALPs than Chandra, due to its excellent energy resolution. Using the SIXTE simulation software, we estimate that non-observation of spectral modulations for a 200ks observation of NGC1275 will constrain gaγγ  <1.5 × 10−13GeV−1 , an order of magnitude improvement over that derived from Chandra data.