New constraints on light axion-like particles using Chandra transmission grating spectroscopy of the powerful cluster-hosted quasar H1821+643
| Autor: | Júlia Sisk-Reynés, James H Matthews, Christopher S Reynolds, Helen R Russell, Robyn N Smith, M C David Marsh |
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| Rok vydání: | 2021 |
| Předmět: |
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO) 010308 nuclear & particles physics Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena FOS: Physical sciences Astronomy and Astrophysics Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics 7. Clean energy 01 natural sciences High Energy Physics - Phenomenology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph) 13. Climate action Space and Planetary Science 0103 physical sciences Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena 010303 astronomy & astrophysics Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics |
| Zdroj: | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
| ISSN: | 1365-2966 0035-8711 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/mnras/stab3464 |
| Popis: | Axion-Like Particles (ALPs) are predicted by several Beyond the Standard Model theories, in particular, string theory. In the presence of an external magnetic field perpendicular to the direction of propagation, ALPs can couple to photons. Therefore, if an X-ray source is viewed through a magnetised plasma, such as a luminous quasar in a galaxy cluster, we may expect spectral distortions that are well described by photon-ALP oscillations. We present a $571 \ \mathrm{ks}$ combined High and Low Energy Transmission Grating (HETG/LETG) Chandra observation of the powerful radio-quiet quasar H1821+643, hosted by a cool-core cluster at redshift $0.3$. The spectrum is well described by a double power-law continuum and broad$+$narrow iron line emission typical of type-1 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), with remaining spectral features $< 2.5\%$. Using a cell-based approach to describe the turbulent cluster magnetic field, we compare our spectrum with photon-ALP mixing curves for 500 field realisations assuming that the thermal-to-magnetic pressure ratio remains constant up to the virial radius. At $99.7\%$ credibility and taking $��= 100$, we exclude all couplings $g_\mathrm{a��} > 6.3 \times 10^{-13} \ {\mathrm{GeV}}^{-1}$ for most ALP masses $< 10^{-12} \ \mathrm{eV}$. Our results are moderately more sensitive to constraining ALPs than the best previous result from Chandra observations of the Perseus cluster, albeit with a less constrained field model. We reflect on the promising future of ALP studies with bright AGN embedded in rich clusters, especially with the upcoming Athena mission. 14 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS on 24th November 2021. Comments welcome |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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