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Experimental Particle and Astro-Particle Physics Seminar

→ Europe/Zurich
Stefanos Leontsinis (University of Zurich (CH))
Description

Abstract: In this talk I will present a new potential signature of supernova axion-like particles (ALPs)  in neutrino water Cherenkov detectors. If ALPs couple to protons, then they can be detected through ALP absorption on free protons, ap→pγ, where the resulting photon has approximately the energy of the ALP. This new signature is complementary to the usual one from oxygen de-excitation, and can be exploited in various ways.
I will first argue that ALPs with MeV masses can be produced with semi-relativistic velocities in core-collapse supernovae, generating a diffuse galactic flux. Using SuperKamiokande data, new constraints on the ALP-proton coupling can be derived in regions that cooling bounds cannot probe. For lighter ALPs, the conditions for a diffuse flux fail. Nevertheless, they can still be looked for on individual (future) neighbouring
 supernovae. I will show that this new signature, combined with the one expected at 7 MeV from oxygen de-excitation, would allow us to disentangle ALP-neutron and ALP-proton couplings.

zoom room link

    • 14:00 → 15:00
      A new probe of supernova axion-like particles in neutrino water Cherenkov detectors 1h
      Speaker: David Cerdeño (Institute for Theoretical Physics (IFT-UAM/CSIC))