Neutrino and Axion Bounds from the Globular Cluster M5 (NGC 5904)

N. Viaux, M. Catelan, P. B. Stetson, G. G. Raffelt, J. Redondo, A. A. R. Valcarce, and A. Weiss

Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 231301 – Published 4 December 2013

Abstract

The red-giant branch (RGB) in globular clusters is extended to larger brightness if the degenerate helium core loses too much energy in “dark channels.” Based on a large set of archival observations, we provide high-precision photometry for the Galactic globular cluster M5 (NGC 5904), allowing for a detailed comparison between the observed tip of the RGB with predictions based on contemporary stellar evolution theory. In particular, we derive 95% confidence limits of $g_{a e} < 4.3 \times 10^{- 13}$ on the axion-electron coupling and $μ_{ν} < 4.5 \times 10^{- 12} μ_{B}$ (Bohr magneton $μ_{B} = e / 2 m_{e}$ ) on a neutrino dipole moment, based on a detailed analysis of statistical and systematic uncertainties. The cluster distance is the single largest source of uncertainty and can be improved in the future.

Received 1 August 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.231301

Authors & Affiliations

N. Viaux^1,2,3, M. Catelan^1,2,3, P. B. Stetson⁴, G. G. Raffelt⁵, J. Redondo^6,5, A. A. R. Valcarce⁷, and A. Weiss⁸

¹Instituto de Astrofísica, Facultad de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 782-0436 Macul, Santiago, Chile
²Centro de Astroingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackena 4860, 782-0436 Macul, Santiago, Chile
³The Milky Way Millennium Nucleus, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, 782-0436 Macul, Santiago, Chile
⁴National Research Council, 5071 West Saanich Road, Victoria, British Columbia V9E 2E7, Canada
⁵Max-Planck-Institut für Physik (Werner-Heisenberg-Institut), Föhringer Ring 6, 80805 München, Germany
⁶Arnold Sommerfeld Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Theresienstrasse 37, 80333 München, Germany
⁷Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59072-970 Natal, RN, Brazil
⁸Max-Planck-Institut für Astrophysik, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 1, 85748 Garching, Germany

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Vol. 111, Iss. 23 — 6 December 2013

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