Search for spectral irregularities due to photon-axion-like particle oscillations with the Fermi Large Area Telescope [HEAP]

http://arxiv.org/abs/1603.06978


We report on the search for spectral irregularities induced by oscillations between photons and axion-like particles (ALPs) in the $\gamma$-ray spectrum of NGC 1275, the central galaxy of the Perseus cluster. Using six years of Fermi Large Area Telescope data, we find no evidence for ALPs and exclude couplings above $5\times10^{-12}\,\mathrm{GeV}^{-1}$ for ALP masses $0.5 \lesssim m_a \lesssim 5$ neV at 95% confidence. The limits are competitive with the sensitivity of planned laboratory experiments, and, together with other bounds, strongly constrain the possibility that ALPs can reduce the $\gamma$-ray opacity of the Universe.

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Fermi-LAT Collaboration for the Fermi-LAT Collaboration et al.
Thu, 24 Mar 16
43/60

Comments: Accepted by PRL. Includes Supplemental Material. 8+10 pages, 2+7 figures, 1+2 tables. Corresponding Authors: Manuel Meyer, Jan Conrad, Miguel Sanchez-Conde