Light Pseudoscalar Bosons, PVLAS and the Double Pulsar J0737-3039
Abstract
Light Pseudoscalar Bosons (LPBs) coupled to two photons are predicted by many realistic extensions of the Standard Model and give rise to birefringence and dichroism in a light beam travelling in an external magnetic field. These effects have recently been detected by the PVLAS collaboration, thereby strongly suggesting the existence of a LPB. We provide an astrophysical cross-check for such a claim. Actually, we show that in the double pulsar J0737-3039 photon-LPB conversion can give rise to a characteristic attenuation pattern of the light beam emitted by one of the pulsars when it goes through the magnetosphere of the companion. The effect under consideration shows up in the -ray band and can be detected by the upcoming GLAST mission.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0612227,
title = {Light Pseudoscalar Bosons, PVLAS and the Double Pulsar J0737-3039},
author = {Arnaud Dupays and Marco Roncadelli},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0612227},
year = {2008}
}
Comments
Talk given by M. R. at the "Neutrino Oscillation Workshop" (to appear in the Proceedings)