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Supernova 1987A Constraints on Sub-GeV Dark Sectors, Millicharged Particles, the QCD Axion, and an Axion-like Particle

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abstract

We consider the constraints from Supernova 1987A on particles with small couplings to the Standard Model. We discuss a model with a fermion coupled to a dark photon, with various mass relations in the dark sector; millicharged particles; dark-sector fermions with inelastic transitions; the hadronic QCD axion; and an axion-like particle that couples to Standard Model fermions with couplings proportional to their mass. In the fermion cases, we develop a new diagnostic for assessing when such a particle is trapped at large mixing angles. Our bounds for a fermion coupled to a dark photon constrain small couplings and masses <200 MeV, and do not decouple for low fermion masses. They exclude parameter space that is otherwise unconstrained by existing accelerator-based and direct-detection searches. In addition, our bounds are complementary to proposed laboratory searches for sub-GeV dark matter, and do not constrain several "thermal" benchmark-model targets. For a millicharged particle, we exclude charges between 10^(-9) to a few times 10^(-6) in units of the electron charge; this excludes parameter space to higher millicharges and masses than previous bounds. For the QCD axion and an axion-like particle, we apply several updated nuclear physics calculations and include the energy dependence of the optical depth to accurately account for energy loss at large couplings. We rule out a hadronic axion of mass between 0.1 and a few hundred eV, or equivalently bound the PQ scale between a few times 10^4 and 10^8 GeV, closing the hadronic axion window. For an axion-like particle, our bounds disfavor decay constants between a few times 10^5 GeV up to a few times 10^8 GeV. In all cases, our bounds differ from previous work by more than an order of magnitude across the entire parameter space. We also provide estimated systematic errors due to the uncertainties of the progenitor.

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representative citing papers

The Black Hole Mass Gap as a New Probe of Millicharged Particles

hep-ph · 2026-04-02 · unverdicted · novelty 7.0

Millicharged particles weaken pulsational pair-instability in massive stars, shifting the lower edge of the black hole mass gap upward and turning gravitational wave observations into a probe for particles with masses 35-200 keV and charges 10^{-10} to 10^{-9}.

Muonic Boson Limits: Supernova Redux

hep-ph · 2021-09-07 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

Supernova models yield coupling limits g_a ≲ 0.9×10^{-10} and g_φ ≲ 0.4×10^{-10} for masses above 100 keV from gamma-ray observations, plus stronger trapping-regime limits from explosion energy, that are difficult to reconcile with a muon g-2 explanation.

Solar Reflection of Inelastic Dark Matter

hep-ph · 2026-04-23 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

Solar-reflected inelastic dark matter produces detectable signals in xenon and semiconductor detectors, enabling new constraints on MeV-scale dark matter parameter space.

The Dark Photon

hep-ph · 2020-05-04 · unverdicted · novelty 2.0

The paper surveys theoretical motivations, experimental searches, and bounds on the dark photon as a kinetically mixed gauge boson from a dark sector, covering both massive and massless cases along with related milli-charged fermion constraints.

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