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Constraining the mass of dark photons and axion-like particles through black-hole superradiance

6 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.

6 Pith papers citing it
abstract

Ultralight bosons and axion-like particles appear naturally in different scenarios and could solve some long-standing puzzles. Their detection is challenging, and all direct methods hinge on unknown couplings to the Standard Model of particle physics. However, the universal coupling to gravity provides model-independent signatures for these fields. We explore here the superradiant instability of spinning black holes triggered in the presence of such fields. The instability taps angular momentum from and limits the maximum spin of astrophysical black holes. We compute, for the first time, the spectrum of the most unstable modes of a massive vector (Proca) field for generic black-hole spin and Proca mass. The observed stability of the inner disk of stellar-mass black holes can be used to derive \emph{direct} constraints on the mass of dark photons in the mass range $ 10^{-13}\,{\rm eV}\lesssim m_V \lesssim 3\times 10^{-12}\,{\rm eV}$. By including also higher azimuthal modes, similar constraints apply to axion-like particles in the mass range $6\times10^{-13}\,{\rm eV}\lesssim m_{\rm ALP} \lesssim 10^{-11}\, {\rm eV}$. Likewise, mass and spin distributions of supermassive BHs --~as measured through continuum fitting, K$\alpha$ iron line, or with the future space-based gravitational-wave detector LISA~-- imply indirect bounds in the mass range approximately $10^{-19}\,{\rm eV}\lesssim m_V, m_{\rm ALP} \lesssim 10^{-13}\, {\rm eV}$, for both axion-like particles and dark photons. Overall, superradiance allows to explore a region of approximately $8$ orders of magnitude in the mass of ultralight bosons.

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UNVERDICTED 6

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representative citing papers

Scalar fields around black hole binaries in LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA

gr-qc · 2025-10-20 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

Semi-analytic waveform model for scalar environments around black hole binaries is validated against numerical relativity and applied to LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA data to obtain upper limits on scalar densities with tentative evidence in GW190728.

Weak nuclear decays deep-underground as a probe of axion dark matter

hep-ph · 2024-12-30 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

A framework is developed to predict axion-induced time modulations in weak nuclear decays, used to derive constraints on the axion decay constant from reanalyzed Gran Sasso data on 40K and 137Cs and to propose future sensitivity to higher masses.

High-Quality Axion Dark Matter at Gravitational Wave Interferometers

hep-ph · 2025-09-17 · unverdicted · novelty 5.0

In gauged U(1) completions enabling high-quality axion dark matter, cosmic string loops generate a stochastic gravitational wave background with an infrared break frequency that exceeds foregrounds above 10^14 GeV breaking scales and offers a probe at interferometers.

Superradiance -- the 2020 Edition

gr-qc · 2015-01-26 · unverdicted · novelty 4.0

Black-hole superradiance extracts energy via the ergoregion and can trigger instabilities with applications to dark matter, beyond-Standard-Model physics, and laboratory analogs.

citing papers explorer

Showing 6 of 6 citing papers.

  • RadioAxion results on the search for axion dark matter under Gran Sasso hep-ex · 2026-02-20 · unverdicted · none · ref 46 · internal anchor

    The RadioAxion experiment at Gran Sasso found no evidence for axion dark matter induced periodic modulations in 241Am decays and derived constraints on the axion decay constant for masses from 10^{-21} to 10^{-9} eV.

  • Scalar fields around black hole binaries in LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA gr-qc · 2025-10-20 · unverdicted · none · ref 130 · internal anchor

    Semi-analytic waveform model for scalar environments around black hole binaries is validated against numerical relativity and applied to LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA data to obtain upper limits on scalar densities with tentative evidence in GW190728.

  • Weak nuclear decays deep-underground as a probe of axion dark matter hep-ph · 2024-12-30 · unverdicted · none · ref 59 · internal anchor

    A framework is developed to predict axion-induced time modulations in weak nuclear decays, used to derive constraints on the axion decay constant from reanalyzed Gran Sasso data on 40K and 137Cs and to propose future sensitivity to higher masses.

  • Worldline effective field theory of inspiralling black hole binaries in presence of dark photon and axionic dark matter hep-th · 2023-05-24 · unverdicted · none · ref 120 · internal anchor

    Computes 1PN conservative dynamics for gravitational/EM/Proca fields and 2PN for scalar, plus radiation effects from axion-photon coupling at high PN orders in binary black hole systems with dark matter.

  • High-Quality Axion Dark Matter at Gravitational Wave Interferometers hep-ph · 2025-09-17 · unverdicted · none · ref 145 · internal anchor

    In gauged U(1) completions enabling high-quality axion dark matter, cosmic string loops generate a stochastic gravitational wave background with an infrared break frequency that exceeds foregrounds above 10^14 GeV breaking scales and offers a probe at interferometers.

  • Superradiance -- the 2020 Edition gr-qc · 2015-01-26 · unverdicted · none · ref 125 · internal anchor

    Black-hole superradiance extracts energy via the ergoregion and can trigger instabilities with applications to dark matter, beyond-Standard-Model physics, and laboratory analogs.