Artificial precision polarization array: Sensitivity for axionlike dark matter with clock satellites
Phys. Rev. D 113, 115036 – Published 15 June, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/g14s-z6pj
Abstract
The approaches to searching for axionlike signals based on pulsars include observations with pulsar timing arrays and pulsar polarization arrays. However, these methods are limited by observational uncertainties arising from multiple unknown and periodic physical effects, which substantially complicate subsequent data analysis. To mitigate these issues and improve data fidelity, we propose the artificial pulsar polarization arrays (APPA): a satellite network comprising multiple pulsed signal transmitters and a dedicated receiver satellite. To constrain the axion-photon coupling parameter , we generate simulated observations using Monte Carlo methods and investigate the sensitivity of APPA using two complementary approaches: likelihood analysis and frequentist analysis. Simulations indicate that for the axion mass range of , APPA yields a tighter upper limit on [at the 95% Confidence Level (CL)] than conventional ground-based observations, while also achieving superior detection sensitivity. Moreover, a larger spatial distribution scale of the satellite network corresponds to a greater advantage in detecting axions with lighter masses.