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Magnetic Turbulence Boosts Supernova Signals of Axion-Photon Conversion

Damiano F. G. Fiorillo1,2, Ángel Gil Muyor3,4, Georg G. Raffelt5, and Edoardo Vitagliano3,4

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 121002 – Published 15 September, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/wdbg-66y1

Abstract

Magnetic fields between a supernova (SN) and Earth convert axions into gamma rays. The absence of such a signal in coincidence with SN 1987A neutrinos, using the coherent Milky Way field, provides well-studied constraints on gap×gaγ (axion-proton times axion-photon couplings) and on gaγ alone. We show that the small-scale power of the turbulent magnetic field component boosts axion-photon conversion and, crucially, extends sensitivity to larger masses. The turbulent field components of the Milky Way and of the Large Magellanic Cloud (hosting SN 1987A) yield improvements of up to 2 orders of magnitude in gap×gaγ. Turbulence should likely impact the sensitivity of other searches based on other axion-photon conversion sites, such as starburst galaxies.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 121002– Published 15 September, 2026
  • Received 26 May 2026
  • Accepted 31 July 2026
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