Speaker
Description
We study the tidal disruption of axion miniclusters (AMCs) due to gravitational interactions with stars in the Milky Way. Axion miniclusters are compact objects composed of QCD axions, formed around matter–radiation equality, with masses in the range $10^{-16}$-$10^{-10}\,M_\odot$. Stellar encounters can tidally disrupt these structures, potentially generating streams of axions.
Using Monte Carlo simulations of AMC–star encounters, we show that the resulting tidal streams are not gravitationally bound and gradually dissolve into the Galactic halo. We estimate the dissolution timescale as a function of impact parameter, AMC mass, and stellar mass. Based on these lifetimes, we assess the implications for direct axion detection, in particular for haloscope experiments.
| Main Contribution topic | Direct detection |
|---|---|
| Secondary contribution topic | Axion / Sterile |