First Constraints on Nuclear Coupling of Axionlike Particles from the Binary Neutron Star Gravitational Wave Event GW170817

Light axion fields, if they exist, can be sourced by neutron stars due to their coupling to nuclear matter, and play a role in binary neutron star mergers. We report on a search for such axions by analyzing the gravitational waves from the binary neutron star inspiral GW170817. We find no evidence of axions in the sampled parameter space. The null result allows us to impose constraints on axions with masses below 10(-11) eV by excluding the ones with decay constants ranging from 1.6 x 10(16) to 10(18) GeV at a 3 sigma confidence level. Our analysis provides the first constraints on axions from neutron star inspirals, and rules out a large region in parameter space that has not been probed by the existing experiments.

Automated summary

A search for light axions sourced by neutron stars by analyzing gravitational waves from binary neutron star inspiral GW170817 did not yield any evidence of axions. This null result allowed for constraints to be imposed on axions with masses below 10(-11) eV.