Axions from 1987A

Abstract

The process of axion emission from SN 1987A by nucleon-nucleon axion bremsstrahlung is investigated based on neutrino observations. The results indicate that the axion luminosity must be less than about 10 to the 53rd erg/s if: (1) axions couple very weakly (with an axion mass of less than about 0.75 x 10 to the -3rd); or (2) axions couple strongly enough to be trapped and radiated from an axion sphere with T sub a of less than about 8 MeV (with an axion mass of greater than about 2.2 eV). Axion trapping is found to occur for axion masses of greater than about 0.016 eV.