Supernova Muons: New Constraints on Z' Bosons, Axions, and ALPs

Abstract

New light particles produced in supernovae can lead to additional energy loss and a consequent deficit in neutrino production in conflict with the neutrinos observed from Supernova 1987A (SN1987A). Contrary to the majority of previous SN1987A studies, we examine the impact of $Z'$ bosons, axions, and axion-like particles (ALPs) interacting with the muons produced in SN1987A. For the first time, we find constraints on generic $Z'$ bosons coupled to muons, and apply our results to particle models including gauged $L_\mu-L_\tau$ number, $U(1)_{L_\mu-L_\tau}$, and gauged $B-L$ number, $U(1)_{B-L}$. We constrain $Z'$ bosons with masses up to about 250-500 MeV, and down to about $10^{-9}$ in $Z'$-muon coupling. We also extend previous work on axion-muon couplings by examining the importance of loop-level interactions, as well as performing calculations over a wider range of axion masses. We constrain muon-coupled axions from arbitrarily low masses up to about 200-500 MeV, with bounds extending down to axion-muon couplings of approximately $10^{-8}$ GeV$^{-1}$. We conclude that supernovae broadly provide a sensitive probe of new lightly-coupled particles interacting with muons.