Spectral distortions of astrophysical blackbodies as axion probes

Abstract

Recent studies reveal that more than a dozen of white dwarfs displaying near-perfect blackbody spectra in the optical range have been lurking in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey catalog. We point out that, in a way analogous to the cosmic microwave background, these stars serve as excellent test beds for new physics. Specifically, we show how their observed lack of spectral distortions translates into limits on the parameter space of axions with electromagnetic coupling. The prospects for future improvements are also discussed.