X-ray signature of antistars in the Galaxy

Abstract

The existence of macroscopic objects from antimatter (antistars) is envisaged in some models of baryogenesis. Searches for antistars has been usually carried out in gamma-rays through hadronic annihilation of matter. In astrophysically plausible cases of the interaction of neutral atmospheres or winds from antistars with ionized interstellar gas, the hadronic annihilation will be preceded by the formation of excited $p\bar p$ and He$\bar p$ atoms. These atoms rapidly cascade down to low levels prior to annihilation giving rise to a series of narrow lines which can be associated with the hadronic annihilation gamma-ray emission. The most significant are L (3p-2p) 1.73 keV line (yield more than 90\%) from $p\bar p$ atoms, and M (4-3) 4.86 keV (yield $\sim 60\% $) and L (3-2) 11.13 keV (yield about 25\%) lines from $^4$He$\bar p$ atoms. These lines can be probed in dedicated observations by forthcoming sensitive X-ray spectroscopic missions XRISM, \textit{Athena, \textit{Lynx}and in wide-field X-ray surveys like SRG/\textit{eROSITA} all-sky survey.