Axion condensates in neutron stars and radial oscillation modes

Abstract

Light QCD axions, introduced to solve the strong CP problem, may form condensates inside neutron stars, giving rise to a novel ground state of dense matter. We investigate how such axion condensates modify the equilibrium structure and radial oscillation spectrum of neutron stars. Using a realistic neutron star model with the BSk26 equation of state, and solving the coupled Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff and Klein-Gordon equations together with a linear perturbation analysis, we find two distinct families of quasinormal modes: weakly damped fluid-dominated oscillations and highly damped axion modes. The coupling between the fluid and the axion field introduces axion-induced damping of radial oscillations, with decay timescales of order seconds for kHz axion masses. Modes with frequencies above the axion mass are strongly damped, while those below remain unaffected. Although neutron star radial oscillations are difficult to observe, our results suggest that extensions of this work can turn neutron star seismology into a novel probe of the axion properties.