Neutron Star Bounds on Muonic Fifth Forces from Picometer to Kilometer Scales

Abstract

Experimental searches for fifth forces coupled to muons are fundamentally limited by the scarcity of muons in ordinary matter, whereas neutron stars contain abundant muon populations. We show that these compact objects therefore provide superior sensitivity across a broad range of mediator masses. Neutron-star cooling implies limits of $g_{ϕμ}\lesssim10^{-12}$ and $g_{V\!μ}\lesssim3\times10^{-13}$ on scalar and vector bosons with masses $m_X\lesssim100$ keV, whereas SN 1987A cooling implies only $g\lesssim3\times10^{-9}$. Moreover, hydrostatic equilibrium requires any long-range muonic force to be sufficiently weak, surpassing cooling bounds for $m_X\lesssim10^{-5}$ eV. Together, these observables provide the most stringent probes of muonic interactions over distance scales ranging from picometers to kilometers.