Photon mixing in universes with large extra-dimensions

Abstract

In presence of a magnetic field, photons can mix with any particle having a two-photon vertex. In theories with large compact extra-dimensions, there exists a hierachy of massive Kaluza-Klein gravitons that couple to any photon entering a magnetic field. We study this mixing and show that, in comparison with the four dimensional situation where the photon couples only to the massless graviton, the oscillation effect may be enhanced due to the existence of a large number of Kaluza-Klein modes. We give the conditions for such an enhancement and then investigate the cosmological and astrophysical consequences of this phenomenon; we also discuss some laboratory experiments. Axions also couple to photons in the same way; we discuss the effect of the existence of bulk axions in universes with large extra-dimensions. The results can also be applied to neutrino physics with extra-dimensions.