The galactic globular cluster M5 (NGC 5904) as a particle physics laboratory

Abstract

Globular clusters have been used for a long time to test stellar evolution theories, and in particular to constrain novel forms of energy loss in low-mass stars. This includes constraints on axion properties, neutrino dipole moments, milli-charged particles, Kaluza-Klein gravitons, and many other phenomena. Depending on their interaction strength, these particles can be abundantly produced in stellar interiors, escape without further interaction, and thus drain energy directly from the stellar interior. Hence, they contribute directly to the stellar energy losses, thus modifying stellar evolution. Our goal is to re-examine such constraints in the light of modern data and updated stellar evolution codes, paying particular attention to systematic and statistical errors. As a first example, we consider the case of a neutrino magnetic moment that enhances the energy loss from the plasma process.In terms of the observed color-magnitude diagrams, the tip of the red giant branch (RGB) has been identified as a sensitive observable of the effects of the energy losses due to a neutrino magnetic moment. Here we describe the consequences of adding the cooling effect due to a neutrino magnetic moment to the Princeton-Goddard-PUC (PGPUC) stellar evolution code, exploring in particular the dependence of the position of the RGB tip on the neutrino magnetic moment.As a first application, we studied the position of the observed RGB tip in the case of the Galactic globular cluster M5 (NGC 5904), using the latest, high-precision, ground-based data from the P. B. Stetson database (2012, priv. comm.). We compare the empirical results with the PGPUC model predictions, and discuss the implied constraints on the value of the neutrino magnetic moment.