Modified electron trajectory due to the axion dark matter background

Abstract

It is well known that the coupling of an axion-like particle with a photon modifies the Maxwell equations. One of the main consequences of these modifications is the conversion of axions into photons. Little has been said about other possible effects. In this paper we show that the trajectory of an electron can be significantly altered because of the emergence of an electric field due to the dark matter background of the axion-like particles in this modified axion-electrodynamics. Different dark matter densities and magnetic field strengths are considered and it is shown that an axion-like particle with a mass $m_a\sim 10^{-22}$ eV generates an electric field that can significantly change the trajectory of an electron in these scenarios.

Comments: 14 pages, 4 figures. Version published in J. Phys. G 52 (2025) 035006