Abstract. Observations of the temperature anisotropies induced as light from the CMB passes through large scale structures in the late universe are a sensitive probe of the interactions of photons in such environments. In extensions of the Standard Model which give rise to mini-charged particles, photons propagating through transverse magnetic fields can be lost to pair production of such particles. Such a decrement in the photon flux would occur as photons from the CMB traverse the magnetic fields of galaxy clusters. Therefore late time CMB anisotropies can be used to constrain the properties of mini-charged particles. We outline how this test is constructed, and present new constraints on mini-charged particles from observations of the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect in the Coma cluster.

Key words: Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect; string theory and cosmology; cosmology of theories beyond the SM; magnetic fields

E-print number: 0909.0649
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Refers: to

Received 5 September 2009, accepted for publication 12 October 2009
Published 4 November 2009