We propose a new method to search for light ( pseudo- ) scalar particles in the spectra of compact astrophysical objects such as magnetars , pulsars , and quasars .
On accounts of compact astrophysical objects having intense magnetic fields extending over large volumes , they provide good conditions for efficient photon-particle oscillations via the Primakoff process .
In particular , we show that if the coupling constant for light ( m _ { a } < 10 ^ { -2 } eV ) axions , g > 10 ^ { -13 } { GeV } ^ { -1 } then it is likely that absorption-like features would be detectable in the spectrum of compact astrophysical sources .