AXION, A

CLEAN
SOLUTION TO
STRONG CP
AND DARK
MATTER PB!!
 WHAT IS AN AXION?
1.Axion and The Strong CP problem
2.Limits for the mass of axions
3.Axion and Dark Matter
4.Identity Card of Axions
5.How does one look for Axions?
6.The CAST experiment
7.The PVLAS experiment
8.Results
9. Conclusion
Reminder of P,C and CP Oprations

Parity Operator (P)

(CP) Operation

Charge Conjugaison Operator (C)

 The Strong CP problem
 The rules followed by the  Indeed, physicists used
Strong interaction obey to see strong and EM
discrete symmetries P interactions obeying P
and CP. and CP.
 These symmetries have
been known for a long  Kaons Violate CP
time. The discovery that symmetry by weak
weak interaction violates interaction
P and CP = big surprise
 Strong Cp problem and Axions
 how can the strong interaction, which is part of the Standard Model,
conserve P and CP?
Here is the guy:

 there are some natural terms which

appear in the QCD Lagrangian expression
to be potentially able to describe a
breaking of the CP theory.

Problem is:
Strong CP problem and Axions

 the most sensitive test of P  in quantum field: each field

and CP violation by the produces a particle
strong int. : requires the teta
of QCD be less than 10^(-9).
 the hypothetical particle
corresponding to this field
 Peccei-Quinn was called “axion”.
solution:modifiy the Model by
adding a new sym.(PQ) and
making the teta angle of
 The potential which this field
QCD a dynamical variable naturally obtains causes it to
rather than a simple arbitrary have a value which makes
constant the effective θ parameter
vanish.no problem anymore
 Mass Limits on Axions
 THEORICAL ARGUMENT
As for the Pecceni-Quinn theory: ~1.8MeV

 REACTION OBSERVATION ARGUMENT

an axion heavier than 1keV would lead to new particles physics
reactions (decay into K+ and π+), but these never occured
< 1keV

 ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATION ARGUMENT

axion mass must be no more than 10–3 electronvolts < 10–3 eV

 COSMOLOGICAL ARGUMENT
If axion is lihgter than 1microeV, its “relique” density in primitive
universe would be higher than the actual observed density of total
energy in the Universe > 10–6 eV
Mass Limits and Dark Matters
 To sum up the most likely mass limits on axion are:
10–6 < m(axion) < 10–3 eV
 Now: what is dark matter?
 mass of matter in the universe that cannot be observed by direct observations of its
emitted or absorbed electromagnetic radiation.
 number of astrophysical observations that suggest that the actual mass of universe is
greater than estimated by observation using optical telescopes, radiotelescopes..etc.
 It is thought to be a considerable amount of dark matter (hidden matter) causing this
discrepancy
 Mass limits and Dark Matter
 Various explanations have been put
forward for this missing mass, including
black holes, brown dwarfes, cosmic
strings, neutrinos, monopoles, WIMPS
and...

As we can see, the axion seem

to be a good candidate to be a
part of the dark matter!
Properties of Axions
 Hypothetical pseudo-Goldstone boson particles, stable
particles, almost do not interact with matter

 Axion mass is given by :

 Axion’s coupling with photon is given by:

with :


Primakoff effect: conversion of photons into axions
How does one look for axions?
It depends where do they come from

Galactical Axions- Haloscopes (ADMX, CARRACK)

microwave cavity + magnetic field

Laboratory Axions- Regeneration « Light Shinning through wall

- Polarisation (PVLAS)
laser + magnetic field

Axions produced in the sun- Helioscopes (CAST, TOKYO)

- Cristal detectors (SOLAX, COSME,
DAMA)
sun + magnetic/electrical field
How does one look like for Axions?
Axions in laboratory Axions in the Sun
« Light shinning through a Helioscopes
wall »

Polarisation: Cristalline detectors:

polarised laser through a Primakoff + Braggs

vacuum with a tranverse condition
magn.field.
CAST:Cern Axion Solar Telescope

Moving LHC dipole: L= 9.3m B= 9 Tesla

Sun tracking 3hours/day
3 X-Rays detectors
Measured signal: excess of X-rays when
pointing to the sun
CAST: Production and detection
 Production in the Sun  Detection Principle

 Inside the  Conversion probability:

sun:interaction photon-
nucleons by primakoff

 Expected # photons:

~ 7events/day

A
CAST:X-Ray detector
PVLAS:Polarizzazione del Vuoto con Laser
 Polarized laser through B=5T
 Goal: measure modification of polarization of light
 QED forecast interaction btw photons-B:ellipticity
 Ellipticity due to birefringence of vacuum (changes in refractive
indices for different polarization vectors) depending on B²

Linear polarization(45°)

Elliptical polarization
 PVLAS: experimental Setup

Photo elsastic Modulator

6.5T

Fabry-Perrot resonator
PVLAS:measured effects
 Production and destruction  Real production of
of virtual particle:change of particle:rotation of the plane
ellipticity of polarization(dichroisme)
Results
Conclusion
 Axions remain to be a promising
solution to the CP problem
 They additionally provide a well-
motivated candidate for dark matter
 Experiments are being pursued and
improved for dicover certainly in a
couple of years axions.