Theory Group Seminar, 23 March 2021
Ben Safdi, University of Michigan
Listening for Axion Dark Matter with Radio Telescopes
abstract
The quantum chromodynamics axion is a
well-motivated dark matter candidate that may also solve the strong CP
problem related to the absence of the neutron electric dipole moment.
Multiple experimental efforts are currently racing to try to discover
this particle in the laboratory. In this talk I will show that
astrophysical observations are also a promising path towards detecting
the axion. In particular, I will demonstrate that axion dark matter
may convert to narrow radio lines in the strong magnetic fields
surrounding neutron stars. I will present first results from a
dedicated radio search performed with data from the Green Bank and
Effelsberg radio telescopes, and I will discuss future detection
prospects.