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Reaching out to the Dark Side with SKA

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Reaching out to the Dark Side with SKA Reaching out to The Dark Side with SKA Andrei Lobanov MPIfR Bonn / University of Hamburg A. Lobanov Radio Goes Fundamental Dark matter and dark energy are presently at the focus of many laboratory and astrophysical experiments in the radio. DM and DE „carrier“ particles/forces (WISP, such as axions, hidden photons, and chameleons) may be better detectable at low energies and in the radio domain specifically. SKA potentials: – searches for hidden photons in broad-band spectra of astrophysical objects (planets, SNR, AGN); – axion detection in the vicinity of pulsars, magentars, and isolated neutron stars – chameleon searches with luminosity and polarisation measuements on supernovae and AGN A. Lobanov Two+ Clouds of SM Standard Model: SU(3)×SU(2)×U(1) gives us (nearly) all things we may need in life. „The beauty and clearness of the dynamical theory, […], is at present obscured by two clouds […]” – gravitation and dark energy ... plus some „lesser evils“ such as dark matter, neutrino oscillations, strong CP problem, fine tuning, etc... Most of the solutions proposed invoke a „hidden sector“ of the global parameter space, only weakly coupled to „normal matter“ of the SM. A. Lobanov Dark Matter and Dark Energy Dark Matter: interacts with SM (mostly) gravitationally. Dark Energy: unseen influence (vacuum energy, scalar field, quintescence?) permeating the space and causing acceleration of the Universe Evidence for DM and DE: – stellar motions in galaxies; galaxy motions in clusters – gravitational lensing – light curves of distant supernovae Possible types of DM: – baryonic (MACHOS: BD, Jupiters, etc.) – non-baryonic: weakly interacting particles: WIMP: neutralinos, gravitinos, m >> 1 eV WISP: axions/ALP, MCP, hidden photons, m << 1 eV WISP can also explain DE (chameleons) . WISP cannot be detected at accelerators. Need low energy experiments! A. Lobanov Many Faces of WISP Direct detection of WISP or putting bounds on their properties are of paramount importance for cosmology and particle physics. A number of experimental methods have been employed, both for laboratory and astrophysical searches – all relying on WISP interaction (coupling, kinetic mixing) with ordinary matter (most often: photons). Radio regime (0.03—1400 GHz): excellent sensitivity to WISP signal and access to DM/DE – relevant particle mass ranges. Crab Nebula astrophysical signal, F(ν) modulated by hidden photon oscillations Zechlin et al. 2008 axions/ALP/MCP/chameleons hidden photons A. Lobanov Axions and ALP Solution to CP-violation in QCD problem: spontaneous U(1) symmetry breaking at an energy scale fa (Peccei & Quinn 1977) producing a pseudo-scalar particle (axion), dynamically removing the CP-violation; resulting mass ~ 6 meV 10 GeV/ , strong DM particle candidate. Axion-like particles (ALP) may 9arise from other symmetry breakings. 푚푎 푓푎 SKA on pulsars, magnetars, and isolated neutron stars: probing the -12 -1 coupling down to ~10 GeV . 24 MHz 240 GHz Jaeckel & Ringwald 2010, Collar et al. 2012 A. Lobanov Chameleons One of the most attractive explanations for dark energy – a scalar field – requires a self-interaction mechanism (equivalence principle or law). −2 Chameleon, a scalar field, , with a mass that depends푟 on the mass scale of the coupling to matter – can be the휙 ⁄DE푀 particle. 휙 푚 휙 ∝ 푒 SKA on AGN and supernovae (polarisation; luminosity function): unique complementarity with other measurements Khoury & Weltman 2004, Burrage et al. 2008, 2009 Collar et al. 2012 A. Lobanov Hidden Photons Extra U(1) symmetries in many extensions of the SM require a gauge boson (hidden photon, ) that interacts with SM particles only via kinetic mixing: = 1 2 ′ . 훾 휇휇 HP is a viableℒ퐼 DM⁄ candidate휒 퐴휇휇퐵 in a broad range of particle mass Radio measurements probe a broad and unique range of particle mass. Radio/mm/submm measurements Redondo 2011, Arias et al. 2012, Collar et al. 2012 A. Lobanov Astrophysical HP Searches Probability (and energy spectrum) of the oscillation Crab Nebula depends on the mass mγ s astrophysical and (coupling) kinetic signal, F(ν) mixing parameter χ of the hidden photons. modulated by hidden Maximum distance at photon oscillations which oscillations can be detected depends on the emission process and Zechlin et al. 2008 environment conditions A. Lobanov Photon-Photon Oscillations Oscillations can be detected around the primary frequency ν*, within a „useful range“ of frequencies (νl, νu). Can search for photon oscillations in galactic SNR and in AGN. Can stack multiple objects, substantially improving detection limits. If detected, would provide exceptionally good distance measure (via λ*)! Lobanov, Zechlin, Horns, PRD, 87, 065004 (2013) A. Lobanov Limits on χ Expected limits on χ from measurements in different target objects PRD, 87, 065004 (2013) A. Lobanov Data Stacking Expected limits on χ from data stacking on different target objects PRD, 87, 065004 (2013) A. Lobanov Expected Impact Single source observations should provide < 10 bounds; stacking of 10–100 objects would yield < 10 bounds down− to2 10 eV. −3 휒 −19 SKA surveys: broad band measurements휒 of 100000+ 푚 radio훾푠 ≈ sources. PRD, 87, 065004 (2013) A. Lobanov Summary WISP detection may ultimately on low energy experiments, particularly on measuerements in the radio regime. The radio regime is uniquely suited for closing the last gaps in the strongly favoured 10-3 – 10-7 eV range for the axion mass, extending down to ~10-19 eV the range of the hidden photon mass probed, and providing critical complementarity for chameleon searches made in other domains. SKA measurements made as dedicated programs and as part of large scale continuum surveys provide excellent tools (and possibly also excellent chance) for detecting the elusive dark matter and dark energy „carrier“ particles. .
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