Scientists have successfully created axion quasiparticles, mimicking the behavior of hypothetical particles that could explain dark matter. This breakthrough offers a new way to study the elusive particle and potentially reveal its existence.
Researchers have successfully created axion quasiparticles, which behave similarly to hypothetical axion particles that could be the explanation for dark matter.
Axions are hypothetical particles in physics that were first proposed to solve a problem in the standard model of particle physics.
They are very light, weakly interacting, and could make up part of the universe's dark matter.
Axions have not been directly observed but their existence is supported by theoretical models and some indirect evidence.
Scientists continue to search for axions using experiments such as ALP-X at CERN.
A quasiparticle in a manganese-based material acts a lot like the elusive axion, with its behavior mimicking that of the hypothetical particle. This discovery is a significant step forward in understanding the properties of axions and their potential role in explaining the existence of dark matter.
The Elusive Axion
If axions exist, they could explain dark matter, an invisible form of matter inferred from observations of the cosmos. However, efforts to spot the particles have been unsuccessful. The newfound axion imitators are the next best thing, offering scientists a way to study the behavior of the elusive particle.
Dark matter is a hypothetical form of matter that is thought to exist in the universe but has not been directly observed.
It is estimated to make up approximately 27% of the universe's total mass-energy density, while visible matter makes up only about 5%.
The existence of dark matter was first proposed by Swiss astrophysicist Fritz Zwicky in the 1930s, based on observations of galaxy clusters.
Since then, numerous studies have confirmed its presence through gravitational effects on 'visible matter.'
Creating Axion Quasiparticles
The researchers used a laser to create a magnon, a magnetic wave that travels through the material. They then used another laser to probe the magnetization of the material, revealing an oscillation in the coupling between the electric field and magnetization over time – the hallmark of an axion.
Implications for Dark Matter Detection
Manganese bismuth telluride could be used to create a detector capable of spotting true axion particles in the wild. If an axion enters a magnetic field around the material, it would convert into a photon, which would interact with an axion quasiparticle, amplifying the photon signal and allowing it to be observed.
Dark matter is a mysterious form of matter that does not emit, absorb, or reflect any electromagnetic radiation, making it invisible to our telescopes.
Despite its elusive nature, scientists have developed various methods to detect dark matter, including gravitational lensing, galaxy rotation curves, and particle colliders.
The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment and the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) are notable examples of ongoing efforts to detect dark matter particles.
These experiments rely on highly sensitive instruments to detect faint signals that could indicate the presence of dark matter.
A Breakthrough in Understanding Axions
The discovery of axion quasiparticles is a significant breakthrough in understanding the properties of axions. While these particles are not the real thing, they provide scientists with a way to study the behavior of axions and potentially reveal more about their existence.
