Only 10 seconds to discover dark matter; Will the next supernova explosion reveal the universe’s great secret?
Axions were first hypothesized in the 1970s as a potential solution to the strong CP puzzle (asymmetry problem). These particles are predicted to have very little mass, no electric charge, and very abundant throughout the universe.
Other physicists later realized that certain properties of axons—such as the way they clump together and interact with other matter through gravity—made them good candidates for dark matter. Most importantly, one of the predicted features can enable their identification.
The property of converting axions into photons in strong magnetic fields makes their identification possible
In strong magnetic fields, axions must occasionally decay into “photons”; Therefore, the detection of additional light near these fields can be a sign of the presence of axions. This has underpinned detection experiments and astronomical observations for decades, allowing scientists to narrow down the range of masses that axions might have.
Neutron stars are one of the most promising places to look for axons. The turbulent physics of these objects should produce large amounts of axons, and even better, the strong magnetic fields should convert some of them into detectable photons.
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In a new paper, the team at the University of California at Berkeley has calculated that the best time to find axons around a neutron star may be at its birth; When a massive star explodes during a supernova event. The new simulations show that a burst of axons will be produced within the first 10 seconds after the star collapses, and the resulting gamma-ray burst could reveal many details.
The team has calculated that a specific type of axon, called a quantum chromodynamic (QCD) axon, can be detected with this method if it has a mass greater than 50 microelectron volts (one ten-billionth the mass of an electron). If axions do exist, they may be one of the most useful little particles ever discovered. Simultaneously, they can help us solve the mysteries of dark matter, the strong CP problem, “string theory” and the matter/antimatter imbalance.
The hypothesis is ready to be tested; Now we just have to wait for the next supernova to happen near us. It could happen today or in a decade, and if Fermi looks at the right part of the sky, we could answer some of science’s most profound questions in seconds.
“The best-case scenario for axions is that Fermi observes a supernova,” Safdie says. The probability is low. But if Fermi sees it, we can measure the mass of the axon and the strength of its interaction. We can determine everything we need to know about the stock and have tremendous confidence in the signal; Because there is no ordinary matter that can create such an event.”
The research was published in Physical Review Letters.
