AEDGE: Atomic experiment for dark matter and gravity exploration in space

AbstractThis article contains a summary of the White Paper submitted in 2019 to the ESA Voyage 2050 process, which was subsequently published in EPJ Quantum Technology (AEDGE Collaboration et al. EPJ Quant. Technol. 7,6 2020). We propose in this White Paper a concept for a space experiment using cold atoms to search for ultra-light dark matter, and to detect gravitational waves in the frequency range between the most sensitive ranges of LISA and the terrestrial LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA/INDIGO experiments. This interdisciplinary experiment, called Atomic Experiment for Dark Matter and Gravity Exploration (AEDGE), will also complement other planned searches for dark matter, and exploit synergies with other gravitational wave detectors. We give examples of the extended range of sensitivity to ultra-light dark matter offered by AEDGE, and how its gravitational-wave measurements could explore the assembly of super-massive black holes, first-order phase transitions in the early universe and cosmic strings. AEDGE will be based upon technologies now being developed for terrestrial experiments using cold atoms, and will benefit from the space experience obtained with, e.g., LISA and cold atom experiments in microgravity.

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Optical atomic phase reference and timing

Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences ◽

10.1098/rsta.2016.0241 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 375 (2099) ◽

pp. 20160241 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

L. Hollberg ◽

E. H. Cornell ◽

A. Abdelrahmann

Keyword(s):

Special Relativity ◽

Real World ◽

High Performance ◽

Cold Atoms ◽

Cold Atom ◽

New Physics ◽

Atomic Clocks ◽

Commercial World ◽

Commercial Applications ◽

Quantum Technology

Atomic clocks based on laser-cooled atoms have made tremendous advances in both accuracy and stability. However, advanced clocks have not found their way into widespread use because there has been little need for such high performance in real-world/commercial applications. The drive in the commercial world favours smaller, lower-power, more robust compact atomic clocks that function well in real-world non-laboratory environments. Although the high-performance atomic frequency references are useful to test Einstein's special relativity more precisely, there are not compelling scientific arguments to expect a breakdown in special relativity. On the other hand, the dynamics of gravity, evidenced by the recent spectacular results in experimental detection of gravity waves by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, shows dramatically that there is new physics to be seen and understood in space–time science. Those systems require strain measurements at less than or equal to 10 −20 . As we discuss here, cold atom optical frequency references are still many orders of magnitude away from the frequency stability that should be achievable with narrow-linewidth quantum transitions and large numbers of very cold atoms, and they may be able to achieve levels of phase stability, Δ Φ / Φ total ≤ 10 −20 , that could make an important impact in gravity wave science. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Quantum technology for the 21st century’.

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Development of a space cold atom clock

National Science Review ◽

10.1093/nsr/nwaa215 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (12) ◽

pp. 1828-1836

Author(s):

Wei Ren ◽

Tang Li ◽

Qiuzhi Qu ◽

Bin Wang ◽

Lin Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Relativity ◽

Dark Matter ◽

Cold Atoms ◽

Cold Atom ◽

Deep Space ◽

Fundamental Physics ◽

Time Frequency ◽

Frequency Standards ◽

Scientific Experiments ◽

Primary Frequency

Abstract Atomic clocks with cold atoms play important roles in the field of fundamental physics as well as primary frequency standards. Operating such cold atom clocks in space paves the way for further exploration in fundamental physics, for example dark matter and general relativity. We developed a space cold atom clock (SCAC), which was launched into orbit with the Space Lab TG-2 in 2016. Before it deorbited with TG-2 in 2019, the SCAC had been working continuously for almost 3 years. During the period in orbit, many scientific experiments and engineering tests were performed. In this article, we summarize the principle, development and in-orbit results. These works provide the basis for construction of a space-borne time-frequency system in deep space.

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Pseudo-Goldstone dark matter: gravitational waves and direct-detection blind spots

Journal of High Energy Physics ◽

10.1007/jhep10(2020)080 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 (10) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tommi Alanne ◽

Nico Benincasa ◽

Matti Heikinheimo ◽

Kristjan Kannike ◽

Venus Keus ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Gravitational Wave ◽

Cross Section ◽

Direct Detection ◽

Big Bang ◽

First Order ◽

First Order Phase Transition ◽

The Standard Model ◽

First Order Phase ◽

Blind Spots

Abstract Pseudo-Goldstone dark matter is a thermal relic with momentum-suppressed direct-detection cross section. We study the most general model of pseudo-Goldstone dark matter arising from the complex-singlet extension of the Standard Model. The new U(1) symmetry of the model is explicitly broken down to a CP-like symmetry stabilising dark matter. We study the interplay of direct-detection constraints with the strength of cosmic phase transitions and possible gravitational-wave signals. While large U(1)-breaking interactions can generate a large direct-detection cross section, there are blind spots where the cross section is suppressed. We find that sizeable cubic couplings can give rise to a first-order phase transition in the early universe. We show that there exist regions of the parameter space where the resulting gravitational-wave signal can be detected in future by the proposed Big Bang Observer detector.

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Gravitational wave probes of dark matter: challenges and opportunities

SciPost Physics Core ◽

10.21468/scipostphyscore.3.2.007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Gianfranco Bertone ◽

Djuna Croon ◽

Mustafa Amin ◽

Kimberly K. Boddy ◽

Bradley Kavanagh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dark Matter ◽

Gravitational Wave ◽

Gravitational Waves ◽

White Paper ◽

Dark Matter Candidate ◽

Open Problems ◽

Wide Range ◽

Challenges And Opportunities ◽

Community Effort

In this white paper, we discuss the prospects for characterizing and identifying dark matter using gravitational waves, covering a wide range of dark matter candidate types and signals. We argue that present and upcoming gravitational wave probes offer unprecedented opportunities for unraveling the nature of dark matter and we identify the most urgent challenges and open problems with the aim of encouraging a strong community effort at the interface between these two exciting fields of research.

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Constraints on primordial black hole dark matter from Galactic center X-ray observations

Astronomy and Astrophysics ◽

10.1051/0004-6361/201833483 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 618 ◽

pp. A139 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Andi Hektor ◽

Gert Hütsi ◽

Martti Raidal

Keyword(s):

Black Holes ◽

Dark Matter ◽

Gravitational Wave ◽

Galactic Center ◽

Model Parameters ◽

Primordial Black Hole ◽

Density Profiles ◽

X Ray ◽

Wave Measurements ◽

Gas Accretion

Context. Surprisingly high masses of the black holes inferred from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo gravitational wave measurements have lead to speculations that the observed mergers might be due to 𝒪(10) M⊙ primordial black holes (PBHs). Furthermore, it has been suggested that the whole amount of dark matter (DM) might be in that exotic form. Aims. We investigate constraints on the PBH DM using NuSTAR Galactic center (GC) X-ray data. Methods. We used a robust Monte Carlo approach in conjunction with a radiatively inefficient PBH accretion model with commonly accepted model parameters. Compared to previous studies we allowed for multiple forms of DM density profiles. Most importantly, our study includes treatment of the gas turbulence, which significantly modifies the relative velocity between PBHs and gas. Results. We show that inclusion of the effects of gas turbulence and the uncertainties related to the DM density profile reduces significantly the gas accretion onto PBHs compared to the claimed values in previous papers. It is highly improbable to obtain accreting PBHs brighter than the NuSTAR point source limit using observationally determined gas velocities. Conclusions. One can safely conclude that GC X-ray observations cannot rule out 𝒪(10) M⊙ PBH DM.

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Correlated gravitational wave and microlensing signals of macroscopic dark matter

Journal of High Energy Physics ◽

10.1007/jhep11(2021)068 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 (11) ◽

Author(s):

Danny Marfatia ◽

Po-Yan Tseng

Keyword(s):

Phase Transition ◽

Dark Matter ◽

Gravitational Wave ◽

Gravitational Waves ◽

Order Phase Transition ◽

Effective Potential ◽

False Vacuum ◽

First Order ◽

First Order Phase Transition ◽

First Order Phase

Abstract Fermion dark matter particles can aggregate to form extended dark matter structures via a first-order phase transition in which the particles get trapped in the false vacuum. We study Fermi balls created in a phase transition induced by a generic quartic thermal effective potential. We show that for Fermi balls of mass, 3 × 10−12M⊙ ≲ MFB ≲ 10−5M⊙, correlated observations of gravitational waves produced during the phase transition (at SKA/THEIA/μAres), and gravitational microlensing caused by Fermi balls (at Subaru-HSC), can be made.

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Gravitational wave signals of dark matter freeze-out

Journal of High Energy Physics ◽

10.1007/jhep02(2021)022 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 (2) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Danny Marfatia ◽

Po-Yan Tseng

Keyword(s):

Phase Transition ◽

Dark Matter ◽

Gravitational Waves ◽

Order Phase Transition ◽

First Order ◽

Stochastic Background ◽

First Order Phase Transition ◽

Relic Abundance ◽

First Order Phase ◽

Freeze Out

Abstract We study the stochastic background of gravitational waves which accompany the sudden freeze-out of dark matter triggered by a cosmological first order phase transition that endows dark matter with mass. We consider models that produce the measured dark matter relic abundance via (1) bubble filtering, and (2) inflation and reheating, and show that gravitational waves from these mechanisms are detectable at future interferometers.

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Dark Matter production from relativistic bubble walls

Journal of High Energy Physics ◽

10.1007/jhep03(2021)288 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Aleksandr Azatov ◽

Miguel Vanvlasselaer ◽

Wen Yin

Keyword(s):

Phase Transition ◽

Dark Matter ◽

Electroweak Phase Transition ◽

First Order ◽

Matter Production ◽

First Order Phase Transition ◽

Relic Abundance ◽

Higgs Portal ◽

First Order Phase ◽

Gravitational Background

Abstract In this paper we present a novel mechanism for producing the observed Dark Matter (DM) relic abundance during the First Order Phase Transition (FOPT) in the early universe. We show that the bubble expansion with ultra-relativistic velocities can lead to the abundance of DM particles with masses much larger than the scale of the transition. We study this non-thermal production mechanism in the context of a generic phase transition and the electroweak phase transition. The application of the mechanism to the Higgs portal DM as well as the signal in the Stochastic Gravitational Background are discussed.

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