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Probing the eV-Mass range for solar axions with CAST

TitleProbing the eV-Mass range for solar axions with CAST
Publication TypePresentazione a Congresso
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsAune, S., Barth K., Belov A., Borghi S., Bräuninger H., Cantatore G., Carmona J.M., Cetin S.A., Collar J.I., Dafni T., Davenport M., Eleftheriadis C., Elias N., Ezer C., Fanourakis G., Ferrer-Ribas E., Fischer H., Franz J., Friedrich P., Galán J., Gardikiotis A., Gazis E.N., Geralis T., Giomataris I., Gninenko S., Gómez H., Gruber E., Guthörl T., Hartmann R., Haug F., Hasinoff M.D., Hoffmann D.H.H., Iguaz F.J., Irastorza I.G., Jacoby J., Jakovčić K., Kang D., Karageorgopoulou T., Karuza M., Königsmann K., Kotthaus R., Krčmar M., Kousouris K., Kuster M., Lakić B., Lang P., Lasseur C., Laurent J.M., Liolios A., Ljubiçić A., Lozza V., Lutz G., Luzón G., Miller D.W., Mirizzi A., Morales J., Niinikoski T., Nordt A., Papaevangelou T., Pivovaroff M.J., Raiteri G., Raffelt G., Rashba T., Riege H., Rodríguez A., Rosu M., Ruz J., Savvidis I., Semertzidis Y., Serpico P., Silva P.S., Solanki S.K., Soufli R., Stewart L., Tomás A., Tsagri M., Van Bibber K., Vafeiadis T., Villar J., Vogel J.K., Walckiers L., Wong Y.Y.Y., Yildiz S.C., and Zioutas K.
Conference NameIEEE Nuclear Science Symposium Conference Record
Conference LocationKnoxville, TN
KeywordsBosons, CERN axion solar telescopes, Coupling constants, Current status, Dark matter, Experiments, Gamma rays, Gas density distribution, Helium, Helium gas, High pressure, Magnetic fields, Magnets, Mass regions, Medical imaging, Nuclear physics, Phase space methods, Phase spaces, Photons, Second phase, Solar axions, Strong CP problem, Telescopes, Upper limits, X ray photons, X rays, X-ray detector
Abstract

The CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) is searching for solar axions which could be produced in the core of the Sun via the so-called Primakoff effect. Not only would these hypothetical particles solve the strong CP problem, but they are also one of the favored candidates for dark matter. In order to look for axions originating from the Sun, CAST uses a decommissioned LHC prototype magnet. In its 10 m long magnetic field region of 9 Tesla, axions could be reconverted into X-ray photons. Different X-ray detectors are installed on both ends of the magnet, which is mounted on a structure built to follow the Sun during sunrise and sunset for a total of about 3 hours per day. The analysis of the data acquired during the first phase of the experiment with vacuum in the magnetic field region yielded the most restrictive experimental upper limit on the axion-to-photon coupling constant for axion masses up to about 0.02 eV. In order to extend the sensitivity of the experiment to a wider mass range, the CAST experiment continues its search for axions with helium in the magnet bores. In this way it is possible to restore coherence of conversion for larger masses. Changing the pressure of the helium gas enables the experiment to scan different axion masses in the range of up to about 1.2 eV. Especially at high pressures, a precise knowledge of the gas density distribution is crucial to obtain accurate results. In the first part of this second phase of CAST, 4He was used and the axion mass region was extended up to 0.39 eV, a part of phase space favored by axion models. In CAST's ongoing 3He phase the studied mass range is now being extended further. In this contribution the final results of CAST's 4He phase will be presented and the current status of the 3He run will be given. This includes latest results as well as prospects of future axion experiments. © 2010 IEEE.

URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79960312711&doi=10.1109%2fNSSMIC.2010.5873777&partnerID=40&md5=48d91c7f9dd4a8efe54a67067fa9f007
DOI10.1109/NSSMIC.2010.5873777
Citation KeyAune2010342