Physics & Astronomy Colloquium

3:30 PM, Friday, November 20, 2009
Room 155, Chem-Phys Building

Dr. Aaron S. Chou
Fermilab Center for Particle Astrophysics
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

"Experimental probes of axions''

Axion models were first proposed as a natural solution to the strong CP problem in quantum chromodynamics--the mystery of the vanishing neutron electric dipole moment. It was later realized that axion particles could also play a prominent role in cosmology, being one of the best candidates for either hot or cold dark matter. In this talk, I will review recent experimental searches for axions, including searches for dark matter axions, solar axions, and laboratory beam axions. These direct detection techniques all rely on semi-classical processes to overcome the extremely weak, predicted coupling of axions to the electromagnetic field. I will also discuss recent astrophysical and cosmological probes, including gamma ray, cosmic ray, and cosmic microwave background data.

Refreshments will be served in CP 179 at 3:15 PM