Detecting domain walls of axionlike models using terrestrial experiments

M. Pospelov, S. Pustelny, M. P. Ledbetter, D. F.Jackson Kimball, W. Gawlik, D. Budker

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

117 Scopus citations

Abstract

Stable topological defects of light (pseudo)scalar fields can contribute to the Universe's dark energy and dark matter. Currently, the combination of gravitational and cosmological constraints provides the best limits on such a possibility. We take an example of domain walls generated by an axionlike field with a coupling to the spins of standard-model particles and show that, if the galactic environment contains a network of such walls, terrestrial experiments aimed at the detection of wall-crossing events are realistic. In particular, a geographically separated but time-synchronized network of sensitive atomic magnetometers can detect a wall crossing and probe a range of model parameters currently unconstrained by astrophysical observations and gravitational experiments.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number021803
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume110
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 11 2013
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Detecting domain walls of axionlike models using terrestrial experiments'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this