“This is since the nature of dark matter is still completely unclear,” says Dr. Volker Hejny, who is also from Jülichs Nuclear Physics Institute and, like his colleague Jörg Pretz, is a member of the worldwide JEDI partnership that carried out the experiment. Theoretical physicists have actually already proposed a number of hypothetical elementary particles that dark matter could be composed of. MRI technology is likewise utilized to search for dark matter. Although the JEDI experiment has actually not yet found proof for dark matter particles, the scientists have actually handled to additional narrow down the possible interaction result. And maybe even more considerable, they were able to develop a appealing and new technique in the search for dark matter.
” Dark matter is not noticeable and has so far only exposed itself indirectly through its gravity. Its result is relatively small, which is why it only truly becomes obvious in the case of tremendously big masses– such as entire galaxies.”
Theoretical physicists have currently proposed a number of hypothetical primary particles that dark matter might be made up of. Depending upon the residential or commercial properties of these particles, different approaches might be utilized to identify them– techniques that do not need the highly complex detection of gravitational effects. These techniques consist of axions and axion-like particles.
In their experiment, the JEDI researchers utilized a special feature of the Jülich particle accelerator COSY: the usage of polarized beams. Credit: Forschungszentrum Jülich/ Ralf-Uwe Limbach
” Originally, axions were planned to solve an issue in the theory of the strong interaction of quantum chromodynamics,” explains Pretz. “The name axion can be traced back to the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Frank Wilczek, and refers to a brand name of cleaning agent: the existence of the particles was expected to clean up the theory of physics, so to speak.”
To spot the axions, scientists in the JEDI collaboration utilized the spins of particles. “Spin is an unique home of quantum mechanics that makes particles behave like small bar magnets,” discusses Hejny.
MRI technology is likewise utilized to look for dark matter. While in typical MRI the atoms are at rest, in an accelerator the particles move almost at the speed of light. This makes the evaluations in some locations much more delicate and the measurements more accurate.
In their experiment, the JEDI scientists made use of a special feature of the Jülich particle accelerator COSY, particularly the use of polarized beams. “In a standard particle beam, the spins of the particles point in random directions,” says Pretz.
Although the JEDI experiment has actually not yet found evidence for dark matter particles, the researchers have actually handled to more narrow down the possible interaction result. And perhaps even more substantial, they were able to establish a new and appealing method in the search for dark matter.
Recommendation: “First Search for Axionlike Particles in a Storage Ring Using a Polarized Deuteron Beam” by S. Karanth et al. (JEDI Collaboration), 12 July 2023, Physical Review X.DOI: 10.1103/ PhysRevX.13.031004.
About 80% of deep spaces matter is an undetected compound called “dark matter.” While its existence has actually been thought for about 90 years, researchers at the JEDI collaboration, using sophisticated particle accelerator methods, are developing new methods to spot it, although conclusive proof stays elusive.
Around 80% of deep spaces matter is made up of a mysterious and unseen compound. This “dark matter” was first theorized nearly 90 years ago.
” This was the only way to reconcile the speed circulation of visible matter within galaxies with existing understanding,” discusses Jörg Pretz, among the research studys co-authors, who is also deputy director at Forschungszentrum Jülichs Nuclear Physics Institute and professor at RWTH Aachen University. “A dark form of matter, previously unseen, need to in addition stabilize the galaxies.”
Physicists have actually been browsing for this matter because the 1930s. Science has no shortage of theories, however no one has actually yet been successful in really spotting dark matter. “This is due to the fact that the nature of dark matter is still entirely uncertain,” says Dr. Volker Hejny, who is likewise from Jülichs Nuclear Physics Institute and, like his associate Jörg Pretz, is a member of the international JEDI cooperation that carried out the experiment. JEDI means Jülich Electric Dipole moment Investigations and scientists involved in the cooperation have actually been working on the measurement of the electric dipole moments of charged particles given that 2011.