UC Berkeley’s Dark Matter Hunt Using Supernovas

UC Berkeley astrophysicists inch closer to identifying dark matter by observing supernova events, potentially uncovering axions - prime dark matter candidates.

At UC Berkeley, a team of astrophysicists is on the verge of what could be an epochal moment in the field, with the potential identification of dark matter on the horizon.

By observing a supergiant star’s explosive demise – a supernova – the researchers, including physics associate professor Benjamin Safdi, brim with anticipation over the prospect of uncovering axions within an astoundingly brief 10-second window, an event that could unveil the nature of these dark matter candidates.

The Hunt for Axions

The success of this quest relies heavily on the strategic positioning of a gamma-ray telescope such as the Fermi Space Telescope. Presently, the likelihood of the telescope being aptly aligned to witness such a stellar occurrence stands at 10%. Yet, the introduction of GALactic AXion Instrument for Supernova (GALAXIS) could revolutionize this by maintaining a vigilant watch over the cosmos, markedly enhancing the odds of picking up signals from axions.

Conceived in the 1970s as a solution to the strong CP problem in the realm of particle physics, axions have been thrust into the spotlight as a top contender in the race to identify dark matter components, thanks to their hypothesized abundant nature and minimal interaction with familiar matter. Their propensity to decay into photons within potent magnetic fields, akin to those encircling neutron stars, presents researchers with a unique window of opportunity. The violent, energy-rich environs of a supernova could trigger a generous discharge of axions, ripe for detection.

Highlighting the stakes involved, Safdi pointed out the disappointment if a supernova occurred prior to the deployment of suitable detection tools: “If we miss the chance to detect axions from a supernova happening tomorrow, we may not get another shot for 50 years.” According to recent analyses conducted by the UC Berkeley team, if the axions possess a mass exceeding 50 micro-electronvolts, their exponential release in the initial collapsing phase of a star could be observable.

The verification of axions could pave the way for profound insights into some of the most perplexing enigmas of physics, from the essence of dark matter and the resolution of the strong CP conundrum to clarifying the asymmetry between matter and antimatter. While the occurrence of the next proximate supernova is a matter of cosmic chance, the global community of astrophysicists stands ready, eyes fixed on the heavens, for what could be a transformative discovery in an instant. This research has been detailed in the scholarly publication Physical Review Letters.