Search for chameleons with CAST

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Physics Letters B

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2015.07.049· OSTI ID:1203807

Anastassopoulos, V.; Arik, M.; Aune, S.; Barth, K.; Belov, A.; Bräuninger, H.; Cantatore, G.; Carmona, J. M.; Cetin, S. A.; Christensen, F.; Collar, J. I.; Dafni, T.; Davenport, M.; Desch, K.; Dermenev, A.; Eleftheriadis, C.; Fanourakis, G.; Ferrer-Ribas, E.; Friedrich, P.; Galán, J. ; García, J. A.; Gardikiotis, A.; Garza, J. G.; Gazis, E. N.; Geralis, T.; Giomataris, I.; Hailey, C.; Haug, F.; Hasinoff, M. D.; Hoffmann, D. H. H.; Iguaz, F. J.; Irastorza, I. G.; Jacoby, J.; Jakobsen, A.; Jakovčić, K.; Kaminski, J.; Karuza, M.; Kavuk, M.; Krčmar, M.; Krieger, C.; Krüger, A.; Lakić, B.; Laurent, J. M.; Liolios, A.; Ljubičić, A.; Luzón, G.; Neff, S.; Ortega, I.; Papaevangelou, T.; Pivovaroff, M. J.; Raffelt, G.; Riege, H.; Rosu, M.; Ruz, J.; Savvidis, I.; Solanki, S. K.; Vafeiadis, T.; Villar, J. A.; Vogel, J. K.; Yildiz, S. C.; Zioutas, K.; Brax, P.; Lavrentyev, I.; Upadhye, A.

In this paper we present a search for (solar) chameleons with the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST). This novel experimental technique, in the field of dark energy research, exploits both the chameleon coupling to matter (β_m) and to photons (β_γ) via the Primakoff effect. By reducing the X-ray detection energy threshold used for axions from 1 keV to 400 eV CAST became sensitive to the converted solar chameleon spectrum which peaks around 600 eV. Even though we have not observed any excess above background, we can provide a 95% C.L. limit for the coupling strength of chameleons to photons of β_γ≲10¹¹ for 1< β_m < 10⁶.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• Contributing Organization: CAST Collaboration
• Grant/Contract Number: AC52-07NA27344
• OSTI ID: 1203807
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1236133
• Report Number(s): LLNL-JRNL-675560; S0370269315005596; PII: S0370269315005596
• Journal Information: Physics Letters B, Journal Name: Physics Letters B Vol. 749 Journal Issue: C; ISSN 0370-2693
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Country of Publication: Netherlands
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
chameleon
CAST
SDD
X-ray
tachocline
dark energy