Searching for dark matter and dark energy with mechanical systems

  • Physics and Astronomy Colloquium

February 14, 2025 3:30 PM - February 14, 2025 4:30 PM
PAIS 1100

Host:
Ivan Deutsch
Presenter:
Dr. Swati Singh (University of Delaware)
Video recording
When properly engineered, simple quantum systems such as harmonic oscillators or spins can be excellent detectors of feeble forces and fields. Following a general introduction to this fast-growing area of research, I will focus on using optomechanical systems as sensors of weak acceleration and strain fields. Ultralight dark matter coupling to standard model fields and particles would produce a coherent strain or acceleration signal in an elastic solid. I will discuss the feasibility of searching for this signal using various optomechanical systems. I will also show that current mechanical systems have the sensitivity to set new constraints on scalar field candidates for dark energy. Finally, I will briefly overview the promise of quantum noise limited detectors in the search for beyond the standard model physics.

Upcoming Events

Forecasting Dark Matter Physics with the Milky Way Satellite Galaxies: A Forward-Modeling Approach
Soumyodipta Karmakar (UNM)
Nuclear, Particle, Astroparticle and Cosmology (NUPAC) Seminars
Apr. 22, 2:00 PM
PAIS 3205

Next Generation Very Large Array Listening Session

Outreach
Special Talk
Apr. 23, 6:00 PM - Apr. 23, 7:30 PM
PAIS 1100

No Colloquium on April 25

Physics and Astronomy Colloquium
Apr. 25, 3:30 PM - Apr. 25, 4:30 PM
PAIS 1100

Massless Particles and the Structure of the Visible Universe
Raza Sufian (NMSU)
Nuclear, Particle, Astroparticle and Cosmology (NUPAC) Seminars
Apr. 29, 2:00 PM
PAIS 3205

TBD
Charlie Siders (UNM)
CART Astrophysics Seminar Series
May. 1, 2:00 PM
PAIS 3205