0000000000686856

AUTHOR

F. T. Avignone

Estimating the flux of the 14.4 keV solar axions

In this paper we present a calculation of the expected flux of the mono-energetic 14.4 keV solar axions emitted by the M1 type nuclear transition of $^{57}$Fe in the Sun. These axions can be detected, e.g., by inverse coherent Bragg-Primakoff conversion in single-crystal TeO$_2$ bolometers. The ingredients of this calculation are i) the axion nucleon coupling, estimated in several popular axion models and ii)the nuclear spin matrix elements involving realistic shell model calculations with both proton and neutron excitations. For the benefit of the experiments we have also calculated the branching ratio involving axion and photon emission

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Conceptual design of the International Axion Observatory (IAXO)

The International Axion Observatory (IAXO) will be a forth generation axion helioscope. As its primary physics goal, IAXO will look for axions or axion-like particles (ALPs) originating in the Sun via the Primakoff conversion of the solar plasma photons. In terms of signal-to-noise ratio, IAXO will be about 4-5 orders of magnitude more sensitive than CAST, currently the most powerful axion helioscope, reaching sensitivity to axion-photon couplings down to a few $\times 10^{-12}$ GeV$^{-1}$ and thus probing a large fraction of the currently unexplored axion and ALP parameter space. IAXO will also be sensitive to solar axions produced by mechanisms mediated by the axion-electron coupling $g_{…

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Inelastic WIMP-nucleus scattering to the first excited state in125Te

The direct detection of dark matter constituents, in particular the weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), is considered central to particle physics and cosmology. In this paper we study transitions to the excited states, possible in some nuclei, which have sufficiently low lying excited states. Examples considered previously were the first excited states of $^{127}$I and $^{129}$Xe and $^{83}$Kr. Here we examine $^{125}$Te, which offers some advantages and is currently being considered as a target.In all these cases the extra signature of the gamma rays following the de-excitation of these states has definite advantages over the purely nuclear recoil and, in principle, such a signat…

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IAXO - The International Axion Observatory

The International Axion Observatory (IAXO) is a next generation axion helioscope aiming at a sensitivity to the axion-photon coupling of a few 10^{-12} GeV^{-1}, i.e. 1-1.5 orders of magnitude beyond sensitivities achieved by the currently most sensitive axion helioscope, the CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST). Crucial factors in improving the sensitivity for IAXO are the increase of the magnetic field volume together with the extensive use of x-ray focusing optics and low background detectors, innovations already successfully tested at CAST. Electron-coupled axions invoked to explain the white dwarf cooling, relic axions, and a large variety of more generic axion-like particles (ALPs) along…

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The Next Generation of Axion Helioscopes: The International Axion Observatory (IAXO)

Çetin, Serkant Ali (Dogus Author) -- Conference full title: 13th International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics, TAUP 2013; Asilomar Conference Grounds Monterey Peninsula; United States; 8 September 2013 through 13 September 2013. The International Axion Observatory (IAXO) is a proposed 4th-generation axion helioscope with the primary physics research goal to search for solar axions via their Primakoff conversion into photons of 1 - 10 keV energies in a strong magnetic field. IAXO will achieve a sensitivity to the axion-photon coupling gaγ down to a few ×10-12 GeV-1 for a wide range of axion masses up to ∼ 0.25 eV. This is an improvement over the currently best …

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Future axion searches with the International Axion Observatory (IAXO)

Çetin, Serkant Ali (Dogus Author) -- Conference full title: 6th Symposium on Large TPCs for Low Energy Rare Event Detection; Paris; France; 17 December 2012 through 19 December 2012. The International Axion Observatory (IAXO) is a new generation axion helioscope aiming at a sensitivity to the axion-photon coupling of gaγ ∼ few × 10-12 GeV-1, i.e. 1-1.5 orders of magnitude beyond the one achieved by CAST, currently the most sensitive axion helioscope. The main elements of IAXO are an increased magnetic field volume together with extensive use of x-ray focusing optics and low background detectors, innovations already successfully tested in CAST. Additional physics cases of IAXO could include …

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Theoretical direct WIMP detection rates for transitions to the first excited state inKr83

The direct detection of dark matter constituents, in particular the weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), is central to particle physics and cosmology. In this paper we study transitions to the excited states, possible in some nuclei, which have sufficiently low lying excited states. Examples considered previously were the first excited states of $^{127}\mathrm{I}$ and $^{129}\mathrm{Xe}$. We examine here $^{83}\mathrm{Kr}$, which offers some kinematical advantages and is a possible target. We estimate appreciable rates for the inelastic scattering mediated by the spin cross sections, with an inelastic event rate of $4.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}\text{ …

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Theoretical direct WIMP detection rates for transitions to nuclear excited states

The recent WMAP and Planck data have confirmed that exotic dark matter together with the vacuum energy (cosmological constant) dominate in the flat Universe. Many extensions of the standard model provide dark matter candidates, in particular Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). Thus the direct dark matter detection is central to particle physics and cosmology. Most of the research on this issue has hitherto focused on the detection of the recoiling nucleus. In this paper we study transitions to the excited states, possible in some nuclei, which have sufficiently low lying excited states. Examples considered previously were the first excited states of $^{127}$I and $^{129}$Xe. We ex…

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