Conférence extérieure: Université de Genève
ECOLE DE PHYSIQUE
Département de physique nucléaire et corspusculaire
24, Quai Ernest-Ansermet
1211 GENEVE 4 - Tél : 022 379 62 73 - Fax: 022 379 69 92
Monday 11 June 2007
COLLOQUE DE LA SECTION DE PHYSIQUE
at 17:00 - Stückelberg Auditorium
The CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST).
Motivation, concept, results and potential implications
Prof. Konstantin ZIOUTAS / University of Patras/Greece & CERN and CAST-spokesperson
Axion is one of the leading dark matter particle candidates. The last few years axion searches are in the spotlight. The physics motivation will be presented. Particles like the axions should be produced also in Stars like our Sun. In magnetic fields axions can coherently oscillate to photons and vice versa (Primakoff effect). CAST searches for solar axions pointing a recycled LHC magnet towards the Sun, and, it provides new results since 2002. Its working principle might well be already at work in outer space, asking for an alternative, though exotic, point of view for certain mysterious phenomena. Their explanation remains challenging and motivating.
Information: http://theory.physics.unige.ch/~fiteo/seminars/COL/collist.html