Speaker: Itay Bloch
Title: Matter Induced Deformation of Axion Dark Matter Profiles
Room: 3024
Host: John Terning
Abstract: In this talk, I will present my latest work on how Earth’s matter density impacts wave‐like axion dark matter, especially when we properly account for the axion’s virial momentum. I begin by explaining why the zero‐momentum approximation can misleadingly predict divergences in the axion field. I will map out the parameter space where these matter‐momentum effects become most relevant and discuss how they modify—and sometimes improve—our experimental prospects for discovering ultralight axion‐like particles in terrestrial settings. I highlight two crucial effects at Earth’s surface: first, the axion field amplitude can be noticeably suppressed compared to the standard values, and second, the radial gradient of the axion field can be enhanced, potentially boosting signals in experiments that are sensitive to gradient couplings, such as spin‐precession or “axion wind” measurements. The work is an early step in exploring the rich phenomenology of this effect. I will finish by discussing some of the many directions we are currently considering for future exploration.
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