Why is it so Difficult to Probe the Nature of Dark Matter?

Event Date:
2023-02-02T16:00:00
2023-02-02T17:00:00
Event Location:
HENN 201
Speaker:
Ludo van Waerbeke (UBC)
Related Upcoming Events:
Intended Audience:
Undergraduate
Local Contact:

Georg Rieger (rieger@phas.ubc.ca) and Jess McIver (mciver@phas.ubc.ca)

*Note: LOCATION CHANGE: this event is now being held in HENN 201

**All are welcome to this event!**

 

Event Information:

Abstract:

Ninety years after the first hints of its existence, the nature of dark matter remains elusive. The only physical property firmly supported by observations is the "Cold" aspect of dark matter. Decades of direct search experiments have helped to reduce the range of some parameters of the so-called Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) model, but no direct detection has yet been reported. In this context, the exploration of dark matter models, other than WIMPs, has gained momentum.

The WIMPs model is based on fundamental assumptions, assumptions which are generally not questioned although not supported by direct observations. Abandoning them opens the path to alternative models of dark matter, but in order to be credible, these models have to predict specific signatures. The coming era of large scale surveys (Euclid, Rubin, Roman, SKA, etc...), going to probe to unprecedented depth and resolution the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from radio to gamma-ray wavelengths, might be the best opportunity astronomers ever had to test the electromagnetic signature of dark matter.

In this talk, after reviewing the assumptions behind the WIMPs paradigm, I will introduce the Axion Quark Nugget model. No wild extension of the standard model of particle physics is needed, other than the existence of the QCD axion. The axion field triggers the formation of two types of nuggets, matter and antimatter, at the quark-hadron phase transition. These nuggets would constitute the dark matter we observe today. The interactions between baryonic matter and the antimatter nuggets lead to a variety of predictable electromagnetic signatures. There are hints that some of them might have already been seen, and some others are within reach of upcoming surveys.

Bio

Doctoral Degree: University of Orsay, Paris XI, Astrophysics/Cosmology, 1997

Employment History

  • 2014- Professor, Physics and Astronomy, UBC
  • 2009-2014 Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, UBC
  • 2004-2009 Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy, UBC
  • 2002-2004 Chargé de Recherche CR1, CNRS, IAP, Paris, France (tenure)
  • 2000-2002 Chargé de Recherche CR1, CNRS, IAP, Paris, France (tenure track)
  • 1998-2000 Postdoctoral Fellow, CITA, Toronto, Canada
  • 1997-1998 Postdoctoral Fellow, Max-Planck-Institut, Garching, Germany

Awards

  • 2015  Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Humboldt Foundation
  • 2010  Peter Walls Institute for Advanced Studies Early Career Scholar award
  • 2007-2012  Senior Fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Cosmology & Gravity program
  • 1993-1996 PhD fellowship award from the french ministry of research and education

 

Add to Calendar 2023-02-02T16:00:00 2023-02-02T17:00:00 Why is it so Difficult to Probe the Nature of Dark Matter? Event Information: Abstract: Ninety years after the first hints of its existence, the nature of dark matter remains elusive. The only physical property firmly supported by observations is the "Cold" aspect of dark matter. Decades of direct search experiments have helped to reduce the range of some parameters of the so-called Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) model, but no direct detection has yet been reported. In this context, the exploration of dark matter models, other than WIMPs, has gained momentum. The WIMPs model is based on fundamental assumptions, assumptions which are generally not questioned although not supported by direct observations. Abandoning them opens the path to alternative models of dark matter, but in order to be credible, these models have to predict specific signatures. The coming era of large scale surveys (Euclid, Rubin, Roman, SKA, etc...), going to probe to unprecedented depth and resolution the entire electromagnetic spectrum, from radio to gamma-ray wavelengths, might be the best opportunity astronomers ever had to test the electromagnetic signature of dark matter. In this talk, after reviewing the assumptions behind the WIMPs paradigm, I will introduce the Axion Quark Nugget model. No wild extension of the standard model of particle physics is needed, other than the existence of the QCD axion. The axion field triggers the formation of two types of nuggets, matter and antimatter, at the quark-hadron phase transition. These nuggets would constitute the dark matter we observe today. The interactions between baryonic matter and the antimatter nuggets lead to a variety of predictable electromagnetic signatures. There are hints that some of them might have already been seen, and some others are within reach of upcoming surveys. Bio:  Doctoral Degree: University of Orsay, Paris XI, Astrophysics/Cosmology, 1997 Employment History 2014- Professor, Physics and Astronomy, UBC 2009-2014 Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, UBC 2004-2009 Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy, UBC 2002-2004 Chargé de Recherche CR1, CNRS, IAP, Paris, France (tenure) 2000-2002 Chargé de Recherche CR1, CNRS, IAP, Paris, France (tenure track) 1998-2000 Postdoctoral Fellow, CITA, Toronto, Canada 1997-1998 Postdoctoral Fellow, Max-Planck-Institut, Garching, Germany Awards 2015  Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Humboldt Foundation 2010  Peter Walls Institute for Advanced Studies Early Career Scholar award 2007-2012  Senior Fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Cosmology & Gravity program 1993-1996 PhD fellowship award from the french ministry of research and education   Event Location: HENN 201