Search for transient variations of the fine structure constant and dark matter using fiber-linked optical atomic clocks

authored by: B. M. Roberts, P. Delva, A. Al-Masoudi, A. Amy-Klein, C. Bærentsen, C. F.A. Baynham, E. Benkler, S. Bilicki, S. Bize, W. Bowden, J. Calvert, V. Cambier, E. Cantin, E. A. Curtis, S. Dörscher, M. Favier, F. Frank, P. Gill, R. M. Godun, G. Grosche, C. Guo, A. Hees, I. R. Hill, R. Hobson, N. Huntemann, J. Kronjäger, S. Koke, A. Kuhl, R. Lange, T. Legero, B. Lipphardt, C. Lisdat, J. Lodewyck, O. Lopez, H. S. Margolis, H. Álvarez-Martínez, F. Meynadier, F. Ozimek, E. Peik, P. E. Pottie, N. Quintin, C. Sanner, L. De Sarlo, M. Schioppo, R. Schwarz, A. Silva, U. Sterr, Chr Tamm, R. Le Targat, P. Tuckey, G. Vallet, T. Waterholter, D. Xu, P. Wolf
Abstract: We search for transient variations of the fine structure constant using data from a European network of fiber-linked optical atomic clocks. By searching for coherent variations in the recorded clock frequency comparisons across the network, we significantly improve the constraints on transient variations of the fine structure constant. For example, we constrain the variation to5 × 10-17 for transients of duration 103 s. This analysis also presents a possibility to search for dark matter, the mysterious substance hypothesised to explain galaxy dynamics and other astrophysical phenomena that is thought to dominate the matter density of the universe. At the current sensitivity level, we find no evidence for dark matter in the form of topological defects (or, more generally, any macroscopic objects), and we thus place constraints on certain potential couplings between the dark matter and standard model particles, substantially improving upon the existing constraints, particularly for large (104 km) objects.
External Organisation(s): Observatoire de Paris (OBSPARIS)
University of Queensland
National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB)
Universite Paris 13
National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
Spanish Navy Observatory (ROA)
Bureau International des Poids et Mesures
Réseau National de télécommunications pour la Technologie l’Enseignement et la Recherche (RENATER)
Type: Article
Journal: New journal of physics
Volume: 22
ISSN: 1367-2630
Publication date: 09.2020
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Physics and Astronomy(all)
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/abaace (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{8ffd251f4efa4a60abc17ad042a2069c,
title = "Search for transient variations of the fine structure constant and dark matter using fiber-linked optical atomic clocks",
abstract = "We search for transient variations of the fine structure constant using data from a European network of fiber-linked optical atomic clocks. By searching for coherent variations in the recorded clock frequency comparisons across the network, we significantly improve the constraints on transient variations of the fine structure constant. For example, we constrain the variation to5 × 10-17 for transients of duration 103 s. This analysis also presents a possibility to search for dark matter, the mysterious substance hypothesised to explain galaxy dynamics and other astrophysical phenomena that is thought to dominate the matter density of the universe. At the current sensitivity level, we find no evidence for dark matter in the form of topological defects (or, more generally, any macroscopic objects), and we thus place constraints on certain potential couplings between the dark matter and standard model particles, substantially improving upon the existing constraints, particularly for large (104 km) objects. ",
keywords = "Atomic clock, Dark matter, Fine structure constant, Quantum sensor",
author = "Roberts, {B. M.} and P. Delva and A. Al-Masoudi and A. Amy-Klein and C. B{\ae}rentsen and Baynham, {C. F.A.} and E. Benkler and S. Bilicki and S. Bize and W. Bowden and J. Calvert and V. Cambier and E. Cantin and Curtis, {E. A.} and S. D{\"o}rscher and M. Favier and F. Frank and P. Gill and Godun, {R. M.} and G. Grosche and C. Guo and A. Hees and Hill, {I. R.} and R. Hobson and N. Huntemann and J. Kronj{\"a}ger and S. Koke and A. Kuhl and R. Lange and T. Legero and B. Lipphardt and C. Lisdat and J. Lodewyck and O. Lopez and Margolis, {H. S.} and H. {\'A}lvarez-Mart{\'i}nez and F. Meynadier and F. Ozimek and E. Peik and Pottie, {P. E.} and N. Quintin and C. Sanner and {De Sarlo}, L. and M. Schioppo and R. Schwarz and A. Silva and U. Sterr and Chr Tamm and {Le Targat}, R. and P. Tuckey and G. Vallet and T. Waterholter and D. Xu and P. Wolf",
note = "Funding information: Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the . Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Agence Nationale de la Recherche https://doi.org/10.13039/501100001665 (Labex First-TF ANR-10-LABX-48-01 Equipex REFIMEV European Metrology Programme for Innovation and Research 15SIB03 (OC18) 15SIB05 (OFTEN) Horizon 2020 Framework Programme https://doi.org/10.13039/100010661 ERC AdOC Grant No. 617553 Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft https://doi.org/10.13039/501100001659 QuantumFrontiers EXC 2123 CRC 1227 (DQ-mat proje yes ? 2020 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd on behalf of the Institute of Physics and Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence",
year = "2020",
month = sep,
doi = "10.1088/1367-2630/abaace",
language = "English",
volume = "22",
journal = "New journal of physics",
issn = "1367-2630",
publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",
number = "9",
}