In June 2020, Discovery of interesting additional events in data collected as part of the XENON1T experiment Created a special madness in the world of physics. International cooperation aimed at expelling dark matter inside a particle detector in Gran Sasso, Italy, indicated that imaginary and hitherto undetected particles had been found: Solar axes, Elementary particles are predicted but never observed, as their name implies, produced by the sun. Although solar axons are not directly considered candidates for dark matter, they are other types of axes, so finding one would be a big step.

One year later, Axion Theory came to the fore on September 15, 2021, with its publication in the Journal. Physical Review d, A new interpretation of this data by a team of theoretical physicists at the University of Amsterdam, Cambridge, Hawaii, and Paris-Sacle. They claim that there are too many solar axons to produce the observed signal. In short, if the model involving the axes were correct, the largest stars would produce a lot of energy in the form of axes and have a much shorter lifespan than we know. So there is a bone. That is why the first author of the article, Sunny Wagnosi and his colleagues suggested another scenario, which is not exciting: the signal energy found can be matched to particles that carry energy like energy.

XENON1T Experience. The experiment, conducted in Gran Sasso, Italy, between 2016 and 2018, was aimed at expelling dark matter from a 3.2 tonne liquid xenon tank. XENON1T, buried at a depth of 1,500 meters under the Abruzzo Massif, is currently the largest and most sensitive detector dedicated to the search for this nigu material. If a dark matter particle passes through a reservoir, it illuminates the xenon atoms and produces free electrons, all of which can be detected by ultrasonic sensors. We will have to wait for the next version of the experiment called XENONt to get more reliable data.

As a reminder, dark energy (or dark energy) is this repulsive force with a negative pressure that seems to be the origin of the acceleration of the expansion of the universe. Like dark matter, its existence must be proven, and dark energy is a mystery to us. However, we estimate that this is 68% of the universe, while baryonic matter – what we know and interact with on Earth – is only 5%. The remaining 27% will be dark matter. Yes, 95% of the universe is unknown to us!

An example of the expansion of the universe is the belief that dark energy is responsible. Attribution: Mark Garlick / Science Photo Libra / MGA / AFP

“Chamilion” system

Its existence was first assumed in the 1990s “Dark energy” Appears in 1998 A publication), Dark energy is described according to multiple models trying to conform to the standard cosmological model. In particular, many of these models provide an explanation for the fact that dark energy only has a very large effect. For good reason: In our tiny solar system, dark energy particles must in principle modify gravity, but not so much. To explain this “inconsistency”, physicists made suggestions. One of them is dark energy, which operates according to a screening mechanism, also known as the “chameleon” mechanism, which allows it to slightly undo the effects of its force.

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According to this system, these dark energy particles, which are “chamilian” in nature, vary in their effective mass depending on the environment in which they are exposed (this is what happens in the context of this phenomenon, for example). Superconductivity For photons, particles of light, which cannot penetrate into a superconducting material). Therefore, dark energy changes mass and behavior depending on whether the substance is in a region of greater or lesser density. In high-density regions such as the Earth, its particles have a large mass, but only a small force, which is applied only over a short distance. On the other hand, in interstellar space where there are no stars, they have less mass, but their influence is more widespread. This kind of switching can be explained by the strange observation that dark energy does not have a local effect but has a strong influence on the galaxy scale.

“Modified Gravity Effect”

Let us now return to the XENON1T experiment and the important events we saw a year ago. After proving that these additional axes could not be attributed, the international team suggested that a screening system be set up for the particles found in the tank.. “It simply came to our notice then We are in a tank of giant particles that is theoretically impossible to create in the heart of the sun because energy is needed. “, Explains Philip Brox, theoretical physicist at the Paris-Saclae Institute of Theoretical Physics and co-author of the publication. “We assume they were It is produced in a specific area of ​​the sun – the tachocline, a transition layer between the sun’s inner regions – not at its core. Tacoclin has strong magnetic fields that help convert solar photons into ‘chameleon’ particles and reduce low energy intensities. “

A video presentation of the XENON1T project.

But then what has dark energy got to do with it? Is this proof of its existence? “No, but by proving the existence of a light scalar field with the characteristics of a screening model (” Chamilian “scalar field, editor’s note), we will strengthen the theory that dark energy also works in this way., Shade Philip Brox. In short, we did not observe dark energy, but, possibly, “Same Modified Gravity Effect”.

However, it is necessary to wait for the next version of XENON1T, XENONT, because these curious events in the tank are not just background noise, the enemy of the physicist, but also more patient than expected. They must make sure that they are evidence of the existence of dark energy particles. See you in a few years.