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DOE OSTI · 2423188

Optical atomic clock aboard an Earth-orbiting space station (OACESS): enhancing searches for physics beyond the standard model in space

Schkolnik, Vladimir·Budker, Dmitry·Fartmann, Oliver·Flambaum, Victor·Hollberg, Leo·Kalaydzhyan, Tigran·Kolkowitz, Shimon·Krutzik, Markus·Ludlow, Andrew·Newbury, Nathan·Pyrlik, Christoph·Sinclair, Laura·Stadnik, Yevgeny·Tietje, Ingmari·Ye, Jun·Williams, Jason
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Abstract

We present a concept for a high-precision optical atomic clock (OAC) operating on an Earth-orbiting space station. This pathfinder science mission will compare the space-based OAC with one or more ultra-stable terrestrial OACs to search for space-time-dependent signatures of dark scalar fields that manifest as anomalies in the relative frequencies of station-based and ground-based clocks. This opens the possibility of probing models of new physics that are inaccessible to purely ground-based OAC experiments where a dark scalar field may potentially be strongly screened near Earth's surface. This unique enhancement of sensitivity to potential dark matter candidates harnesses the potential of space-based OACs.

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79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICSdark matterfundamental physicsoptical clockspace

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BibTeXRIS

Schkolnik, Vladimir, Budker, Dmitry, Fartmann, Oliver, Flambaum, Victor, Hollberg, Leo, Kalaydzhyan, Tigran, Kolkowitz, Shimon, Krutzik, Markus, Ludlow, Andrew, Newbury, Nathan, Pyrlik, Christoph, Sinclair, Laura, Stadnik, Yevgeny, Tietje, Ingmari, Ye, Jun, Williams, Jason. 2022-11-18. Optical atomic clock aboard an Earth-orbiting space station (OACESS): enhancing searches for physics beyond the standard model in space. https://doi.org/10.1088/2058-9565%2Fac9f2b

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