Probing Solar Axions with X-ray Optics for BabyIAXO

暗物质的本质是21世纪物理学的一个重要问题。轴子是暗物质的最佳候选对象之一，因为它们可以解决我们对基本粒子相互作用的理解中的潜在问题，而其他类似轴子的粒子是许多新物理理论的通用预测，尤其是弦理论。轴子会改变发生在恒星内部极端环境中的过程，比如在我们的太阳内部。国际轴子天文台（IAXO）将搜寻来自太阳的轴子，开启对轴子和类轴子粒子在大质量范围内的新灵敏度。本提案的目标是为IAXO的探路者BabyIAXO建造一个聚焦x射线望远镜，并领导分析。这项工作还将根据美国物理研究所和美国国家科学院的建议，扩大在本科课程中促进“归属感”方法的讲师培训，并为本科生和研究生提供仪器方面的实践专业知识，促进这种x射线望远镜技术的更广泛应用。IAXO仪器是下一代轴子日光镜，设计用于搜索来自太阳的轴子，这些轴子通过强大的实验室磁场重新转化为x射线光子。BabyIAXO将在相关规模上推进所有IAXO子系统的技术，同时还提供新的物理覆盖范围和发现潜力。BabyIAXO和IAXO是唯一在meV到eV质量范围内超越R&amp；D相位对QCD轴子敏感的实验，这是由许多暗物质场景以及可能构成所有暗物质的广泛的ALPs驱动的。本方案的目标是为BabyIAXO构建内核x射线光学；将光学响应引入仿真和分析链；并参与BabyIAXO数据的调试和初步分析。具有成本效益的大面积x射线光学系统是减小探测器尺寸和背景的关键，同时仍然可以利用大的磁体区域，从而实现轴子太阳镜灵敏度的飞跃。这项工作将利用NuSTAR x射线光学系统的专业知识和设备，这是BabyIAXO和IAXO光学系统的基础。因此，对学生培训和材料的适度投资可以使美国成为IAXO x射线光学系统和下一代太阳轴子搜索的领导者。这项工作的更广泛的影响包括：(1)教育新一代乐器演奏家，帮助确保美国建立具有全球竞争力的STEM劳动力，(2)扩大PI与教育研究人员在培养本科STEM教室“归属感”的方法上的合作，帮助确保这一劳动力更好地反映了国家的多样性，以及(3)实现更广泛的应用分段玻璃x射线光学。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The nature of dark matter is a driving question of 21st century physics. Axions are among the best motivated candidates for dark matter, as they could solve underlying problems in our understanding of fundamental particle interactions, and other axion-like particles are a generic prediction of many new physics theories, in particular string theory. Axions would alter the processes taking place within the extreme environments of stellar interiors, such as within our own Sun. The International Axion Observatory (IAXO) will search for axions from our Sun, opening novel sensitivity to axions and axion-like particles across a broad range of masses. The goal of this proposal is to construct a focusing X-ray telescope and take leadership in analysis for BabyIAXO, the pathfinder to IAXO. This work will also expand instructor training in methods to promote “belonging” in undergraduate courses, in line with recommendations from the American Institute of Physics and the National Academies, as well as provide undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on expertise in instrumentation, facilitating broader applications of this X-ray telescope technology.The IAXO instrument is a next-generation axion helioscope, designed to search for axions from the Sun that are reconverted into X-ray photons via a strong laboratory magnetic field. BabyIAXO will advance technology for all IAXO subsystems at relevant scale while also offering novel physics reach and discovery potential. BabyIAXO and IAXO are the only experiments beyond the R&D phase sensitive to QCD axions in the meV to eV mass range, which is motivated by many dark matter scenarios, as well as a broad range of ALPs that could constitute all of dark matter. The goals of this proposal are to construct the inner core X-ray optic for BabyIAXO; lead implementation of the optics response into the simulation and analysis chain; and contribute to commissioning and initial analysis of BabyIAXO data. Cost-effective, large-area X-ray optics are key to reducing detector size and background while still exploiting large magnet areas, allowing a leap forward in axion helioscope sensitivity. This work will leverage the expertise and facilities from construction of the NuSTAR X-ray optics, on which the BabyIAXO and IAXO optics are based. Thus, a modest investment in student training and materials can establish the US as a leader of the IAXO X-ray optics system and the next generation of solar axion searches. The broader impacts of this work include (i.) educating a new generation of instrumentalists, helping ensure the US builds a globally competitive STEM workforce, (ii.) expanding the PI’s established collaborations with educational researchers on methods that foster “belonging” in undergraduate STEM classrooms, helping ensure that this workforce better reflects the diversity of the nation, and (iii.) enabling broader applications of segmented glass X-ray optics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.