Search for Ultralight Dark Matter with Quantum Magnetometry in the Earth's Cavity

TL;DR

This study used a high-sensitivity atomic magnetometer in Earth's cavity to search for ultralight dark matter, setting new constraints on axion and dark photon interactions, and demonstrating the potential of ground-based quantum sensors for future dark matter detection.

Contribution

First search for axion and dark photon dark matter using an unshielded quantum magnetometer in Earth's cavity, establishing new experimental constraints.

Findings

No evidence of axion- or dark photon-induced magnetic signals was found.

Set new upper limits on axion-photon coupling and dark photon kinetic-mixing parameters.

Demonstrated feasibility of ground-based quantum magnetic sensors for ultralight dark matter searches.

Abstract

Ultralight dark matter candidates, such as axions and dark photons, are leading dark matter candidates. They may couple feebly to photons, sourcing oscillating electromagnetic signals in the Earth's conducting cavity formed between the ground and the ionosphere, providing detectable magnetic field signatures at wavelengths above the Earth's size. We carry out a project aiming to search for new physics using an unshielded high-sensitivity atomic magnetometer, termed the Geomagnetic Probe for nEw physiCS (GPEX). In this work, we report our first search for axion and dark photon dark matter, conducted in the desert of XiaoDushan in Gansu Province, China. Analysis of the collection of one-hour data shows no robust evidence for axion- or dark photon-induced magnetic signals. Correspondingly, we set the constraints on the axion-photon coupling with $g_{a\gamma\gamma} < 7\times10^{-10}\, \mathrm{GeV^{-1}}$ and the dark photon kinetic-mixing parameter $\epsilon < 2\times10^{-6}$ in the mass range $3.5 \times 10^{-16}\, \mathrm{eV} \sim 1.8 \times 10^{-14}\, \mathrm{eV}$. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using ground-based quantum magnetic sensors for ultralight dark matter searches. Future networks of such detectors operating over extended periods could improve the sensitivity by about three orders of magnitude.