Earth Matter Enhanced Axion Dark Matter Search

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel environment-aware search for ultralight axion dark matter near Earth, leveraging matter-induced field enhancements to set new limits on axion-neutron interactions, emphasizing environmental effects in precision searches.

Contribution

First experimental implementation considering Earth's matter effects on axion DM detection, significantly improving constraints on axion-neutron interactions across a broad mass range.

Findings

No axion DM signal detected.

Set the most stringent limits on axion-neutron interactions for masses 0.041 to 28.9 feV.

Environmental effects can greatly enhance detection sensitivity.

Abstract

Laboratory searches for ultralight axion dark matter (DM) have traditionally assumed the terrestrial density of axions is equal to the average density of DM in the solar system. However, quadratic couplings to matter introduce a non-trivial field profile near the Earth. In this work, we present the first dedicated experimental implementation of this environment-aware axion DM wind search framework. Leveraging the extreme sensitivity of a K--Rb--$^{21}$Ne comagnetometer to pseudo-magnetic fields induced by axion DM, we analyzed our data in the context of the massively enhanced local gradient of axions due to interactions with matter, though no signal candidates were found. Consequently, we have set the most stringent limits on axion-neutron derivative interactions for masses $m_a \in [0.041, ~28.9]~\rm feV$, improving from previous experiments that ignore terrestrial matter effects by as much as three orders of magnitude for certain masses. Our work highlights the necessity of accounting for environmental modifications in precision frontier experiments and demonstrates how geophysical variations can be harnessed to act as a natural amplifier for DM possibly enabling future detection in parts of the parameter space that were previously beyond reach.