https://doi.org/10.1140/epjqt/s40507-025-00339-0
Research
Search for fast-oscillating fundamental constants with space missions
1
Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55128, Mainz, Germany
2
Helmholtz Institute Mainz, 55099, Mainz, Germany
3
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, 64291, Darmstadt, Germany
4
Department of Physics, University of California, 94720, Berkeley, California, USA
5
The Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, 10691, Stockholm, Sweden
6
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, 19716, Newark, Delaware, USA
7
Joint Quantum Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the University of Maryland, 20742, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA
Received:
7
September
2024
Accepted:
6
March
2025
Published online:
28
March
2025
While it is possible to estimate the dark matter density at the Sun distance from the galactic center, this does not give information on actual dark matter density in the Solar system. There can be considerable local enhancement of dark matter density in the vicinity of gravitating centers, including the Sun, the Earth, as well as other planets in the solar system. Generic mechanisms for the formation of such halos were recently elucidated. In this work, we studies the possible halo dark matter overdensities and corresponding dark matter masses allowed for various objects in the solar system. We explore spacecraft missions to detect such halos with instruments such as quantum clocks, atomic and molecular spectrometers designed to search for fast (tens of hertz to gigahertz) oscillations of fundamental constants, highly sensitive comagnetometers, and other quantum sensors and sensor networks.
Key words: Dark matter / Spacecraft missions / Spectroscopy / Jupiter / Atomic clocks
© The Author(s) 2025
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