10 research outputs found
Solar axion search with the CAST experiment
The CAST (CERN Axion Solar Telescope) experiment is searching for solar
axions by their conversion into photons inside the magnet pipe of an LHC
dipole. The analysis of the data recorded during the first phase of the
experiment with vacuum in the magnet pipes has resulted in the most restrictive
experimental limit on the coupling constant of axions to photons. In the second
phase, CAST is operating with a buffer gas inside the magnet pipes in order to
extent the sensitivity of the experiment to higher axion masses. We will
present the first results on the data taking as well as the
system upgrades that have been operated in the last year in order to adapt the
experiment for the data taking. Expected sensitivities on the
coupling constant of axions to photons will be given for the recent run just started in March 2008.Comment: Proceedings of the ICHEP 2008 conferenc
Search for low Energy solar Axions with CAST
We have started the development of a detector system, sensitive to single
photons in the eV energy range, to be suitably coupled to one of the CAST
magnet ports. This system should open to CAST a window on possible detection of
low energy Axion Like Particles emitted by the sun. Preliminary tests have
involved a cooled photomultiplier tube coupled to the CAST magnet via a
Galileian telescope and a switched 40 m long optical fiber. This system has
reached the limit background level of the detector alone in ideal conditions,
and two solar tracking runs have been performed with it at CAST. Such a
measurement has never been done before with an axion helioscope. We will
present results from these runs and briefly discuss future detector
developments.Comment: Paper submitted to the proceedings of the "4th Patras Workshop on
Axions, WIMPs and WISPs", DESY, Hamburg Site - Germany, 18-21 June 2008.
Author affiliations are reported on the title page of the paper. In version
2: 1 affiliation change, 3 references adde
Search for Solar Axions with the CAST-Experiment
Solar axions can be produced in the Sun via the so-called Primakoff effect. The CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) uses an LHC prototype magnet of about 9 T to reconvert these axions into photons. The magnet is able to follow the Sun for about 3 hours per day. Three different X-Ray detectors are mounted on its ends to detect photons from axion-to-photon conversion: a Time Projection Chamber (TPC), a MICROMEGAS (MICROMEsh GAseous Structure) and a Charge Coupled Device (CCD). For the CCD an X-ray focusing device is used to improve the signal-to-background ratio significantly. With the completion of CAST'S first phase, the current limits on the coupling constant gaγ for axion masses up to 0.02 eV have been improved. In its second phase, CAST extends the axion mass range by filling the magnet with a buffer gas. Masses up to about 0.4 eV have already been covered and thus the experiment is entering the regions favored by axion models. This paper will present the status of CAST'S second phase
Search for low Energy solar Axions with CAST
We have started the development of a detector system, sensitive to single photons in the eV energy range, to be suitably coupled to one of the CAST magnet ports. This system should open to CAST a window on possible detection of low energy Axion Like Particles emitted by the sun. Preliminary tests have involved a cooled photomultiplier tube coupled to the CAST magnet via a Galileian telescope and a switched 40 m long optical fiber. This system has reached the limit background level of the detector alone in ideal conditions, and two solar tracking runs have been performed with it at CAST. Such a measurement has never been done before with an axion helioscope. We will present results from these runs and briefly discuss future detector developments