Nuclear spin-dependent interactions: searches for WIMP, axion and topological defect dark matter, and tests of fundamental symmetries

Abstract

We calculate the proton and neutron spin contributions for nuclei using semi-empirical methods, as well as a novel hybrid ab initio/semi-empirical method, for interpretation of experimental data. We demonstrate that corepolarisation corrections to ab initio nuclear shell model calculations generally reduce discrepancies in proton and neutron spin expectation values from different calculations. We derive constraints on the spin-dependent P,T-violating interaction of a bound proton with nucleons, which for certain ranges of exchanged pseudoscalar boson masses improve on the most stringent laboratory limits by several orders of magnitude. We derive a limit on the CPT and Lorentzinvariance-violating parameter |b p ⊥ | < 7.6 × 10 −33 GeV, which improves on the most stringent existing limit by a factor of 8, and we demonstrate sensitivities to the parametersd p ⊥ andg p D⊥ at the level ∼10 −29 -10 −28 GeV, which is a one order of magnitude improvement compared to the corresponding existing sensitivities. We extend previous analysis of nuclear anapole moment data for Cs to obtain new limits on several other CPT and Lorentz-invariance-violating parameters: |b p 0 | < 7×10 −8 GeV, |d p 00 | < 8×10 −8 , |b n 0 | < 3×10 −7 GeV and |d n 00 | < 3 × 10 −7 .

Spin precession experiments for light axionic dark matter

“…Axions are among the most well motivated of the viable dark-matter candidates, with many theories of beyond the standard model physics including mechanisms that can produce ubiquitous axions and other ultralight bosons with the correct abundance to match the observed dark-matter density [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. The large parameter space where ultralight bosons are good dark-matter candidates has inspired new interest in experimental searches for axion and axionlike searches [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] as well as other types of ultralight bosonic dark matter , with many experiments in progress.…”

Lorentz-violating contributions to the nuclear Schiff moment and nuclear EDM

“…The CPT-even gauge photon sector is modified by the tensor ðK F Þ αβμν [27,28], whose P-odd and Peven anisotropic repercussions on the Coulomb potential were properly evaluated [29][30][31]. Nuclear systems have also been a suitable environment to test and examine Lorentz violation, involving detailed analysis of beta decay [32] and nuclear spin/magnetic dipole moment calculations [33]. Recently, some implications of the P-even coefficients, ðk DE Þ ij , on the Coulomb potential were investigated in atoms with non-null nuclear quadrupole moments ðQ ij Þ. Estimating the energy anisotropy yielded by the interaction of the nuclear quadrupole moment with valence protons, δE ¼ Kðk DE Þ ij Q ij , very tight bounds were set on the LV parameters [34].…”

Nuclear Matrix Elements for Tests of Local Lorentz Invariance Violation

“…A number of simple models have been used to estimate the relevant nuclear matrix elements [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16]. but few detailed nuclear structure calculations have been performed so far for this purpose.…”