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“Big Bang Theory” Problem Solved? Physicists Propose method for Axion Production in Fusion Reactors
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A University of Cincinnati-led team has outlined a theoretical pathway to produce axions, particles considered potential components of dark matter, within fusion reactors – a challenge previously presented as an unsolved problem in the CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.”
The “Big Bang Theory” Connection
In Season 5 of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory, characters Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter grappled with the theoretical difficulties of producing axions within a fusion reactor. Despite their extensive whiteboard calculations and intellectual prowess, the show’s writers left the problem unresolved. CBS‘s long-running comedy frequently incorporated real scientific concepts into its storylines.
Now, a team led by Jure Zupan, a professor of physics at the University of Cincinnati (UC), claims to have found a potential solution. Their research, conducted with collaborators from Fermi National Laboratory, MIT, and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, was published in the Journal of High Energy Physics on December 21, 2023.Journal of High Energy Physics is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal covering all areas of high-energy physics.
Why Axions and Dark Matter Matter
Axions are hypothetical subatomic particles proposed as a candidate for dark matter. Dark matter, which doesn’t interact with light, is estimated to constitute approximately 85% of the matter in the universe. NASA provides extensive resources on dark matter research.
While dark matter’s existence is inferred from its gravitational effects on visible matter and the structure of the universe, it has never been directly detected. Understanding dark matter is crucial to understanding the universe’s formation and evolution following the Big Bang, which occurred nearly 14 billion years ago.NASA’s Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) data supports the existence and abundance of dark matter.
The search for axions is driven by their potential to resolve several outstanding problems in particle physics and cosmology.If detected, axions would not only confirm the existence of dark matter but also provide insights into the essential forces governing the universe.
The Theoretical Breakthrough
Zupan and his team’s research focuses on a specific mechanism for producing axions within the extreme conditions of a fusion reactor. Fusion reactors,like the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) currently under construction in France,aim to harness the energy released from nuclear fusion – the same process that powers the sun. ITER is a collaborative project involving 35 nations.
The team’s calculations suggest that under certain conditions, the intense electromagnetic fields and high temperatures within a fusion reactor could facilitate the conversion of photons into axions. This process, while theoretically possible, has been arduous to achieve in practice due to the extremely weak interaction between photons and axions.
“That’s why it’s fantastic to watch as a scientist,” Zupan said in a University of Cincinnati news release. “There are many layers to the jokes.” The research also subtly references other complex physics concepts,like Schrodinger’s cat and the Doppler effect,as inside jokes for those familiar with the field.
