Speaker: Stefania Gori (UC Santa Cruz) – Title: Axion-mediated Dark Matter
October 22 @ 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Research Progress Meeting
Date: October 22, 2026
Time: 3:30- 4:30 pm
Location: Sessler Conference Room- 50A-5132 (Hybrid)
Speaker: Stefania Gori (UC Santa Cruz)
Title: Axion-mediated Dark Matter
Abstract: The nature of dark matter is one of the most pressing open questions in fundamental physics. Axions and axion-like particles (ALPs) are theoretically well-motivated, as they naturally arise from theories with broken global symmetries and they can address the strong CP problem. Beyond being dark matter candidates themselves, they can act as mediators between dark matter and the Standard Model. In this talk, I will first present an overview of axion and axion-mediated DM cosmological models, including both classic QCD axions and broader classes of ALPs. I will then discuss how these scenarios can be tested, emphasizing the complementarity between astrophysical, cosmological, and laboratory bounds. In particular, I will discuss the prospects for detecting sub-GeV dark matter through phonon excitations in crystals, and show that existing constraints on the mediator leave only a narrow window of parameter space open.
https://lbnl.zoom.us/j/98854322464?pwd=K2tKUm1VZjRlV1J5RHE3cXdHQzRxdz09
Meeting ID: 988 5432 2464
Passcode: 142239