English

AION: An Atom Interferometer Observatory and Network

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics 2020-05-11 v3 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Experiment High Energy Physics - Phenomenology Atomic Physics

Abstract

We outline the experimental concept and key scientific capabilities of AION (Atom Interferometer Observatory and Network), a proposed UK-based experimental programme using cold strontium atoms to search for ultra-light dark matter, to explore gravitational waves in the mid-frequency range between the peak sensitivities of the LISA and LIGO/Virgo/ KAGRA/INDIGO/Einstein Telescope/Cosmic Explorer experiments, and to probe other frontiers in fundamental physics. AION would complement other planned searches for dark matter, as well as probe mergers involving intermediate mass black holes and explore early universe cosmology. AION would share many technical features with the MAGIS experimental programme in the US, and synergies would flow from operating AION in a network with this experiment, as well as with other atom interferometer experiments such as MIGA, ZAIGA and ELGAR. Operating AION in a network with other gravitational wave detectors such as LIGO, Virgo and LISA would also offer many synergies.

Cite

@article{arxiv.1911.11755,
  title  = {AION: An Atom Interferometer Observatory and Network},
  author = {L. Badurina and E. Bentine and D. Blas and K. Bongs and D. Bortoletto and T. Bowcock and K. Bridges and W. Bowden and O. Buchmueller and C. Burrage and J. Coleman and G. Elertas and J. Ellis and C. Foot and V. Gibson and M. G. Haehnelt and T. Harte and S. Hedges and R. Hobson and M. Holynski and T. Jones and M. Langlois and S. Lellouch and M. Lewicki and R. Maiolino and P. Majewski and S. Malik and J. March-Russell and C. McCabe and D. Newbold and B. Sauer and U. Schneider and I. Shipsey and Y. Singh and M. A. Uchida and T. Valenzuela and M. van der Grinten and V. Vaskonen and J. Vossebeld and D. Weatherill and I. Wilmut},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1911.11755},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

v3: Update to match published version in JCAP

R2 v1 2026-06-23T12:28:07.208Z