PT1 - Tests of gravity with atom interferometers and clocks |
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Speaker |
Mueller, Holger |
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Coauthors |
Hamilton, P.; Jaffe, M.; Haslinger, P.; Khoury, J. |
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Atom-Interferometry Constraints on Dark Energy |
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Abstract |
If dark energy-which drives the accelerated expansion of the universe-consists of a new light scalar field, it might be detectable as a "fifth force" between normal-matter objects, in potential conflict with precision tests of gravity. There has, however, been much theoretical progress in developing theories with screening mechanisms, which can evade detection by suppressing forces in regions of high density, such as the laboratory. One prominent example is the chameleon field. We reduce the effect of this screening mechanism by probing the chameleon with individual atoms rather than bulk matter. Using a cesium matter-wave interferometer near a spherical mass in an ultra-high vacuum chamber, we constrain a wide class of dynamical dark energy theories. Our experiment excludes a range of chameleon theories that reproduce the observed cosmic acceleration. |
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