What Can We Learn about New Physics from Jupiter?

Please note this Fundamental Physics Seminar has been rescheduled to March 27, 2025 (Thu). Please refer to the event details for the updated information.

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Abstract

In this talk, the speaker will discuss a few recent studies that use in situ measurement data from the gas giant Jupiter to test new physics. In these cases, the planet is a huge baryonic detector hanging in the outer solar system. In the first part, the speaker will examine how data from Jupiter missions might help us learn more about dark matter. Jupiter's gravity could trap dark matter particles, producing detectable signals in the form of relativistic charged particle flow trapped in the magnetosphere. Later on, he will examine how to use Jupiter data to constrain long-range new physics effects. Examples include a light dark photon mixing with the SM photon or a fifth force mediator. In the former case, the magnetic field survey data is used to reconstruct one of Jupiter's most precise magnetic field models. Violations of the Maxwell equations suggest the presence of new physics around the typical scale of the Jovian system. In the second case, Juno's motion around Jupiter can be used to search for deviations from gravity and, thus, possible "fifth forces".


About the Speaker

Dr. LI Lingfeng received his BS in Chemistry and Physics in 2013 from Peking University, followed by his PhD in Theoretical High Energy Physics from University of California, Davis in 2018 under the supervision of Prof. CHENG Hsin-Chia. Then he joined HKUST IAS and Brown University as a Postdoctoral Fellow. He is interested in various models that leave all sorts of signatures in collider phenomenology, cosmology and astrophysics.


About the Center for Fundamental Physics

For more information, please refer to https://cfp.hkust.edu.hk/.


For Attendees' Attention

Seating is on a first come, first served basis.