A team of international physicists, led by University of Cincinnati professor Jure Zupan, has found a theoretical way to produce axions inside fusion reactors. Their research was published in the Journal of High Energy Physics.
Axions are hypothetical subatomic particles thought to make up dark matter, which forms most of the universe’s mass. Though never directly detected, dark matter influences the motion of galaxies through gravity.
The team studied a fusion reactor design using deuterium and tritium fuel inside a lithium-lined vessel. This setup is similar to the ITER project in France. They discovered that neutrons in the reactor could interact with the walls or slow down via “braking radiation,” potentially creating axions.
The concept gained popular attention from the hit sitcom The Big Bang Theory. On the show, characters Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter tried to produce axions over three episodes but failed. Zupan noted that the show’s failure was hinted at in a background whiteboard equation. The characters attempted to generate axions using solar processes, which are far too powerful for such production.
Zupan explained, “The chance of having new particles produced from the sun… is larger than having them produced in fusion reactors using the same processes. However, one can still produce them in reactors using a different set of processes.” By using alternative mechanisms, the real-world team theoretically succeeded where the fictional characters could not.
This breakthrough highlights the potential of fusion reactors not only for energy production but also for exploring fundamental physics. The findings could guide future experimental designs aiming to detect axions and better understand dark matter.
Experts say that while this research is theoretical, it opens exciting avenues for particle physics. Fusion reactors may one day become laboratories for discovering particles that have so far remained hidden from science.
The study demonstrates how modern physics can solve puzzles that once existed only in popular culture. By investigating alternative processes, scientists bring us closer to understanding the universe’s most mysterious components.
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