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Main Authors: Liu, Shengyi, Lyu, Kun-Feng, Meng, Jie, Shu, Jing, Wang, Yakun, Zhao, Yue
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.14851
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author Liu, Shengyi
Lyu, Kun-Feng
Meng, Jie
Shu, Jing
Wang, Yakun
Zhao, Yue
author_facet Liu, Shengyi
Lyu, Kun-Feng
Meng, Jie
Shu, Jing
Wang, Yakun
Zhao, Yue
contents We propose using the ultra-narrow 88 keV Mössbauer transition in $^{109}$Ag to search for QCD axion dark matter. The sub-eV axion field oscillates coherently, inducing a time-varying effective $\barθ_{\rm QCD}$ angle. This, in turn, modulates the nuclear binding energy. From existing linewidth measurements, we derive constraints on the $f_a^{-1}$-$m_a$ plane that already surpass other laboratory bounds. We further detail an experimental setup to directly probe this time-dependent signature via precision Mössbauer spectroscopy in the gravitational potential. This Letter demonstrates that this approach can significantly extend search capability and probe a vast, unexplored region of axion parameter space. Particularly, this setup can probe axion masses beyond the reach of existing experiments, such as atomic-clock measurements, offering a powerful new way for exploring higher-mass axion dark matter. The sensitivity has the potential to be further improved with advancing experimental capabilities.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_14851
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Probing Axion via Mössbauer Spectroscopy
Liu, Shengyi
Lyu, Kun-Feng
Meng, Jie
Shu, Jing
Wang, Yakun
Zhao, Yue
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Nuclear Experiment
We propose using the ultra-narrow 88 keV Mössbauer transition in $^{109}$Ag to search for QCD axion dark matter. The sub-eV axion field oscillates coherently, inducing a time-varying effective $\barθ_{\rm QCD}$ angle. This, in turn, modulates the nuclear binding energy. From existing linewidth measurements, we derive constraints on the $f_a^{-1}$-$m_a$ plane that already surpass other laboratory bounds. We further detail an experimental setup to directly probe this time-dependent signature via precision Mössbauer spectroscopy in the gravitational potential. This Letter demonstrates that this approach can significantly extend search capability and probe a vast, unexplored region of axion parameter space. Particularly, this setup can probe axion masses beyond the reach of existing experiments, such as atomic-clock measurements, offering a powerful new way for exploring higher-mass axion dark matter. The sensitivity has the potential to be further improved with advancing experimental capabilities.
title Probing Axion via Mössbauer Spectroscopy
topic High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
Nuclear Experiment
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.14851