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CAST: A search for solar axions at CERN

J. I. Collar
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Abstract

The new axion helioscope at CERN started acquiring data during September of 2002: CAST (Cern Axion Solar Telescope) employs a decommissioned LHC dipole magnet to convert putative solar axions or axion-like particles into detectable photons. The unprecedented dipole magnet intensity and length (9.5 T, 10 m) results in a projected sensitivity that surpasses astrophysical constraints on these particles for the first time, increasing the chance of discovery. The use of X-ray focusing optics and state-of-the-art detector technology has led to an extremely low background for an experiment above ground. A brief status report is given, with emphasis on the tracking and control system and possible future extensions.

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J. I. Collar. 2003-04-15. CAST: A search for solar axions at CERN. https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-ex/0304024

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