Oscillating nuclear electric dipole moments inside atoms

Understand

Interaction with the axion dark matter (DM) field generates an oscillating nuclear electric dipole moment (EDM) with a frequency corresponding to the axion's Compton frequency.

• Within an atom, an oscillating EDM can drive electric dipole transitions in the electronic shell.
• In the absence of radiation, and if the axion frequency matches a dipole transition, it can promote the electron into the excited state.
• The excitation events can be detected, for example, via subsequent uorescence or photoionization.