Searching for Dark Matter: WIMPs, Axions and Others

Shengxuan Lin

2025

Abstract

It’s widely accepted that dark matter makes up nearly 27% of the universe, yet its actual nature is still unknown. Contemporarily, scholars have devised several ideas to explain this mysterious form of matter. Two of the most talked-about candidates are WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles) and axions, but others like sterile neutrinos and even tiny black holes have also been suggested. This research will go through these possibilities, focusing mainly on how researchers try to detect them. For WIMPs, one looks at direct detection efforts deep underground, indirect searches using signals from space, and tests done in colliders such as the LHC. For axions, one explains their theoretical background and how experiments like ADMX and CAST use strong magnets and sensitive equipment to find them. This study also compares the latest results and points out what areas scientists have already ruled out. While no confirmed signals have shown up so far, newer tools and better methods are helping narrow things down. Understanding dark matter matters not just for physics but also for figuring out how the universe came to be and how it behaves today.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Lin S. (2025). Searching for Dark Matter: WIMPs, Axions and Others. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Innovations in Applied Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy - Volume 1: IAMPA; ISBN 978-989-758-774-0, SciTePress, pages 193-198. DOI: 10.5220/0013821900004708

in Bibtex Style

@conference{iampa25,
author={Shengxuan Lin},
title={Searching for Dark Matter: WIMPs, Axions and Others},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Innovations in Applied Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy - Volume 1: IAMPA},
year={2025},
pages={193-198},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0013821900004708},
isbn={978-989-758-774-0},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Innovations in Applied Mathematics, Physics, and Astronomy - Volume 1: IAMPA
TI - Searching for Dark Matter: WIMPs, Axions and Others
SN - 978-989-758-774-0
AU - Lin S.
PY - 2025
SP - 193
EP - 198
DO - 10.5220/0013821900004708
PB - SciTePress