Searching for dark photon dark matter from terrestrial magnetic fields

We present a novel search for dark photon dark matter (DM) using terrestrial magnetic field measurements at frequencies below 100 Hz. Coherently oscillating dark photon DM can induce a monochromatic magnetic field via kinetic mixing with ordinary photons. Notably, for dark photon masses $m_{A'}$ around $3 \times 10^{-14}$ eV, the signal can be resonantly amplified within a cavity formed by the Earth's surface and the ionosphere. We compute the expected signal incorporating the effect of atmospheric conductivity, and derive new upper limits on the kinetic mixing parameter $\varepsilon$ from long-term geomagnetic data. These limits improve upon previous ground-based constraints in the mass range of $1 \times 10^{-15}$ eV $\lesssim m_{A'} \lesssim 2 \times 10^{-13}$ eV.

Publication Details

Journal
ArXiv.org
Published
2025-09-19
Primary Topic
Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Searching for dark photon dark matter from terrestrial magnetic fields

ArXiv.org
Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
article

Searching for dark photon dark matter from terrestrial magnetic fields

article en

Abstract

We present a novel search for dark photon dark matter (DM) using terrestrial magnetic field measurements at frequencies below 100 Hz. Coherently oscillating dark photon DM can induce a monochromatic magnetic field via kinetic mixing with ordinary photons. Notably, for dark photon masses $m_{A'}$ around $3 \times 10^{-14}$ eV, the signal can be resonantly amplified within a cavity formed by the Earth's surface and the ionosphere. We compute the expected signal incorporating the effect of atmospheric conductivity, and derive new upper limits on the kinetic mixing parameter $\varepsilon$ from long-term geomagnetic data. These limits improve upon previous ground-based constraints in the mass range of $1 \times 10^{-15}$ eV $\lesssim m_{A'} \lesssim 2 \times 10^{-13}$ eV.

ArXiv.org
Openalex Percentile: Top 29%
Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Searching for dark photon dark matter from terrestrial magnetic fields · ArXiv.org (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS