Tuesday-Thursday, April 6-8, 2027

Arrivals Monday April 5, departures Friday April 9. No sessions on Monday or Friday.

Application deadline: January 15, 2027. Applicants will be informed of their acceptance by February 1, 2027.

This program will investigate how radio astronomy may help uncover the particle nature of dark matter and beyond-the-Standard-Model physics. Dark matter makes up the majority of matter in the Universe, but its microscopic nature is unknown and represents one of the greatest open scientific questions. Many of the most motivated models for dark matter, including axions and WIMPs, could leave unique signatures in current- and next-generation radio telescopes. Axion dark matter can convert to narrow radio lines in neutron star magnetospheres, while WIMPs can annihilate to electrons and positrons, which can emit synchrotron signals. This workshop will bring together particle and astrophysics theorists with radio observers to come up with new synergies for optimizing searches for dark matter in the future.

Program Themes

• Day 1 (Tue, Apr 6): Axion signals from neutron stars (theory and plasma modeling), plus axion decay in the Galactic halo and clusters
• Day 2 (Wed, Apr 7): Radio observations and facilities, analysis pipelines (including overlap with technosignature search tools), and WIMP synchrotron signals
• Day 3 (Thu, Apr 8): Complementarity with laboratory searches (ASTRA and a direct-detection panel) and future directions
  

This workshop is made possible through the generous support of Breakthrough Listen, Green Bank Observatory, and NRAO Office of Science Support and Research. Thanks to these sponsors, we expect a reduced registration fee (between $50-$100 total) for all participants, covering observatory lodging, meals, and transportation from Dulles airport.