Francesca Day - September 9, 2016

Searching for New Physics in Active Galactic Nuclei

I will discuss searches for new physics using ultra-deep X-ray observations of
the central Active Galactic Nucleus of the Perseus galaxy cluster. We find two
anomalies at high significance that we are unable to account for through
conventional instrumental or astrophysical processes. I will outline
interpretations of these anomalies from axion-photon mixing and from a two
state Fluorescent Dark Matter model. In particular, we find a dip at 3.5 keV
in the spectrum of the AGN. This is at the same energy as the long-standing
3.5 keV line observed in galaxy clusters. In a Fluorescent Dark Matter model,
both of these features are explained, and the recent non-observation of the
3.5 keV line by Hitomi is fully consistent.