WG 1: WISPs Model Building

Figure taken from J. Jaeckel, A. Ringwald, Ann. Rev.Nucl.Part. Sci. 60 (2010) 405

Objectives: Determine the nature, number, masses and couplings of WISPs that arise in well-motivated theories of fundamental physics, and in particular within string compactifications that join moduli stabilisation with (semi)-realistic matter sectors.

Leaders: Prof. Michele Cicoli, Dr. Sophie Renner & Dr. Nicole Righi

WG 2: WISPs Dark Matter and Cosmology

Figure taken from Bauschmann, Fosterm Safdi, PRL 124, 161103 (2020) 

Objectives: Obtain precise predictions of axion and WISP DM relic abundance,and identify distinguishing features of WISP DM in Large Scale Structure data.

Leaders: Dr. Edoardo Vitagliano, Dr. Marco GorghettoDr. Maria Benito CastañoMathieu Kaltschmidt

WG 3: WISPs in Astrophysics

Objectives: Deepen the studies of the signatures of WISPs in astroparticle physics. These include WISP oscillations into photons, WISP-induced energy loss in stellar systems and signatures from gravitational waves and from primordial black-hole superradiance.

Leaders: Prof. Maurizio Giannotti, Dr. Oscar Straniero, Dr. Elisa Todarello & Dr. Giuseppe Lucente

WG4: Direct WISPs searches

Figure taken from Ciaran O’Hare Github

Objectives: Produce a complete, updated and revised summary of the status of WISP searches, highlighting parts of the (relevant) parameter space, models or couplings that are not under test by present or future searches. It will outline a roadmap to WISP discovery and a way to disentangle among different WISP models. The goal of the WG is to perform a broad array of DM searches, interpreting the experimental results in a consistent way with clear identification of the theoretical models, relevant for the particular search.

Leaders: Prof. Marin Karuza, Dr. Claudio Gatti & Prof. Deniz Aybas

WG 5: Dissemination and Outreach

Objectives: Enhance the dissemination and communication of the results, and to structure outreach activities to attract public awareness to the challenges and achievements in astro-particle physics.

Leaders: Prof. Olga Mena, Prof. Loredana Gastaldo 

Young Researcher and Innovators (YRI) Council

The YRI Council brings together the new generation of early career academics in WISPs physics to collaborate, network, and thrive through peer support.

Coordinator: Arturo de Giorgi

Participants

News

  • 22nd-25th June 2026: 4th CA21106 General Meeting in Corfu, Greece, Link
  • 17th-20th June 2026: 4th CA21106 Training School in Corfu, Greece, Link.
  • Opening of registrations for the Working Groups Meeting at CERN, 3-4 February 2026, Link.
  • Video from the 3rd CA21106 General Meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria is available at Link.
  • 27th-28th October 2025: The meV Axion Mass Frontier: challenges and opportunities (INFN Frascati Laboratories, Italy) 
  • 22nd-23rd October 2025: Dark Universe Cosmology (Bologna, Italy)
  • M. Fuentes Zamoro (Madrid, IFT), S. Hollick (Universidad de Zaragoza), N. M. Sanchez Gonzalez (Oxford U.) got the COSMIC WISPers Prize 2025 for the three best students talks in the 3rd CA21106 Training School in Annecy.
  • CA21106 Input for the European strategy on particle physics, arXiv:2503.2043 [hep-ph] 
  • 16th-19th September 2025: 3rd CA21106 Training School in Annecy, France, Link
  • 9th-12th September 2025: 3rd CA21106 General Meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria Link
  • Opening of registrations for the CA21106 Brainstorming Meeting (Online), 3 April 2025, Link
  • Opening of registrations for the Working Groups Meeting in Heidelberg (Germany), 13-14 February 2025, Link.
  • A collection of videos about our Action is available on Youtube on INFN Channel.

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