Philip Sørensen
16 June 2021
Photo: Philip Sørensen
Philip Sørensen is from Odense, Denmark. He graduated from the University of Southern Denmark in 2019 where he did his Master thesis on asymmetric dark matter in composite Higgs models with CP3 Origins. He joined Quantum Universe in August 2019 for his PhD.
Philip Sørensen is from Odense, Denmark. He graduated from the University of Southern Denmark in 2019 where he did his Master thesis on asymmetric dark matter in composite Higgs models with CP3 Origins. He joined Quantum Universe in August 2019 for his PhD.
What is the topic of your research?
I'm in the cosmology group as part of the DESY theory group, where I work with my supervisor Géraldine Servant and two postdocs, Cem Eröncel and Ryosuke Sato. Initially, we intended to look for a gravitational wave signal in models with axion fragmentation, but for now we are also studying how fragmentation can be used as a production mechanism and how this can provide more possibilities for axion dark matter than what the conventional misalignment mechanism can provide. Fragmentation is a process that can take place if the axion field has a non-zero initial velocity, and it's called fragmentation because the homogeneous field is broken up, fragmented, into a cloud of axion particles.
What fascinates you about your research focus?
I like using the early Universe as probe for new physics. It's such an elegant way to access energy ranges which are fantastically far beyond what we could hope to test in a lab. And with all the new experiments on gravitational waves which are on their way, we are bound to find something exciting. I want to be around in the field when we do.
What do you like about the cluster Quantum Universe?
It’s nice having the opportunity to present some of my work at the Quantum Universe Days and hear a little about what else is going on around here. The science slam in particular was fun! And I like the new mentor arrangement. I've been having some really good discussions with mine after we got that set up.
What do you like to do in your free-time?
I'm an enthusiastic climber, so if there are any Quantum Universe people out there who would like to join for some climbing or bouldering once things are properly open again, feel free to get in touch. I also make my own beer and more recently also ginger beer, which is both a lot of fun and (usually) really tasty.