This article contains a summary of the White Paper submitted in 2019 to the ESA Voyage 2050 process, which was subsequently published in EPJ Quantum Technology (AEDGE Collaboration et al. EPJ Quant. Technol. 7,6 2020). We propose in this White Paper a concept for a space experiment using cold atoms to search for ultra-light dark matter, and to detect gravitational waves in the frequency range between the most sensitive ranges of LISA and the terrestrial LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA/INDIGO experiments. This interdisciplinary experiment, called Atomic Experiment for Dark Matter and Gravity Exploration (AEDGE), will also complement other planned searches for dark matter, and exploit synergies with other gravitational wave detectors. We give examples of the extended range of sensitivity to ultra-light dark matter offered by AEDGE, and how its gravitational-wave measurements could explore the assembly of super-massive black holes, first-order phase transitions in the early universe and cosmic strings. AEDGE will be based upon technologies now being developed for terrestrial experiments using cold atoms, and will benefit from the space experience obtained with, e.g., LISA and cold atom experiments in microgravity.

本文包含白皮书的概要在2019年提交给ESA航程2050点的过程，后来发表在EPJ量子科技（AEDGE协作等。EPJ定量。TECHNOL。7，6 2020）。我们在本白皮书中提出了一个空间实验的概念，该实验使用冷原子搜索超轻暗物质，并检测LISA最敏感范围与地面LIGO / Virgo / KAGRA / INDIGO之间的频率范围内的引力波实验。这个跨学科的实验称为暗物质和重力探索原子实验（AEDGE），还将补充其他计划的暗物质搜索，并利用与其他重力波探测器的协同作用。我们举例说明了AEDGE提供的对超轻暗物质的扩展灵敏度范围，以及其引力波测量如何探索超大质量黑洞的组装，早期宇宙中的一阶相变和宇宙弦。