Axions are peculiar hypothetical particles that could both solve the CP problem of quantum chromodynamics and at the same time account for the dark matter of the universe. Based on a series of lectures by world experts in this field held at CERN (Geneva), this volume provides a pedagogical introduction to the theory, cosmology and astrophysics of these fascinating particles and gives an up-to-date account of the status and prospect of ongoing and planned experimental searches. Learners and practitioners of astroparticle physics will find in this book both a concise introduction and a current reference work to a showcase topic that connects the "inner space" of the elementary particle world with the "outer space" of the universe at large.
From the reviews: "The motivation of this book was to provide a starting point for graduate students and senior researchers in the field of axions and axion-like particles. The book gives a broad overview on the theoretical reason of axions and axion-like particles, their implication for cosmology and astrophysics, their role as a well-known dark-matter candidate, and experimental axion searches." (Claudia-Veronika Meister, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1157, 2009)