GPS.ELF: Search for emission of exotic low-mass fields from the binary neutron star merger (GW170817) using GPS atomic clocks

Exotic bosonic fields are plausible constituents of dark matter and are potential solutions to the strong-CP and the hierarchy problems. Such fields can be potentially sourced by powerful astrophysical events, such as binary neutron star and binary black hole mergers. This opens an intriguing possibility for a novel, exotic physics, modality in multi-messenger astronomy [Nature Astronomy 5, 150 (2021)]. We present the initial results of our search for such feebly interacting exotic low-mass field (ELFs). We use data from atomic clocks of the Global Positioning System (GPS). The search is carried out by comparing the clock excess noise before and after the LIGO gravitational wave trigger. Our initial search focuses on the August 17, 2017 GW170817 binary neutron star merger event.