WISP (particle physics) (original) (raw)

In particle physics, the acronym WISP refers to a largely hypothetical weakly interacting sub-eV particle, or weakly interacting slender particle, or weakly interacting slim particle – low-mass particles which rarely interact with conventional particles, if ever, and then only via the weak interaction. The term is used to generally categorize a type of dark matter candidate, and is essentially synonymous with axion-like particle (ALP).With the exception of “active” neutrinos, all WISPs are hypothetical particles.