Objective Collisions of dark matter (DM) particles with nuclei or with themselves can be accompanied by the prompt production of (dark) Bremsstrahlung quanta or, in matter, by the emission of electrons. The latter is called the Migdal effect, and the former adds a dissipative process to DM self-interactions. Focusing on light, sub-GeV DM candidates, we will advance two fields of central interest to the particle physics community: the direct detection of DM in the laboratory and the DM-assisted formation of structure in the Universe. The first goal is to put recent ideas of prompt photon and electron production in DM-nuclear scattering on firm and undisputable grounds. We do so by new detailed theoretical calculations for the target compounds of direct detection experiments and by devising experimental verification schemes through Standard Model analogs. The results will pioneer how we understand signal formation in DM searches and clarify the reach of state-of-the-art and future DM direct detection experiments. The second goal is to give self-interacting DM with dissipative channels an exact theory embedding. We will provide a new formulation of the Bremsstrahlung process that is exact to all orders in the colliding particle-pair interaction and spans all kinematic situations: soft- and hard-emission, quantum, and semi-classical. The results will apply broadly: from the Standard Model, to particle dark matter, to primordial black hole relics. Astrophysical implications and observational signatures will be established. The findings of these works will increase our chances of discovering DM in the laboratory and the skies and bring us closer in our quest to unravel its non-gravitational nature. Fields of science natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyastrophysicsblack holesnatural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyastrophysicsdark matternatural sciencesphysical sciencestheoretical physicsparticle physicsphotonsnatural sciencesmathematicsapplied mathematicsmathematical model Programme(s) HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2021-COG - ERC CONSOLIDATOR GRANTS Call for proposal ERC-2021-COG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC - Support for frontier research (ERC) Host institution OESTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN Net EU contribution € 996 010,00 Address DR. IGNAZ SEIPEL-PLATZ 2 1010 Wien Austria See on map Region Ostösterreich Wien Wien Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 996 010,00 Beneficiaries (2) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all OESTERREICHISCHE AKADEMIE DER WISSENSCHAFTEN Austria Net EU contribution € 996 010,00 Address DR. IGNAZ SEIPEL-PLATZ 2 1010 Wien See on map Region Ostösterreich Wien Wien Activity type Research Organisations Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 996 010,00 UNIVERSITAT WIEN Austria Net EU contribution € 995 898,75 Address UNIVERSITATSRING 1 1010 Wien See on map Region Ostösterreich Wien Wien Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 995 898,75
