Towards a Reliable Model for Dark Matter Search Experiments

Información del proyecto

SABRE

Identificador del acuerdo de subvención: 703650

DOI

10.3030/703650

Proyecto finalizado el 14 Agosto 2017

Fecha de la firma de la CE 19 Abril 2016

Fecha de inicio 1 Julio 2016

Fecha de finalización 30 Junio 2018

Financiado con arreglo a

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Coste total

€ 195 454,80

Aportación de la UE

€ 195 454,80

Coordinado por

IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE
United Kingdom

Objetivo

There is ample evidence that our Milky Way is embedded in a halo of Dark Matter. While the sun is revolving around the galactic center, it moves through this halo resulting in a constant Dark Matter wind on earth. The revolution of the earth around the sun produces then an annual modulation of the intensity of this wind. Dark Matter detection experiments have produced contradicting results so far. While the DAMA/LIBRA experiment reports the measurement of an annual modulation consistent with a Dark Matter signal, other experiments have not seen an interaction so far. The SABRE experiment aims to shed light on this controversy by detecting the annual modulation in the same target material as DAMA but with improved the sensitivity and using twin detectors in the northern and southern hemispheres. SABRE is currently preparing for a proof of principle at the same underground laboratory in Italy where DAMA operates, and will upgrade afterwards to the full-scale experiment.
This fellowship will enable me to drive the SABRE experiment through the proof-of-principle stage to the full-scale instrument. To fully understand the detector response to a dark matter signal or background radiation, end-to-end simulations are essential: I plan to include the interaction of the incoming particle/radiation with the detector, signal dispersion and collection including a full optical model, as well as the subsequent processing by the data acquisition electronics. Measurements with a high-purity crystal during the proof- of-principle phase will allow their intrinsic radiopurity to be fully characterized, which is a key input to the simulation. I will also measure the optical properties of the materials involved, another crucial part of the end-to-end simulation software. Using these results, I will also optimize the light collection efficiency of the detector and, with that, the sensitivity of the full-scale experiment.

Ámbito científico (EuroSciVoc)

• ciencias naturales › informática y ciencias de la información › ciencia de datos
• ciencias naturales › ciencias químicas › química inorgánica › metales alcalinos
• ciencias sociales › ciencias políticas › transiciones políticas › revoluciones
• ciencias naturales › ciencias físicas › astronomía › astrofísica › materia oscura
• ciencias naturales › informática y ciencias de la información › software › software de aplicación › software de simulación

Palabras clave

• Dark Matter
• NaI(Tl)
• low background
• experiment
• Monte Carlo simulations
• data analysis
• light collection
• design

Programa(s)

• H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions PROGRAMA PRINCIPAL
  
• H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
  

Tema(s)

• MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF)
  

Régimen de financiación

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

Convocatoria de propuestas

H2020-MSCA-IF-2015

Coordinador

IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE

• Aportación neta de la UEn: € 195 454,80
• Dirección: SOUTH KENSINGTON CAMPUS EXHIBITION ROAD ; SW7 2AZ London ; Reino Unido
• Región: London › Inner London — West › Westminster
• Tipo de actividad: Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
• Coste total: € 195 454,80