CAREER: Development of a New Generation of Gas-based Detectors for the Directionality Signature from Dark Matter

职业：开发新一代气体探测器，用于检测暗物质的方向性特征

• 批准号: 0548208
• 负责人: Dinesh Loomba
• 金额: $ 51.09万
• 依托单位: University of New Mexico
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-01-01 至 2011-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0548208&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Development; New; Generation; Gas

In this era of precision cosmology, measurements suggest that ordinary matter (protons and neutrons) makes up a mere 15% of the total matter density in the Universe. The rest, whose effect we can only see gravitationally, appears to be dark. The goal of detecting and identifying dark matter is widely recognized as one of the most important problems in 21st century cosmology. Current particle physics models suggest that dark matter might be weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) left over from the Big Bang. Efforts to directly detect WIMPs are hampered by small interaction probabilities and large backgrounds which mimic expected dark matter signals. Fortunately, a number of unique dark matter signatures exist which, if exploited, can be used to discriminate against backgrounds. These are based on the predicted behavior of the WIMP flux as the Sun-Earth system moves through the galaxy. The largest and most robust of these signatures is a day-night modulation of nuclear recoil directions in the lab frame. Of current experimental searches for dark matter only one, Directional Recoil Identification From Tracks (DRIFT), is equipped to detect this directionality signature. The main subject of this proposal is to experimentally study novel detectors for future directionally sensitive dark matter detectors. These studies will focus on improving DRIFT's sensitivity for measuring directionality by taking full advantage of the directional signature from halo WIMPs while maintaining DRIFT's good background rejection capabilities, intrinsic low-maintainability, and low cost per unit mass. The goals of this research are to quantify the advantages and disadvantages of the new technologies by measuring their performance in the laboratory, and to assess the feasibility of employing these new technologies in future, large mass directional dark matter experiments.Broader impacts of this work include the training of undergraduate and graduate students (including underrepresented minorities). Additionally, a targeted Outreach Program for the professional development of middle- and high-school teachers will be developed. As part of this program, each year a 1-day workshop will be offered, followed by a 2-week intensive course, with graduate credit towards a M.A. in Education, for teachers across New Mexico. This will take place in collaboration with and support from the Lodestar Astronomy Center and the Science Education Institute of the Southwest.

在这个精密宇宙学的时代，测量表明普通物质（质子和中子）仅占宇宙总物质密度的 15%。 其余的部分，我们只能通过引力才能看到​​其效果，看起来是黑暗的。 探测和识别暗物质的目标被广泛认为是 21 世纪宇宙学中最重要的问题之一。目前的粒子物理模型表明，暗物质可能是大爆炸留下的弱相互作用的大质量粒子（WIMP）。 相互作用概率小和模仿预期暗物质信号的大背景阻碍了直接探测 WIMP 的努力。 幸运的是，存在许多独特的暗物质特征，如果被利用，可以用来区分背景。 这些都是基于日地系统穿过银河系时 WIMP 通量的预测行为。 这些特征中最大、最稳健的是实验室框架中核反冲方向的昼夜调节。 目前对暗物质的实验研究中，只有一种——轨道定向反冲识别（DRIFT）——能够检测这种方向性特征。 该提案的主要主题是通过实验研究未来定向敏感暗物质探测器的新型探测器。 这些研究将侧重于通过充分利用光晕 WIMP 的方向特征来提高 DRIFT 测量方向性的灵敏度，同时保持 DRIFT 良好的背景抑制能力、固有的低可维护性和单位质量的低成本。 这项研究的目标是通过测量新技术在实验室中的表现来量化新技术的优缺点，并评估在未来大规模定向暗物质实验中采用这些新技术的可行性。这项工作的更广泛影响包括对本科生和研究生（包括代表性不足的少数群体）的培训。 此外，还将制定一项有针对性的初中和高中教师专业发展外展计划。 作为该计划的一部分，每年将为新墨西哥州的教师提供为期 1 天的研讨会，然后是为期 2 周的强化课程，并获得教育硕士学位的研究生学分。 该活动将在北极星天文中心和西南科学教育学院的合作和支持下进行。