Data Analysis of the MiniCLEAN Dark Matter Experiment

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The identification of dark matter is one of the major scientific challenges of our time. Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are possible candidates. It is expected that the discovery and understanding of WIMP dark matter will require very large target masses. This award will support work on the MiniCLEAN detector, a single-phase detector designed to scale to large detector masses. MiniCLEAN follows the example of neutrino experiments where a monolithic target volume is surrounded by photomuliplier tubes, and the primary rejection of external backgrounds comes from the self-shielding made possible by the sheer size of the detector. This approach detects recoiling nuclei from WIMP interactions in liquid argon using only scintillation light. The simplicity of the single-phase technique allows for the construction of very large mass detectors at relatively low cost. The MiniCLEAN detector is presently under construction at SNOLAB. MIT has been involved in multiple aspects of the MiniCLEAN experiment, including the design and fabrication of muon veto system, the design and fabrication of the neutron calibration system, simulation and verification of the neutron background model, and preparation for data analysis. This award will support the MIT group's involvement in commissioning and operation of MiniCLEAN, and the subsequent data analysis.Broader Impact: The MiniCLEAN experiment will provide training for students and postdocs. The MIT group actively participates in the MIT-sponsored Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), which provides a forum for undergraduates to participate in experimental research.