UK Involvement in Direct Dark Matter Searches

未来的暗物质直接搜索将需要灵敏度更高的仪器，以及互补的目标和技术，才能声称有发现，然后转移到对粒子属性和天体物理参数的更详细研究。英国研究人员处于参与世界领先实验的绝佳地位，ZEPLIN-III(液态氙靶)和Edelweiss-II(低温锗)在灵敏度方面取得了重大进展，英国已经确定了参与的实验，最近英国招募了一名成员，带来了对DEAP/CLEAN(液态Ar)的新参与。我们预计，英国将在扩大到一吨基准质量甚至更高的尺度方面发挥主导作用，探索最可信的WIMP暗物质模型所青睐的大部分参数空间。该提案侧重于设计EURECA和LUX-ZEPLIN(LZ)实验所需的技术开发工作，以减轻技术风险和提高敏感性。实现这些目标还将有助于英国团队在EURECA和LZ的建设、运营和开发中发挥领导作用。

Future direct dark matter searches will require instruments with improved sensitivity and complementary targets and techniques in order to claim a discovery, and then move to more detailed studies of the particle properties and astrophysical parameters. UK researchers are in an excellent position to participate in the world leading experiments, with significant progress in sensitivity achieved by ZEPLIN-III (liquid xenon target) and EDELWEISS-II (cryogenic germanium), experiments with established UK participation, and with a recent recruitment to the UK bringing a new involvement in DEAP/CLEAN (liquid argon). We anticipate a leading UK role in scale up to a tonne fiducial mass and beyond, probing the majority of the parameter space favoured by the most credible WIMP dark matter models. This proposal focuses on the technical development work necessary to design the EURECA and LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiments, to mitigate technical risks and improving sensitivity. Meeting these goals will also facilitate the positioning of the UK teams for leadership roles in the construction, operation and exploitation of EURECA and LZ.