Collaborative Research: Continuation of the XENON100 Dark Matter Search at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory

该奖项通过在氙气计划中使用两相氙气探测器对弱相互作用大质量粒子(WIMP)进行实验性的直接探测，解决了宇宙中暗物质(DM)的性质问题。这项合作目前是在意大利Gran Sasso地下实验室(LNGS)进行的XENON100实验的100公斤质量规模。下一阶段将是吨级(XENON1T)探测器，其灵敏度目标比XENON100目前的最佳极限高两个数量级以上，XENON100是目前在地下运行的最低本底和最大质量的直接探测实验。这些资金将使这些小组能够继续XENON100实验，以达到与自旋无关的截面的设计灵敏度，并研究其他WIMP相互作用场景。他们计划在2011年连续获取至少一年的数据，以寻找自旋无关和自旋相关的DM，非弹性DM和低质量DM，并在XENON100数据中寻找年度调制信号。广泛的影响：氙气科学解决了关于宇宙基本属性的问题，拥有吸引学生和普通公众兴趣和想象力的所有成分。与技术相关的工作可以在许多方面影响社会：液体氙气成像探测器和相关技术在粒子天体物理学以外的几个领域得到应用，包括国家安全和医学成像研究。

This award addresses the question of the nature of Dark Matter (DM) in the Universe with an experimental direct detection search for Weakly Interactive Massive Particles (WIMPs) using two-phase xenon detectors within the XENON program. This Collaboration is currently at the 100 kg mass scale with the XENON100 experiment at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory (LNGS), Italy. The next phase will be a detector at the ton scale (XENON1T) with a sensitivity goal of more than two orders of magnitude better than the current best limits from XENON100, currently the lowest background and largest mass direct detection experiment operating underground. These funds will enable these groups to continue the XENON100 experiment to reach the design sensitivity for the spin-independent cross-section and to study other WIMP interaction scenarios. They plan to take data for at least one continuous year throughout 2011 to search for both spin-independent and spin-dependent DM, for inelastic DM and low mass DM and for an annual modulation signal in the XENON100 data.Broader Impacts: The XENON science, addressing questions about fundamental properties of the Universe, has all the ingredients to captivate the interest and imagination of students and the general public alike. Technical-related work can impact society in a number of ways: liquid xenon imaging detectors and related technologies find applications in several fields outside particle astrophysics, including national security and medical imaging research.