Search for Dark Matter with XENON100

有充分的证据表明，宇宙中的大量物质是由一种未知的物质构成的，这种物质被称为暗物质。然而，它的性质在很大程度上是未知的，对当代物理学构成了重大挑战。XENON100合作项目在意大利格兰萨索（Gran Sasso）的地下实验室开展，是目前最敏感的寻找暗物质的实验。再加上探测器的大体积和质量，低背景使得研究暗物质的本质成为可能，这是任何其他正在运行的探测器都无法做到的。该奖项为XENON100探测器提供的数据提供了独特的机会，为寻找暗物质粒子非常规模型所期望的特征提供了基础支持。这些数据将在原始分析中进行研究，以获得对暗物质本质的新见解。将对低质量暗物质粒子进行两种不同的专门搜索。将对非弹性暗物质或磁性非弹性暗物质等模型预测的信号进行创新搜索。更广泛的影响：为了激发公众的想象力和好奇心，PI将继续利用他以前参与天文馆和其他外展活动的经验。将利用报纸文章和其他多种科普传播渠道传播研究结果。本科生和研究生以及博士后研究员将接受现代天体粒子物理学前沿研究方面的教育和培训。

There is ample evidence that large amounts of matter in the Universe are made from an unknown kind, called Dark Matter. Yet, its properties are largely unknown and pose a major challenge for contemporary physics. The XENON100 collaboration, working at the underground laboratory at Gran Sasso, Italy, runs the currently most sensitive experiment to search for Dark Matter. Together with the large volume and mass of the detector, the low background enables studies of the nature of Dark Matter that are not possible with any other operating detector.This award provides base support to work on the unique opportunities that data from the XENON100 detector provide to search for signatures that are expected from unconventional models of Dark Matter particles. The data will be studied in original analyses to gain new insights into the nature of Dark Matter. Two different and dedicated searches will be performed for Dark Matter particles with low masses. Innovative searches for signals that are predicted by models such as inelastic Dark Matter or magnetic inelastic Dark Matter will be carried out.Broader impacts: the PI will continue to build on previous experience from his involvement in a planetarium and other outreach activities in order to stimulate the imagination and curiosity of the public. Newspaper articles and other channels of diverse popular science communication will be utilized to disseminate results from the research. Undergraduate and graduate students as well as a postdoctoral researcher will be educated and trained in research at the cutting edge of modern astroparticle physics.