Collaborative Research: Continuation of the XENON Dark Matter Search at LNGS

多项天文观测证实，宇宙中约85%的物质不是由已知粒子组成的。破译这种所谓的暗物质的本质对宇宙学、天体物理学和高能粒子物理学具有根本的重要性，并对我们的宇宙观产生深远的影响。一个主要的假设是，它是由相互作用很弱的大质量粒子组成的，这些粒子是在大爆炸后不久产生的。如果WIMP是暗物质，那么它们在我们银河系中的存在可能是通过位于地下深处的探测器中的原子核散射来检测到的，以帮助排除由于宇宙射线造成的背景。暗物质(DM)的识别构成了一个挑战，正在通过各种补充方法和技术来解决。通过Gran Sasso实验室的氙气项目直接搜索DM有望提供一种极具成本效益的方法，覆盖预期DM参数空间的大片区域。这项合同将使XENON100的美国团队能够参与XENON100的运行和数据分析，直到2015年，届时XENON1T的科学计划有望开始。凭借在Gran Sasso的强大影响力，这些美国集团将在XENON1T的投产和运营中保持领先地位。更广泛的影响：许多学生和博士后研究人员参与了美国各地大学的氙气项目。他们接触了基础物理和宇宙学的各种学科，并接受了最先进技术的开发和应用方面的培训，为他们成为该领域的未来领导者做好了准备。氙气中使用的仪器和技术与广泛的应用有关，从国土安全和医学成像领域，到大型数据集的分析和统计处理。

Multiple astronomical observations have established that about 85% of the matter in the universe is not made of known particles. Deciphering the nature of this so-called Dark Matter is of fundamental importance to cosmology, astrophysics, and high-energy particle physics with profound implications for our view of the Universe. A leading hypothesis is that it is comprised of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs, that were produced moments after the Big Bang. If WIMPs are the dark matter, then their presence in our galaxy may be detectable via scattering from atomic nuclei in detectors located deep underground to help reject backgrounds due to cosmic rays.The identification of Dark Matter (DM) poses a challenge that is being addressed with a variety of complementary approaches and technologies. The direct search for DM with the XENON project at the Gran Sasso laboratory promises an extremely cost-efficient approach to cover vast regions of expected DM parameter space. This award will enable the US groups in XENON to participate in the operations and data analysis of XENON100 well into 2015 when the start of the scientific program with XENON1T is expected. With a strong presence at Gran Sasso, the US groups will maintain a leading role in the commissioning and operation of XENON1T. Broader Impacts:A number of students as well as post-doctoral researchers are involved in the XENON project at universities across the US. They are exposed to a variety of subjects in fundamental physics and cosmology, and trained in the development and application of state-of-the-art technologies, preparing them to become future leaders in the field. The instrumentation and techniques used in XENON are relevant to a wide range of applications, from areas in homeland security and medical imaging, to the analysis and statistical treatment of large data sets.