The existence of dark matter is known from gravitational effects, but its nature remains a deep mystery. One possibility motivated by other considerations in elementary particle physics is that dark matter consists of undiscovered elementary particles; Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are one possibility. Evidence for WIMPs that could constitute dark matter may come from experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN or from sensitive astronomical instruments that detect radiation produced by WIMP-WIMP annihilations in galaxy halos. The orbital motion of the WIMPs composing the dark matter halo pervading the galaxy should result in WIMP-nuclear collisions of sufficient energy to be observable by sensitive laboratory apparatus.
This award will provide funding for research and development steps to support DarkSide-G2, a second-generation ("G2") direct WIMP search using a liquid argon Time Projection Chamber (TPC) with an active mass of 3.3 tons. Liquid argon is a promising medium for WIMP detection due to its efficient conversion of energy from WIMP-induced nuclear recoils into both ionization and scintillation. The argon scintillation time profile ("pulse shape") depends on the type of ionizing particle, providing particle discrimination that can be used to suppress background. This is one of the most powerful background rejection factors among all dark matter detectors, and when combined with the measurement of ionization, background rejection is even further enhanced. The performance of a ton-scale or larger liquid argon TPC would be limited by the high rate of 39-Ar beta decays if atmospheric argon was used. DarkSide-G2 will use argon collected from underground sources which has been shown to have 39-Ar content lower than atmospheric argon by at least a factor of 150. These funds will allow the groups to carry out the detailed mechanical design work necessary to ensure the functionality of the detector, develop necessary high voltage and data acquisition elements, and develop and identify the extremely radiopure detector components and techniques necessary to maximize the sensitivity of the experiment.
Broader impacts: This activity will advance the development of astroparticle physics and its scientific and educational mission in a variety of ways: (1) it will offer a continuing opportunity for the training of students, who will have a chance to contribute a cutting-edge project in fundamental science and advanced engineering; (2) it will benefit society by developing techniques that could find application in areas ranging from national security to medical imaging; and (3) it will support continued development of successful E&O programs such as the LNGS-South Dakota-Princeton summer school for high school students.
This award has funded the fabrication and commissioning of a very sensitive detector to measure tiny concentrations of radon in air. The detector accompanies a radon-scrubbing system installed in the Gran Sasso Laboratory underground halls to supply two clean rooms with radiation-free makeup air. The low radon atmosphere helps build very sensitive apparata with which to search for dark matter particles in the universe. This award is part of a broader collaborative grant for R&D activities of the DarkSide project aiming at searching for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) as possible dark matter particles. Collaborators include scientists from Princeton U, Temple U, U of Houston, Augustana College, and UCLA. The radon detector was designed, built, installed, and commissioned at the Gran Sasso lab in 2013. It was mostly funded under this award, with the exception of the data acquisition system, which was provided by the Krakow collaborators, who also calibrated the device with a dedicated radon source. The commissioning of the detector also involved two UMass undergraduate students stationed at LNGS for the Summer of 2013. The detector was able to measure the trace amounts of radon inside two DarkSide cleanrooms and has shown to perform at the level of the best devices of its kind, or better. This detector confirms the leading role of the DarkSide/Borexino scientists in ultra low background phyiscs and demonstrates how such devices can relatively easily be replicated in diverse research and industrial devices with mostly commercially available components.
