https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/63222
Title: | Ultraheavy dark matter search with electron microscopy of geological quartz |
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Contributor(s): | Ebadi, Reza (author); Mathur, Anubhav (author); Tanin, Erwin H (author); Tailby, Nicholas D (author) ; Marshall, Mason C (author); Ravi, Aakash (author); Trubko, Raisa (author); Fu, Roger R (author); Phillips, David F (author); Rajendran, Surjeet (author); Walsworth, Ronald L (author) |
Publication Date: | 2021-07-30 |
Open Access: | Yes |
DOI: | 10.1103/physrevd.104.015041 |
Handle Link: | https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/63222 |
Abstract: | Self-interactions within the dark sector could clump dark matter into heavy composite states with low number density, leading to a highly suppressed event rate in existing direct detection experiments. However, the large interaction cross section between such ultraheavy dark matter (UHDM) and standard model matter results in a distinctive and compelling signature; long, straight damage tracks as they pass through and scatter with matter. In this work, we propose using geologically old quartz samples as largeexposure detectors for UHDM. We describe a high-resolution readout method based on electron microscopy, characterize the most favorable geological samples for this approach, and study its reach in a simple model of the dark sector. The advantage of this search strategy is twofold; the age of geological quartz compensates for the low number density of ultraheavy composite dark matter, and the distinct geometry of the damage track serves as a high-fidelity background rejection tool. |
Publication Type: | Journal Article |
Source of Publication: | Physical Review D, 104(1), p. 1-10 |
Publisher: | American Physical Society |
Place of Publication: | United States of America |
ISSN: | 2470-0029 2470-0010 |
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: | 370505 Mineralogy and crystallography 370507 Planetary geology 510106 High energy astrophysics and galactic cosmic rays |
Peer Reviewed: | Yes |
HERDC Category Description: | C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal |
Appears in Collections: | Journal Article School of Environmental and Rural Science |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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openpublished/UltraheavyTailby2021JournalArticle.pdf | Published Version | 787.53 kB | Adobe PDF Download Adobe | View/Open |
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