Abstract
The DAMA project develops and uses new/improved low background scintil- lation detectors to investigate the Dark Matter (DM) particle component(s) in the galactic halo and rare processes deep underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) of the I.N.F.N.. Here some highlights of DAMA/LIBRA (Large sodium Iodide Bulk for Rare processes) as a unique apparatus in direct DM investigation for its full sensitive mass, target material, intrinsic radio-purity, methodological approach and all the controls performed on the experimental parameters are outlined. The DAMA/LIBRA-phase1 and the former DAMA/NaI data (cumulative exposure 1.33 ton × yr, corresponding to 14 annual cycles) have reached a model-independent evidence at 9.3 σ C.L. for the pres- ence of DM particles in the galactic halo exploiting the DM annual modulation signature with highly radio-pure NaI(Tl) target. Some of the perspectives of the presently run- ning DAMA/LIBRA-phase2 are summarised and the powerful tools offered by a model independent strategy of DM investigation are pointed out.
Highlights
The DAMA/LIBRA experiment [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15] as the former DAMA/NaI, has the main aim to investigate the presence of Dark Matter (DM) particles in the galactic halo by exploiting the modelindependent DM annual modulation signature
The results obtained in the investigation of possible diurnal effects for low-energy single-hit scintillation events of DAMA/LIBRA–phase1 (1.04 ton × year exposure) have been analysed in terms of Earth Shadow Effect, a model-dependent effect that could be expected in case of DM candidates inducing just nuclear recoils and having high cross-section with ordinary matter, which implies low DM local density in order to fulfil the DAMA/LIBRA DM annual modulation results [14]
The data of DAMA/LIBRA–phase1 have further confirmed the presence of a peculiar annual modulation of the single-hit events in the (2–6) keV energy region satisfying all the many requirements of the DM annual modulation signature
Summary
The DAMA/LIBRA experiment [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15] as the former DAMA/NaI (see e.g. Refs. [8, 16, 17]), has the main aim to investigate the presence of DM particles in the galactic halo by exploiting the modelindependent DM annual modulation signature (originally suggested in Refs. [18, 19]). Among further scientific goals of this apparatus we point out here: i) investigation with high sensitivity of the DM particle component in the galactic halo by the model independent approach known as DM annual modulation signature, with highly precise determination of the modulation parameters (which carry crucial information); ii) corollary investigations on the nature of the candidate and on the many possible astrophysical, nuclear and particle physics scenarios; iii) investigations on other possible model dependent and/or model independent approaches to further investigate DM particles’ features and second order effects; study of exotic scenarios (as SIMPs, neutral nuclearites, Q-balls, etc.); iv) improved search for processes of Pauli exclusion principle violation in 23Na and 127I; v) search for possible electric charge non-conservation (CNC) processes (electron decay into invisible channels, e− → νe + γ, excitations of nuclear levels of 23Na and 127I after CNC electronic capture); vi) search for possible nucleon, di-nucleon and tri-nucleon decay into invisible channels in 23Na and in 127I; vii) search for solar axions by Primakoff effect in NaI(Tl); viii) search for nuclear rare decays in 23Na, 127I and Tl isotopes (super-dense states, cluster decay, etc.); ix) search for possible neutral particles (QED new phase) in 241Am decays, etc Most of these investigations will require further dedicated data taking and high exposure to reach competitive sensitivities. That Appendix shows how the decreasing of the software energy threshold as in the present DAMA/LIBRA–phase offers the unique possibility to investigate the modulation amplitude at lower energy, disentangling among many DM scenarios when a suitable exposure is collected
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