Direct Dark Matter Detection Data Research Articles

Halo-independent dark matter electron scattering analysis with in-medium effects

Dark matter (DM)-electron scattering is a prime target of a number of direct DM detection experiments and constitutes a promising avenue for exploring interactions of DM in the sub-GeV mass-range, challenging to probe with nuclear recoils. We extend the recently proposed halo-independent analysis method for DM-electron scattering, which allows to infer the local DM halo properties without any additional assumptions about them, to include in-medium effects through dielectric functions of the target material. We show that in-medium effects could significantly affect halo-independent analysis response functions for germanium and silicon and thus are essential for proper inference of local DM halo characteristics from direct DM detection data.

Halo-independent analysis of direct dark matter detection through electron scattering

Sub-GeV mass dark matter particles whose collisions with nuclei would not deposit sufficient energy to be detected, could instead be revealed through their interaction with electrons.Analyses of data from direct detection experiments usually require assuming a local dark matter halo velocity distribution. In the halo-independent analysis method, properties of this distribution are instead inferred from direct dark matter detection data, which allows then to compare different data without making any assumption on the uncertain local dark halo characteristics. This method has so far been developed for and applied to dark matter scattering off nuclei. Here we demonstrate how this analysis can be applied to scattering off electrons.

Assessing compatibility of direct detection data: halo-independent global likelihood analyses

We present two different halo-independent methods to assess the compatibility of several direct dark matter detection data sets for a given dark matter model using a global likelihood consisting of at least one extended likelihood and an arbitrary number of Gaussian or Poisson likelihoods. In the first method we find the global best fit halo function (we prove that it is a unique piecewise constant function with a number of down steps smaller than or equal to a maximum number that we compute) and construct a two-sided pointwise confidence band at any desired confidence level, which can then be compared with those derived from the extended likelihood alone to assess the joint compatibility of the data. In the second method we define a ``constrained parameter goodness-of-fit'' test statistic, whose p-value we then use to define a ``plausibility region'' (e.g. where p ⩾ 10%). For any halo function not entirely contained within the plausibility region, the level of compatibility of the data is very low (e.g. p < 10%). We illustrate these methods by applying them to CDMS-II-Si and SuperCDMS data, assuming dark matter particles with elastic spin-independent isospin-conserving interactions or exothermic spin-independent isospin-violating interactions.

Extended maximum likelihood halo-independent analysis of dark matter direct detection data

We extend and correct a recently proposed maximum-likelihood halo-independent method to analyze unbinned direct dark matter detection data. Instead of the recoil energy as independent variable we use the minimum speed a dark matter particle must have to impart a given recoil energy to a nucleus. This has the advantage of allowing us to apply the method to any type of target composition and interaction, e.g. with general momentum and velocity dependence, and with elastic or inelastic scattering. We prove the method and provide a rigorous statistical interpretation of the results. As first applications, we find that for dark matter particles with elastic spin-independent interactions and neutron to proton coupling ratio fn/fp=−0.7, the WIMP interpretation of the signal observed by CDMS-II-Si is compatible with the constraints imposed by all other experiments with null results. We also find a similar compatibility for exothermic inelastic spin-independent interactions with fn/fp=−0.8.

Reconstructing the WIMP velocity distribution from direct dark matter detection data with a nonnegligible threshold energy

In this paper, we investigate the modification of our expressions developed for the model-independent data analysis procedure of the reconstruction of the (time-averaged) one-dimensional velocity distribution of galactic weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with a nonnegligible experimental threshold energy. Our numerical simulations show that, for a minimal reconstructable velocity of as high as [Formula: see text] km/s, our model-independent modification of the estimator for the normalization constant could provide precise reconstructed velocity distribution points to match the true WIMP velocity distribution with ≲ 10% bias.

Excluding the light dark matter window of a 331 model using LHC and direct dark matter detection data

We sift the impact of the recent Higgs precise measurements, and recent dark matter direct detection results, on the dark sector of an electroweak extension of the Standard Model that has a complex scalar as dark matter. We find that in this model the Higgs decays with a large branching ratio into dark matter particles, and charged scalars when these are kinematically available, for any coupling strength differently from the so called Higgs portal. Moreover, we compute the abundance and spin-independent WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section, which are driven by the Higgs and Z′ boson processes. We decisively exclude the 1–500 GeV dark matter window and find the most stringent lower bound in the literature on the scale of symmetry breaking of the model namely 10 TeV, after applying the LUX-2013 limit. Interestingly, the projected XENON1T constraint will be able to rule out the entire 1 GeV–1000 GeV dark matter mass range. Lastly, for completeness, we compute the charged scalar production cross section at the LHC and comment on the possibility of detection at current and future LHC runnings.

Bayesian reconstruction of the velocity distribution of weakly interacting massive particles from direct dark matter detection data

In this paper, we extended our earlier work on the reconstruction of the (time-averaged) one-dimensional velocity distribution of Galactic Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) and introduce the Bayesian fitting procedure to the theoretically predicted velocity distribution functions. In this reconstruction process, the (rough) velocity distribution reconstructed by using raw data from direct Dark Matter detection experiments directly, i.e. measured recoil energies, with one or more different target materials, has been used as "reconstructed-input" information. By assuming a fitting velocity distribution function and scanning the parameter space based on the Bayesian analysis, the astronomical characteristic parameters, e.g. the Solar and Earth's Galactic velocities, will be pinned down as the output results.

Direct detection of light ``Ge-phobic'' exothermic dark matter

We present comparisons of direct dark matter (DM) detection data for light WIMPs with exothermic scattering with nuclei (exoDM), both assuming the Standard Halo Model (SHM) and in a halo model–independent manner. Exothermic interactions favor light targets, thus reducing the importance of upper limits derived from xenon targets, the most restrictive of which is at present the LUX limit. In our SHM analysis the CDMS-II-Si and CoGeNT regions become allowed by these bounds, however the recent SuperCDMS limit rejects both regions for exoDM with isospin-conserving couplings. An isospin-violating coupling of the exoDM, in particular one with a neutron to proton coupling ratio of -0.8 (which we call ``Ge-phobic''), maximally reduces the DM coupling to germanium and allows the CDMS-II-Si region to become compatible with all bounds. This is also clearly shown in our halo-independent analysis.

Generalized halo independent comparison of direct dark matter detection data

We extend the halo-independent method to compare direct dark matter detection data, so far used only for spin-independent WIMP-nucleon interactions, to any type of interaction. As an example we apply the method to magnetic moment interactions.

Halo independent comparison of direct dark matter detection data

We extend the halo-independent method of Fox, Liu, and Weiner to include energy resolution and efficiency with arbitrary energy dependence, making it more suitable for experiments to use in presenting their results. Then we compare measurements and upper limits on the direct detection of low mass ( ∼ 10 GeV) weakly interacting massive particles with spin-independent interactions, including the upper limit on the annual modulation amplitude from the CDMS collaboration. We find that isospin-symmetric couplings are severely constrained both by XENON100 and CDMS bounds, and that isospin-violating couplings are still possible at the lowest energies, while the tension of the higher energy CoGeNT bins with the CDMS modulation constraint remains. We find the CRESST-II signal is not compatible with the modulation signals of DAMA and CoGeNT.

Analyzing direct dark matter detection data with unrejected background events by the AMIDAS website

In this talk I have presented the data analysis results of extracting properties of halo WIMPs: the mass and the (ratios between the) spin-independent and spin-dependent couplings/cross sections on nucleons by the AMIDAS website by taking into account possible unrejected background events in the analyzed data sets. Although non-standard astronomical setup has been used to generate pseudodata sets for our analyses, it has been found that, without prior information/assumption about the local density and velocity distribution of halo Dark Matter, these WIMP properties have been reconstructed with ∼ 2% to ≲ 30% deviations from the input values.

Analyzing Direct Dark Matter Detection Data by the AMIDAS Website

In this talk I have presented the data analysis results of extracting properties of halo WIMPs: the mass and the (ratios between the) spin-independent and spin-dependent couplings/cross sections on nucleons by the AMIDAS website. Although non-standard astronomical setup has been used to generate pseudodata sets for our analyses, it has been found that, without prior information/assumption about the local density and velocity distribution of halo Dark Matter, these WIMP properties have been reconstructed with ~5% to < ~40% deviations from the input values.

Determining ratios of WIMP-nucleon cross sections from direct dark matter detection data

Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) are one of the leading candidates for Dark Matter. So far the usual procedure for constraining the WIMP-nucleon cross sections in direct Dark Matter detection experiments have been to fit the predicted event rate based on some model(s) of the Galactic halo and of WIMPs to experimental data. One has to assume whether the spin-independent (SI) or the spin-dependent (SD) WIMP-nucleus interaction dominates, and results of such data analyses are also expressed as functions of the as yet unknown WIMP mass. In this article, I introduce methods for extracting information on the WIMP-nucleon cross sections by considering a general combination of the SI and SD interactions. Neither prior knowledge about the local density and the velocity distribution of halo WIMPs nor about their mass is needed. Assuming that an exponential-like shape of the recoil spectrum is confirmed from experimental data, the required information are only the measured recoil energies (in low energy ranges) and the number of events in the first energy bin from two or more experiments.

Reconstructing the velocity distribution of weakly interacting massive particles from directdark matter detection data

Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) are among the leading dark mattercandidates. Currently, the most promising method for detecting many differentWIMP candidates is the direct detection of the recoil energy deposited in a lowbackground laboratory detector due to elastic WIMP–nucleus scattering. So far theusual procedure has been to predict the event rate of direct detection of WIMPsbased on some model(s) of the galactic halo. The aim of our work is to invert thisprocess. That is, we study what future direct detection experiments can teachus about the WIMP halo. As the first step we consider a time-averaged recoilspectrum, assuming that no directional information exists. We develop a method forconstructing the (time-averaged) one-dimensional velocity distribution function fromthis spectrum. Moments of this function, such as the mean velocity and velocitydispersion of WIMPs, can also be obtained directly from the recoil spectrum. Theonly input needed in addition to a measured recoil spectrum is the mass of theWIMP; no information about the scattering cross section or WIMP density isrequired.