Collaborative Research: DarkSide-20k: A Global Program for the Direct Detection of Dark Matter Using Low-Radioactivity Argon

合作研究：DarkSide-20k：使用低放射性氩直接探测暗物质的全球计划

• 批准号: 1812472
• 负责人: Andrew Renshaw
• 金额: $ 88万
• 依托单位: University of Houston
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2018-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1812472&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; DarkSide; 20k; Global

Multiple astronomical observations have established that about 85% of the matter in the universe is not made of normal atoms, but must be otherwise undetected elementary "dark matter" particles that do not emit or absorb light. Deciphering the nature of this so-called Dark Matter is of fundamental importance to cosmology, astrophysics, and high-energy particle physics. 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. Direct detection of WIMP dark matter would solve a fundamental mystery in particle physics and cosmology, providing a unique window to learning about the primary matter constituent of the Universe and of physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. This award is to support the NSF-funded DarkSide (DS) groups for the construction and operation of DarkSide-20k (DS-20k), a direct WIMP search using a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr TPC) with an active (fiducial) mass of 23 tons (20 tons).The LAr TPC relies heavily on the utilization of argon obtained from underground sources, or UAr. The planned Aria project for UAr purification may improve the worldwide availability of valuable stable rare isotopes such as O-18, N-15, and C-13, used for various medical, industrial and energy generation applications. The production of hundreds of tonnes of low-radioactivity UAr for DS-20k and for other technical uses requiring detection of Ar-37 for nuclear test ban verification, and Ar-39, for radiometric dating. Special E&O programs are planned with focus on educating K-12 teachers about basic physics and how it relates to dark matter detection, re-starting a summer school experience for high-school and undergraduate students, as well giving research opportunities to undergraduate students at participating underrepresented-minority serving institutions.DS-20k builds on the success of DarkSide-50 (DS-50), operating at LNGS since 2013, which produced two zero-background science results using atmospheric argon (AAr) and then underground argon (UAr) fills. DS-50 demonstrated an 39Ar reduction of 1400 in the UAr. Electron recoil (ER) background was shown to be completely suppressed in the region of interest, with discrimination better than 1 part in 1.5 x 10^7. These results demonstrated the ability of large LAr TPCs to operate in an "instrumental background-free mode" - a mode in which less than 0.1 events (other than actual nuclear recoils from elastic scattering of atmospheric and diffuse supernova background neutrinos) are expected in the region of interest for the planned exposure of DS-20k. DS-20k will have ultra-low backgrounds, with the ability to measure its backgrounds in situ, and sensitivity to WIMP-nucleon cross sections of 1.2 x 10^-47 cm2 (1.1 x 10^-46 cm2) for WIMPs of 1 TeV/c2 (10 TeV/c2) mass, to be achieved during a 5 yr run with exposure of 100 t yr.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

多次天文观察结果表明，宇宙中约有85％的物质不是正常原子制成的，但必须是未发现的基本“暗物质”颗粒，这些颗粒不会发出或吸收光。破译这种所谓的暗物质的性质对于宇宙学，天体物理学和高能粒子物理学至关重要。一个主要的假设是，它由弱相互作用的巨大颗粒或wimps组成，这些颗粒或wimps是在大爆炸后瞬间产生的。如果wimps是暗物质，那么它们在我们的星系中的存在可能可以通过从原子核中散射到地下深地下的探测器中来检测到，以帮助拒绝由于宇宙射线而引起的背景。直接检测WIMP暗物质将解决粒子物理和宇宙学上的基本神秘，为学习宇宙的主要物质和物理学的主要物理成分提供了独特的窗口，而不是粒子物理学的标准模型。 This award is to support the NSF-funded DarkSide (DS) groups for the construction and operation of DarkSide-20k (DS-20k), a direct WIMP search using a Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LAr TPC) with an active (fiducial) mass of 23 tons (20 tons).The LAr TPC relies heavily on the utilization of argon obtained from underground sources, or UAr.计划中的UAR净化项目可以改善全球范围内的稳定稀有同位素（例如O-18，N-15和C-13），用于各种医疗，工业和能源生成应用。用于DS-20K的数百吨低放射性UAR和其他技术用途的生产，需要检测AR-37进行核试验禁令验证，而AR-39进行放射测定。计划进行特殊的E＆O计划，重点是教育K-12老师有关基本物理学以及它与暗物质检测的关系，重新启动了暑期学校的经验，用于高中生和本科生的暑期学校体验，以及为参与的本科生提供研究的机会。参与的学生提供了较低的薪金。使用大气氩（AAR），然后地下氩（UAR）填充零背景科学。 DS-50在UAR中显示出39AR减少了1400。电子后坐力（ER）背景被证明在感兴趣的区域完全受到抑制，在1.5 x 10^7中的歧视大于1部分。这些结果表明，大型LAR TPC以“无仪器背景模式”运行的能力 - 这种模式预计在计划暴露于DS-20K的计划暴露的区域中，预计大气和弥漫性超新星背景中微子的弹性散射外的实际核后坐力除外）。 DS-20K将具有超低背景，并具有在原位测量其背景的能力，并且对Wimp-Nucleon横截面的敏感性为1.2 x 10^-47 cm2（1.1 x 10^-46 cm2）（1 TEV/C2（10 tev/c2）质量，在5 yr exportion the tev/c2（10 tev/c2）质量的烟丝中，可以达到5 yr的范围。使命，并被认为是通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的审查标准通过评估值得支持的。

项目成果

Low-Mass Dark Matter Search with the DarkSide-50 Experiment

使用 DarkSide-50 实验进行低质量暗物质搜索

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.121.081307
• 发表时间: 2018
• 期刊: Physical Review Letters
• 影响因子: 8.6
• 作者: Agnes, P.;Albuquerque, I. F.;Alexander, T.;Alton, A. K.;Araujo, G. R.;Asner, D. M.;Ave, M.;Back, H. O.;Baldin, B.;Batignani, G.
• 通讯作者: Batignani, G.

SiPM-matrix readout of two-phase argon detectors using electroluminescence in the visible and near infrared range

• DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-020-08801-2
• 发表时间: 2020-04
• 期刊: The European Physical Journal C
• 作者: T. M. C. C. Aalseth-T.-M.-C.-C.-Aalseth-1490633423;S. Abdelhakim;P. Agnes;R. Ajaj;I. Albuquerque;T. Alexander;A. Alici;A. Alton;P. Amaudruz;F. Ameli;J. Anstey;P. Antonioli;M. Arba;S. Arcelli;R. Ardito;I. Arnquist;P. Arpaia;D. Asner;A. Asunskis;M. Ave;H. Back;V. Barbaryan;A. B. Olmedo;G. Batignani;M. G. Bisogni;V. Bocci;A. Bondar;G. Bonfini;W. Bonivento;E. Borisova;B. Bottino;M. Boulay;R. Bunker;S. Bussino;A. Buzulutskov;M. Cadeddu;M. Cadoni;A. Caminata;N. Canci;A. Candela;C. Cantini;M. Caravati;M. Cariello;F. Carnesecchi;A. Castellani;P. Castello;P. Cavalcante;D. Cavazza;S. Cavuoti;S. Cebrián;J. M. C. Ruiz;B. Celano;R. Cereseto;S. Chashin;Wei Cheng;A. Chepurnov;C. Cicalò;L. Cifarelli;M. Citterio;F. Coccetti;V. Cocco;M. Colocci;E. Vidal;L. Consiglio;F. Cossio;G. Covone;P. Crivelli;I. D'Antone;M. D’Incecco;M. Rolo;O. Dadoun;M. Daniel;S. Davini;S. Cecco;M. Deo;A. Falco;D. Gruttola;G. D. Guido;G. Rosa;G. Dellacasa;P. Demontis;S. Pasquale;A. Derbin;A. Devoto;F. D. Eusanio;L. Noto;G. D. Pietro;P. D. Stefano;C. Dionisi;G. Dolganov;F. Dordei;M. Downing;F. Edalatfar;A. Empl;M. Diaz;C. Filip;G. Fiorillo;K. Fomenko;A. Franceschi;D. Franco;E. Frolov;G. Froudakis;N. Funicello;F. Gabriele;A. Gabrieli;C. Galbiati;M. Garbini;P. G. Abia;D. G. Fora;A. Gendotti;C. Ghiano;A. Ghisi;P. Giampa;R. A. Giampaolo;C. Giganti;M. Giorgi;G. Giovanetti;M. Gligan;O. Gorchakov;M. Grab;R. Diaz;M. Grassi;J. Grate;A. Grobov;M. Gromov;M. Guan;M. Guerra;M. Guerzoni;M. Gulino;R. Haaland;B. Hackett;A. Hallin;M. Harańczyk;B. Harrop;E. Hoppe;S. Horikawa;B. Hosseini;F. Hubaut;P. Humble;E. Hungerford;A. Ianni;A. Ilyasov;V. Ippolito;C. Jillings;K. Keeter;C. Kendziora;I. Kochanek;K. Kondo;G. Kopp;D. Korablev;G. Korga;A. Kubankin;R. Kugathasan;M. Kuss;M. Commara;L. Delfa;M. Lai;M. Lebois;B. Lehnert;N. Levashko;X. Li;Q. Liqiang;M. Lissia;G. Lodi;G. Longo;R. Lussana;L. Luzzi;A. Machado;I. Machulin;A. Mandarano;S. Manecki;L. Mapelli;A. Margotti;S. Mari;M. Mariani;J. Maricic;M. Marinelli;D. Marras;M. Mart'inez;A. Rojas;M. Mascia;J. Mason;A. Masoni;A. McDonald;A. Messina;T. Miletić;R. Milincic;A. Moggi;S. Moioli;J. Monroe;M. Morrocchi;T. Mroz;W. Mu;V. Muratova;S. Murphy;C. Muscas;P. Musico;R. Nania;T. Napolitano;A. N. Agasson;M. Nessi;I. Nikulin;V. Nosov;J. Nowak;A. Oleinik;V. Oleynikov;M. Orsini;F. Ortica;L. Pagani;M. Pallavicini;S. Palmas;L. Pandola;E. Pantic;E. Paoloni;F. Pazzona;S. Peeters;P. Pegoraro;K. Pelczar;L. Pellegrini;C. Pellegrino;N. Pelliccia;F. Perotti;V. Pesudo;E. Picciau;F. Pietropaolo;A. Pocar;T. Pollmann;D. Portaluppi;S. Poudel;P. Pralavorio;D. Price;B. Radics;F. Raffaelli;F. Ragusa;M. Razeti;C. Regenfus;A. Renshaw;S. Rescia;M. Rescigno;F. Retière;L. Rignanese;C. Ripoli;A. Rivetti;J. Rode;A. Romani;L. Romero;N. Rossi;A. Rubbia;P. Sala;P. Salatino;O. Samoylov;E. Garc'ia;E. Sandford;S. Sanfilippo;M. Sant;D. Santone;R. Santorelli;C. Savarese;E. Scapparone;B. Schlitzer;G. Scioli;E. Segreto;A. Seifert;D. Semenov;A. Shchagin;A. Sheshukov;S. Siddhanta;M. Simeone;P. Singh;P. Skensved;M. Skorokhvatov;O. Smirnov;G. Sobrero;A. Sokolov;A. Sotnikov;R. Stainforth;A. Steri;S. Stracka;V. Strickland;G. B. Suffritti;S. Sulis;Y. Suvorov;A. Szelc;R. Tartaglia;G. Testera;T. Thorpe;A. Tonazzo;A. Tosi;M. Tuveri;E. Unzhakov;G. Usai;A. Vacca;E. V'azquez-J'auregui;T. Viant;S. Viel;F. Villa;A. Vishneva;R. Vogelaar;J. Wahl;J. Walding;H. Wang;Y. Wang;S. Westerdale;R. Wheadon;R. Williams;J. Wilson;M. Wójcik;M. Wójcik;S. Wu;X. Xiao;C. Yang;Z. Ye;M. Zuffa;G. Zuzel

Electroluminescence pulse shape and electron diffusion in liquid argon measured in a dual-phase TPC

双相 TPC 中测量的电致发光脉冲形状和液氩中的电子扩散

• DOI: 10.1016/j.nima.2018.06.077
• 发表时间: 2018
• 期刊: Detectors and Associated Equipment
• 作者: Agnes, P.;Albuquerque, I.F. M.;Alexander, T.;Alton, A.K.;Asner, D.M.;Ave, M.P.;Back, H.O.;Baldin, B.;Batignani, G.;Biery, K.
• 通讯作者: Biery, K.

DarkSide-50 532-day dark matter search with low-radioactivity argon

• DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.98.102006
• 发表时间: 2018-11-16
• 期刊: PHYSICAL REVIEW D
• 影响因子: 5
• 作者: Agnes, P.;Albuquerque, I. F. M.;Zuzel, G.
• 通讯作者: Zuzel, G.

DarkSide-20k: A 20 tonne two-phase LAr TPC for direct dark matter detection at LNGS

• DOI: 10.1140/epjp/i2018-11973-4
• 发表时间: 2018-03-29
• 期刊: EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL PLUS
• 影响因子: 3.4
• 作者: Aalseth, C. E.;Acerbi, F.;Zuzel, G.
• 通讯作者: Zuzel, G.