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arXiv · 1208.1094

Spin-dependent WIMP scattering off nuclei

J. Menendez·D. Gazit·A. Schwenk
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Abstract

Chiral effective field theory (EFT) provides a systematic expansion for the coupling of WIMPs to nucleons at the momentum transfers relevant to direct cold dark matter detection. We derive the currents for spin-dependent WIMP scattering off nuclei at the one-body level and include the leading long-range two-body currents, which are predicted in chiral EFT. As an application, we calculate the structure factor for spin-dependent WIMP scattering off 129,131Xe nuclei, using nuclear interactions that have been developed to study nuclear structure and double-beta decays in this region. We provide theoretical error bands due to the nuclear uncertainties of WIMP currents in nuclei.

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J. Menendez, D. Gazit, A. Schwenk. 2012-11-09. Spin-dependent WIMP scattering off nuclei. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.86.103511

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