The effect of hydrodynamical simulation inspired dark matter velocity profile on directional detection of dark matter

Abstract

Directional detection is an important way to detect dark matter. An input to these experiments is the dark matter velocity distribution. Recent hydrodynamical simulations have shown that the dark matter velocity distribution differs substantially from the Standard Halo Model. We study the impact of some of these updated velocity distribution in dark matter directional detection experiments. We calculate the ratio of events required to confirm the forward-backward asymmetry and the existence of the ring of maximum recoil rate using different dark matter velocity distributions for $^{19}$F and Xe targets. We show that with the use of updated dark matter velocity profiles, the forward-backward asymmetry and the ring of maximum recoil rate can be confirmed using a factor of $\sim$2 - 3 less events when compared to that using the Standard Halo Model.