arXiv subjects

Madeleine J. Zurowski

Publications and source records attributed to Madeleine J. Zurowski.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Impact of shell model interactions on WIMP-nucleus scattering observables for silicon and germanium targets

The nature of dark matter (DM) remains one of the biggest mysteries in physics today. Dark matter direct detection experiments look for nuclear recoil signals from DM-nucleus elastic scattering, which can be used to characterise DM. Nuclear modelling of the target nucleus may impact the predicted DM-nucleus scattering rates, and affect interpretation of experimental signals. In this work, we investigate the impact of nuclear shell model interactions on DM nuclear responses for silicon and germanium targets using a SuperCDMS-like experimental parameters. Nuclear uncertainties resulting from shell model interaction choice in the nuclear form factors are roughly retained at the scattering rate and exclusion limit levels for certain nuclear responses.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Dark Matter at ICRC 2023

This proceedings summarises the dark matter presentations at ICRC 2023. It aims to not only act as a reference document reporting the various results and projections, but also compares the different search methods and attempts to assess the complementarity of the experimental methods discussed.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Influence of NaI background and mass on testing the DAMA modulation

We present here the model dependent and independent sensitivity studies for NaI detectors designed to test the DAMA result, and compare the predicted limits from SABRE with the present performance of both ANAIS and COSINE. We find that the strongest discovery and exclusion limits are set by a detector with the lowest background (assuming equal run times), and also note that our method correctly computes the present exclusion limits previously published by ANAIS and COSINE. In particular, with a target mass of 50 kg and background rate of 0.36 cpd/kg/keV (after veto), SABRE will be able to exclude the DAMA signal with 3$σ$ confidence or `discover' it with 5$σ$ confidence within 2 years. This strongly motivates the quest for ever lower backgrounds in NaI detectors.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Hidden dependencies in model independent tests of DAMA

For nearly two decades the DAMA Collaboration has been observing a modulating signal compatible with that expected from a dark matter presence in our galaxy. However, interpretations of this with the standard assumptions for dark matter particles are strongly ruled out by a large number of other experiments. This tension can be relaxed somewhat by making more tailored choices for the dark matter model and properties of interest, but expanding the models of interest in such a way makes it impossible to test the DAMA modulation conclusively. In order to understand the exact nature of this signal, we need to use a detector based on the same target (NaI(Tl)), which would be sensitive to exactly the same particle interaction models as DAMA. There are a number of such experiments in the data taking or commissioning stages designed to do just this, two of which (ANAIS and COSINE) recently released their results after 3 years of data taking. Interestingly, the modulation observed by the two experiments deviate from each other by 2$σ$, while being within 3$σ$ of the DAMA result. This paper addresses potential differences between NaI(Tl) based detectors that could lead to the differing results to date, with a particular focus on the quenching factor.

hep-ex↗