Full metadata
Title
Direct dark matter detection phenomenology
Description
The identity and origin of dark matter is one of the more elusive mysteries in the fields of particle physics and cosmology. In the near future, direct dark matter detectors will offer a chance at observing dark matter non-gravitationally for the first time. In this thesis, formalisms are developed to analyze direct detection experiments and to quantify the extent to which properties of the dark matter can be determined. A range of non-standard assumptions about the dark matter are considered, including inelastic scattering, isospin violation and momentum dependent scattering. Bayesian inference is applied to realistic detector configurations to evaluate parameter estimation and model selection ability.
A complete set of simplified models for spin-0, spin-1/2 and spin-1 dark matter candidates are formulated. The corresponding non-relativistic operators are found, and are used to derive observational signals for the simplified models. The ability to discern these simplified models with direct detection experiments is demonstrated. In the near future direct dark matter detectors will be sensitive to coherent neutrino scattering, which will limit the discovery potential of these experiments. It was found that eleven of the fourteen non-relativistic operators considered produce signals distinct from coherent scattering, and thus the neutrino background does not greatly affect the discovery potential in these cases.
A complete set of simplified models for spin-0, spin-1/2 and spin-1 dark matter candidates are formulated. The corresponding non-relativistic operators are found, and are used to derive observational signals for the simplified models. The ability to discern these simplified models with direct detection experiments is demonstrated. In the near future direct dark matter detectors will be sensitive to coherent neutrino scattering, which will limit the discovery potential of these experiments. It was found that eleven of the fourteen non-relativistic operators considered produce signals distinct from coherent scattering, and thus the neutrino background does not greatly affect the discovery potential in these cases.
Date Created
2016
Contributors
- Newstead, Jayden L (Author)
- Krauss, Lawrence (Thesis advisor)
- Lebed, Richard M (Committee member)
- Mauskopf, Philip (Committee member)
- Lunardini, Cecilia (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Resource Type
Extent
ix, 123 pages : illustrations (some color)
Language
eng
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Peer-reviewed
No
Open Access
No
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.38511
Statement of Responsibility
by Jayden L. Newstead
Description Source
Retrieved on June 22, 2016
Level of coding
full
Note
thesis
Partial requirement for: Ph.D., Arizona State University, 2016
bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 91-101)
Field of study: Physics
System Created
- 2016-06-01 08:35:58
System Modified
- 2021-08-30 01:24:09
- 3 years 2 months ago
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