Bonn 2010 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik
T 7: Eingeladene Vorträge II
T 7.3: eingeladener Vortrag
Dienstag, 16. März 2010, 15:10–15:45, HG Aula
Direct Dark Matter Search with CRESST and EURECA — •Jean-Come Lanfranchi — Technische Universität München, Physik-Department E15, 85748 Garching
The largest fraction of matter density in the Universe is Dark Matter ( 23%), which could be present in the form of WIMPs (= Weakly Interacting Massive Particles). A highly favoured candidate as WIMP is the neutralino predicted by SUSY theories in the frame of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). Direct experimental detection of WIMPs is expected to be possible via nuclear recoil measurements. Currently operating experiments are capable of detecting WIMP-nucleon scattering if the cross section is above ∼10−8 pb. One such experiment is CRESST (Cryogenic Rare Event Search with Superconducting Thermometers) which uses scintillating crystals operated as low-temperature detectors to measure WIMP-nucleon interactions. First results as well as the present status of CRESST will be presented.
While a discovery at the level of ∼10−8 pb is possible, the consensus is that a ton-scale experiment using multiple target materials is needed to extend sensitivity to ∼10−10pb. This, however, means a factor of 100 improvement in the level of the radioactive background in which the detectors are operated, and an increase of the target mass by a similar factor. An experiment of this kind is the planned EURECA (European Underground Rare Event Calorimeter Array) of which the status will be presented.