New result in search for dark matter
XENON100 sets record limits for dark matter
Scientists from the XENON collaboration announced a new result from their search for dark matter. The analysis of data taken with the XENON100 detector during 13 months of operation at the Gran Sasso Laboratory (Italy) provided no evidence for the existence of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), the leading dark matter candidates.
Two events being observed are statistically consistent with one expected event from background radiation. Compared to their previous 2011 result the world-leading sensitivity has again been improved by a factor of 3.5. This constrains models of new physics with WIMP candidates even further and it helps to target future WIMP searches. A paper with the results is going to be submitted to Physical Review Letters and on arXiv.
Patrick Decowski, programme leader of the XENON programme at Nikhef, views these results as an important next step in the quest for dark matter. "Although we would have preferred to have seen a WIMP particle, of course, the XENON100 data demonstrate just how sensitive we can make a dark matter detector. The future XENON1T detector will be over 100 times more sensitive and I am optimistic that we will actually discover dark matter with it".
Nikhef in the XENON collaboration
Nikhef is involved in the analysis and in an important hardware upgrade for XENON100. In additon to this Nikhef is involved in the new XENON1T experiment that will start in 2015. Nikhef researchers and technicians will design and construct a cryostat vessel and the support structure for this. They will also provide part of the electronics and the data acquisition system.
More information
Read the full press release of the XENON-collaboration
Nikhef: Vanessa Mexner communications Nikhef +31 (0)20 592 50 75.
Dr. Patrick Decowski, programme leader of the XENON programme at Nikhef.
XENON collaboration: http://xenon.astro.columbia.edu