Related papers: Dark Matter Phenomenology
Direct searches for Dark Matter are experiment dedicated to the observation of the energetic recoiling ions produced by the scattering of WIMP particles from our galactic halo on terrestrial targets. The status and prospects of some…
In this paper we review the main theoretical and experimental achievements in the field of Dark Matter from the Cosmological and Astrophysical point of view. We revisit it from the very first surveys of local astrophysical matter, up to the…
The recent WMAP data have confirmed that exotic dark matter together with the vacuum energy (cosmological constant) dominate in the flat Universe. Modern particle theories naturally provide viable cold dark matter candidates with masses in…
The combination of S-matrix unitarity and the dynamics of thermal freeze-out for massive relic particles (denoted here simply by WIMPs) implies a lower limit on the density of such particles, that provide a (potentially sub-dominant)…
Dark matter is, arguably, the most widely discussed topic in contemporary particle physics. Written in the language of particle physics and quantum field theory, these notes focus on a set of standard calculations needed to understand…
Among the many experimental techniques available, those providing directional information have the potential of yielding an unambiguous observation of WIMPs even in the presence of insidious backgrounds. A measurement of the distribution of…
One of the major challenges of modern physics is to decipher the nature of dark matter. Astrophysical observations provide ample evidence for the existence of an invisible and dominant mass component in the observable universe, from the…
In this review article, we discuss the current status of particle dark matter, including experimental evidence and theoretical motivations. We discuss a wide array of candidates for particle dark matter, but focus on neutralinos in models…
I discuss recent progress in dark matter searches, focusing in particular on how rigorous modeling the dark matter distribution in the Galaxy and in its satellite galaxies improves our interpretation of the limits on the annihilation and…
Experiments based on noble liquids and solid state cryogenic detectors have had a leading role in the direct detection of dark matter. But smaller scale projects can help to explore the new dark matter landscape with advanced,…
Direct detection experiments are poised to detect dark matter in the form of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). The signals expected in these experiments depend on the ultra-local WIMP density and velocity distribution. Firstly…
In this thesis, we present a comprehensive and pedagogical overview of dark matter (DM). Chapter 1 discusses the main evidences for its existence, its properties, and potential candidates. We then explore major detection strategies, with…
The differential event rate for direct detection of dark matter, both the time averaged and the modulated one due to the motion of the Earth, are discussed. The calculations focus on relatively light cold dark matter candidates (WIMP) and…
In this brief review of recent theoretical developments associated with the search for dark matter I describe the following: why baryons are now ruled out as dark matter candidates; SUSY WIMPS and signatures in the MSSM and NMSSM why…
More and more claims of having detected WIMP dark matter are being put forward. Some are discussed here, stressing the importance of exploiting distinctive signatures to ascertain their WIMP origin. The best signals for WIMP discovery are…
In an introductory manner, the nature of dark energy is addressed, how it is observed and what further tests are needed to reconstruct its properties. Several theoretical approaches to dark energy will be discussed. Finally, the dark…
The WIMP "miracle" suggests a new physics threshold ranging from the weak scale up to several tens of TeVs. Obtaining the correct dark matter density in many theories aiming to solve the hierarchy problem may thus require some amount of…
Supersymmetric particles represent the best motivated candidates to fill the Dark Matter gap, and are actively hunted by a number of competing experiments. Discriminating experiments are testing for the first time SUSY models compatible…
This Report provides an extensive review of the experimental programme of direct detection searches of particle dark matter. It focuses mostly on European efforts, both current and planned, but does it within a broader context of a…
Direct detection of WIMP dark matter candidates has to face many difficult challenges. In particular, it requires an extremely high level of background rejection. The only way out seems to be particle identification which, for experiments…