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Death to DAMA? Designing and assessing model independent tests of the DAMA modulation

Particulate dark matter is a long hypothesised solution to various astrophysical observations seemingly at odds with a completely luminous universe. Despite the success of dark matter in explaining these observations, to date physicists have been unable to conclusively observe its interactions with Standard Model matter directly.

This talk will focus on results from the DAMA/LIBRA experiment, which for the past 2 decades has reported a modulation signal consistent with dark matter, but in tension with other null experimental results under the usual dark matter assumptions. We will examine how moving away from the typical dark matter models can help to relax the tension between DAMA/LIBRA and other experimental searches, and discuss the need for a model independent test of this signal. In particular we will explore some of the difficulties of designing such a test, the present and projected exclusion power of operating and planned experiments (COSINE, ANAIS, and with a special focus on SABRE), and whether a truly model independent test of this mysterious modulation is even possible.

Event series  eHEP Seminars and Events