Reduction of Radon-Induced Backgrounds for SuperCDMS and Beyond

South Dakota School Of Mines And Technology, Rapid City SD

Investigators

Abstract

Observations indicate that 80% of the matter in the Universe is not made of normal atoms, but must be otherwise undetected elementary "dark matter" particles that do not emit or absorb light. Remarkably, particle physics theories proposed for other reasons predict the existence of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) with just the right properties to be this dark matter. If WIMPs are the dark matter, they may be detectable when they scatter in Earth-based detectors. Direct detection of WIMP dark matter would solve a fundamental mystery in particle physics and cosmology, providing a unique window to learning about the primary matter constituent of the Universe and of physics beyond the Standard Model of particle physics. The project will help train undergraduates, graduates, and postdocs in a multidisciplinary field using techniques at the leading edge of measurement technologies with applications in areas of great societal interest. Furthermore, the project will support the preparation of Native American students for post-secondary education in science and engineering, with the goal of improving the diversity of the nation's scientific workforce through the group's participation in the GEAR-UP program at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) Collaboration has pioneered the use of low temperature phonon-mediated detectors to detect the rare scattering of WIMPs on nuclei and to distinguish them from backgrounds. The high background rejection that the SuperCDMS technology offers provides significant advantages compared to other technologies, yielding world-leading sensitivity to low-mass dark matter and multiple-target complementarity in a single experiment. To achieve the full sensitivity, it will be critical to reduce the radon-induced backgrounds of the experiment. This award will enable the PI to develop and implement cost-effective means to mitigate the concentration of radon in air, in particular for the underground cleanroom to be used for installation of the SuperCDMS SNOLAB detectors. The group will continue its leadership of SuperCDMS Soudan data analysis.