THE GENERAL ANTIPARTICLE SPECTROMETER EXPERIMENT IS A BALLOON-BORNE SEARCH FOR LOW ENERGY ANTIDEUTERONS: THE ANTIDEUTERONS ARE PRODUCED IN ANNIHILATION OF DARK MATTER IN THE GALACTIC HALO. THE ANTIDEUTERONS ARE CAPTURED IN A TARGET WHERE THEY CREATE ATOMIC X-RAYS AND PIONS. THIS IS A UNIQUE SIGNATURE DISTINGUISHING THE ANTIDEUTERONS FROM BACKGROUND EVENTS. GAPS IS COMPLEMENTARY TO OTHER DARK MATTER SEARCH TECHNIQUES. IN MANY REGIONS OF PARAMETER SPACE GAPS IS SUPERIOR TO ALTERNATIVE SEARCH METHODS. DETECTING AND UNDERSTANDING DARK MATTER IS AN ESSENTIAL INGREDIENT IN UNDERSTANDING THE UNFOLDING OF THE BIG BANG AND GALAXY FORMATION AND THUS DIRECTLY ADDRESSING NASA STRATEGIC GOAL 3D.

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