Title: Dark matter astrometry at underground detectors with multiscatter events

Abstract

We show that current and imminent underground detectors are capable of precision astrometry of dark matter. First, we show that Galactic dark matter velocity distributions can be obtained from reconstructed tracks of dark matter scattering on multiple nuclei during transit; using the liquid scintillator neutrino detector $\mathrm{SNO}+$ as an example, we find that the dark matter velocity vector can be reconstructed event by event with such a small uncertainty that the precision of dark matter astrometry will be limited mainly by statistics. We then determine the number of dark matter events required to determine the dispersion speed, escape speed, and velocity anisotropies of the local dark matter halo and also find that with as few as $\mathcal{O}\left(10\right)$ events dark matter signals may be discriminated from potential backgrounds arising as power-law distributions. Finally, we discuss the prospects of dark matter astrometry at other liquid scintillator detectors, dark matter experiments, and the recently proposed MATHUSLA detector.

Authors:

Bramante, Joseph; Kumar, Jason; Raj, Nirmal

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Publication Date:

Tue Dec 17 00:00:00 EST 2019

Research Org.:

Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI (United States). High Energy Physics Group

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP); National Science Foundation (NSF); Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC); National Research Council Canada

OSTI Identifier:

1579587

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1597498; OSTI ID: 1780921

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0010504; PHY-1607611

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Physical Review. D.

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Physical Review. D. Journal Volume: 100 Journal Issue: 12; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010

Publisher:

American Physical Society (APS)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS