First results on dark matter annual modulation from ANAIS-112 experiment

Abstract

ANAIS is a direct detection dark matter experiment aiming at the testing of the DAMA/LIBRA annual modulation result, which standing for about two decades has neither been confirmed nor ruled out by any other experiment in a model independent way. ANAIS-112, consisting of 112.5 kg of sodium iodide crystals, is taking data at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory, Spain, since August 2017. This letter presents the annual modulation analysis of 1.5 years of data, amounting to 157.55 kg$\times$y. We focus on the model independent analysis searching for modulation and the validation of our sensitivity prospects. ANAIS-112 data are consistent with the null hypothesis (p-values of 0.65 and 0.16 for [2-6] and [1-6] keV energy regions, respectively). The best fits for the modulation hypothesis are consistent with the absence of modulation ($S_m$=-0.0044$\pm$0.0058 cpd/kg/keV and -0.0015$\pm$0.0063 cpd/kg/keV, respectively). They are in agreement with our estimated sensitivity for the accumulated exposure, supporting our projected goal of reaching a 3$\sigma$ sensitivity to the DAMA/LIBRA result in 5 years of data taking.

6 pages, 4 figures

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• First results from DAMA/LIBRA and the combined results with DAMA/NaI
• The DAMA/LIBRA apparatus
• Current status of direct dark matter detection experiments
• An experiment to search for dark matter interactions using sodium iodide detectors
• Search for dark matter at colliders
• Indirect dark matter searches in Gamma- and Cosmic Rays
• Search for Electronic Recoil Event Rate Modulation with 4 Years of XENON100 Data
• Compatibility of DAMA/LIBRA dark matter detection with other searches in light of new Galactic rotation velocity measurements
• Cosmogenic radionuclide production in NaI(Tl) crystals

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• Towards a Robust Model-Independent Test of the DAMA/LIBRA Dark Matter Signal: ANAIS-112 Results with Six Years of Data
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