SABRE and the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory: Dark Matter Research at the Australian National University

Abstract

The direct detection of dark matter is a key problem in astroparticle physics that generally requires the use of deep-underground laboratories for a low-background environment where the rare signals from dark matter interactions can be observed. This work reports on the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory - currently under construction and the first such laboratory in the Southern Hemisphere - and the associated research program. A particular focus will be given to ANU's contribution to SABRE, a NaI:Tl dark matter direct detection experiment that aims to confirm or refute the long-standing DAMA result. Preliminary measurements of the NaI:Tl quenching factor and characterisation of the SABRE liquid scintillator veto are reported.

Presented at the 2019 Heavy Ion Accelerator Symposium

References in corpus (4)

• First results on dark matter annual modulation from ANAIS-112 experiment
• A Scintillator Purification System for the Borexino Solar Neutrino Detector
• Fitting the annual modulation in DAMA with neutrons from muons and neutrinos
• Non-proportional scintillation response of NaI:Tl to low energy X-ray photons and electrons

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Gusts in the Headwind: Uncertainties in Direct Dark Matter Detection
• Investigation of the cryogenic scintillation of pure and doped sodium-iodine