Lecturers: N. Masi (INFN Researcher) and M. Selvi (INFN Researcher)
Duration: 24 hours in January/February
Programme:
Lecture 1 (N. Masi)
- Historical introduction
- Galactic, cosmic and cosmological evidences
- Current “knowledge and prejudices” about DM
Lecture 2 (N. Masi)
- DM within the Standard Model
- A review of Dark Matter candidates: SUSY particles, Little Higgs, UED, Scalar Multiplet, Dynamical DM, Primordial QBH, Millicharged DM, Sterile Neutrinos, Hidden Sector and dark mediator Portals, Asymmetric DM, Stealth DM and GUTzilla
Lecture 3 (N. Masi)
- Cosmology and the WIMP Miracle
- DM halos: formation, properties and particle velocity distribution
- The Black Hole case after LIGO-VIRGO
Lecture 4 (N. Masi)
The AMS-02 Experiment:
- The mission
- Heavy candidates for AMS search
- How to disentangle primary astrophysical signals from DM ones (pulsars)
- Experimental and theoretical uncertainties (astrophysics vs nuclear)
- Recent results, interpretations and perspectives
Lecture 5 (N. Masi)
- Gamma and neutrino astronomy
- Constraints on DM properties from astrophysics and cosmology: annihilation cross section and self-interaction
Lecture 6 (N. Masi)
- WIMP DM detection @ LHC: excluded candidates and cross sections limits
- Non WIMP candidates: Axions – cosmology, experimental research, perspectives
Lecture 7 (N. Masi)
Alternative non-particle theories:
- MOND and MOG
- Non-local Gravity
- Spin-2 Dark Matter
- Verlinde’s Emergent Gravity and holographic theories
- Maeder’s Scale-invariant general relativity
WIMP direct detection (M. Selvi)
- WIMP characteristics: density and velocity distribution in the Galaxy, expected interaction cross section
- Calculation of the expected rate of events
- Generic characteristics of direct detection detectors
Generalities of Signal and Backgrounds (M. Selvi)
- List of potential backgrounds
- Strategies to reduce background (screening, passive and active shielding, distillation, ER/NR discrimination, pulse shape discrimination, …)
- WIMP signatures: energy spectrum, annual modulation, direction
Liquid noble element (Xenon and Argon) as particle detector (M. Selvi)
- Scintillation channel
- Ionization channel
- Impact of impurities
- Light and charge response for different classes of: electron e nuclear recoils discrimination
- Single-phase detectors
- Double-phase detectors
“Not noble” detectors (M. Selvi)
- Inorganic Scintillator Crystals NaI (DAMA)
- Semiconductor detectors (CoGent)
- Semiconductor Bolometers (CDMS)
- Scintillating Bolometers (CRESST)
Prospects (M. Selvi)
- Future of Liquid Noble detectors
- The ultimate neutrino background, and potential neutrino signals
- Final discussion on direct detection roadmap