Collaborative Research: The SuperCDMS SNOLAB Experiment

Project: Research project

Project Details

Description

Overview: The long-term goal of the SuperCDMS SNOLAB collaboration is to improve the understanding of dark matter by answering the following questions: what are its constituents, what are their particle and astrophysical properties, and how do they relate to the Standard Model? In pursuit of this goal, this proposal has four objectives: (1) Perform necessary calibration and performance measurements of SuperCDMS SNOLAB detectors to maximize the science return from the experiment. (2) Commission and operate the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment. (3) Measure a dark matter signal or place world-leading limits for the dark matter{nucleon cross section at masses below 10 GeV/c2. (4) Train the next generation of scientists through research and outreach activities, and teach secondary students and the public about dark matter science. These objectives will be met as follows: Experiment Characterization and Optimization: In order to maximize the science output of SuperCDMS SNOLAB, detailed understanding of the response of detectors to potential signals and backgrounds is required. Measurements at two underground facilities (NEXUS at Fermilab and CUTE at SNOLAB) will characterize and calibrate pre-production SuperCDMS SNOLAB detectors and the �rst production SuperCDMS SNOLAB towers, with supporting measurements from small devices at university test facilities. Resulting data will allow energy scale calibration, measurements of background levels, understanding of the detailed phonon and electron physics of the detectors, development of improved background-rejection techniques, and optimization of SuperCDMS SNOLAB operational parameters. These data may provide a dark matter search with world-leading sensitivity. Commissioning and Operation of SuperCDMS SNOLAB: This proposal will fund the NSF-portion of commissioning the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment and the �rst year of science operations and analysis, resulting in a dark matter search with world-leading sensitivity. Training and O
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date8/15/1812/31/22

Funding

  • National Science Foundation (PHY-1809730-003)

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