Particle identification with the AMS-02 RICH detector: search for dark matter with antideuterons

TL;DR

This paper discusses the AMS-02 detector's particle identification capabilities, especially for antideuterons, to search for dark matter signatures through precise measurements and Monte Carlo simulations.

Contribution

It presents detailed performance evaluations of the AMS-02 RICH detector for identifying antideuterons, aiding dark matter indirect detection efforts.

Findings

High-precision velocity and charge measurements enable reliable particle mass determination.

Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate effective separation of antideuterons from other particles.

The detector's capabilities support the search for dark matter signatures in cosmic rays.

Abstract

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), whose final version AMS-02 is to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) for at least 3 years, is a detector designed to measure charged cosmic ray spectra with energies up to the TeV region and with high energy photon detection capability up to a few hundred GeV, using state-of-the art particle identification techniques. It is equipped with several subsystems, one of which is a proximity focusing Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector equipped with a dual radiator (aerogel+NaF), a lateral conical mirror and a detection plane made of 680 photomultipliers and light guides, enabling precise measurements of particle electric charge and velocity (Delta beta / beta ~ 10^-3 and 10^-4 for Z=1 and Z=10-20, respectively) at kinetic energies of a few GeV/nucleon. Combining velocity measurements with data on particle rigidity from the AMS-02 Tracker (Delta R / R ~ 2% for R=1-10 GV) it is possible to obtain a reliable measurement for particle mass. One of the main topics of the AMS-02 physics program is the search for indirect signatures of dark matter. Experimental data indicate that dark, non-baryonic matter of unknown composition is much more abundant than baryonic matter, accounting for a large fraction of the energy content of the Universe. Apart from antideuterons produced in cosmic-ray propagation, the annihilation of dark matter will produce additional antideuteron fluxes. Detailed Monte Carlo simulations of AMS-02 have been used to evaluate the detector's performance for mass separation, a key issue for anti-D/anti-p separation. Results of these studies are presented.