Comment on "On the subtleties of searching for dark matter with liquid xenon detectors"

TL;DR

This paper critically evaluates a recent claim about underestimating dark matter detection limits in liquid xenon detectors, providing a detailed analysis that challenges the original findings and clarifies methodological choices.

Contribution

The authors perform a detailed reanalysis of the previous claim, explaining why the effect was not included in their analysis and highlighting issues with the original study.

Findings

The original claim of underestimation is not confirmed by the authors.

The authors identify potential problems with the previous analysis.

Their analysis supports the robustness of existing XENON100 limits.

Abstract

In a recent manuscript (arXiv:1208.5046) Peter Sorensen claims that XENON100's upper limits on spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections for WIMP masses below 10 GeV "may be understated by one order of magnitude or more". Having performed a similar, though more detailed analysis prior to the submission of our new result (arXiv:1207.5988), we do not confirm these findings. We point out the rationale for not considering the described effect in our final analysis and list several potential problems with his study.