NEWS : a new spherical gas detector for very low mass WIMP detection

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel spherical gaseous detector designed for detecting very low mass WIMPs, highlighting its low energy threshold, calibration methods, background rejection, and promising sensitivity in dark matter searches.

Contribution

It presents a new spherical gas detector concept with unique calibration and background rejection techniques for low mass WIMP detection.

Findings

Preliminary results from a low radioactivity prototype are promising.

Expected sensitivities in WIMP cross section are competitive for low mass WIMPs.

The detector's low energy threshold enhances dark matter search capabilities.

Abstract

The main characteristics of a new concept of spherical gaseous detectors, with some details on its operation are first given. The very low energy threshold of such detector has led to investigations of its potential performance for dark matter particle searches, in particular low mass WIMP's : original methods for energy and fiducial volume calibration and background rejection are described and preliminary results obtained with a low radioactivity prototype operated in Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane ("Frejus" lab) are presented. Typical expected sensitivities in cross section for low mass WIMP's are also shown, and other applications briefly discussed.