SABRE and the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory: Dark Matter Research at the Australian National University

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development of the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory in Australia and details ANU's involvement in the SABRE dark matter detection experiment, including preliminary measurements and detector characterization.

Contribution

It introduces the first underground lab in the Southern Hemisphere and reports initial results for the SABRE experiment's detector components.

Findings

Preliminary measurements of NaI:Tl quenching factor

Characterization of SABRE liquid scintillator veto

Establishment of the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory

Abstract

The direct detection of dark matter is a key problem in astroparticle physics that generally requires the use of deep-underground laboratories for a low-background environment where the rare signals from dark matter interactions can be observed. This work reports on the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory - currently under construction and the first such laboratory in the Southern Hemisphere - and the associated research program. A particular focus will be given to ANU's contribution to SABRE, a NaI:Tl dark matter direct detection experiment that aims to confirm or refute the long-standing DAMA result. Preliminary measurements of the NaI:Tl quenching factor and characterisation of the SABRE liquid scintillator veto are reported.