Halo-Independent Analysis of Direct Dark Matter Detection Through Electron Scattering

TL;DR

This paper extends halo-independent analysis methods to electron scattering in direct dark matter detection, enabling comparison of experimental data without assuming a specific dark matter halo velocity distribution.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to apply halo-independent analysis to electron scattering, broadening the scope of dark matter detection data interpretation.

Findings

Method successfully applied to electron scattering data

Allows comparison of different experiments without halo assumptions

Enhances understanding of sub-GeV dark matter interactions

Abstract

Sub-GeV mass dark matter particles whose collisions with nuclei would not deposit sufficient energy to be detected, could instead be revealed through their interaction with electrons. Analyses of data from direct detection experiments usually require assuming a local dark matter halo velocity distribution. In the halo-independent analysis method, properties of this distribution are instead inferred from direct dark matter detection data, which allows then to compare different data without making any assumption on the uncertain local dark halo. This method has so far been developed for and applied to dark matter scattering off nuclei. Here we demonstrate how this analysis can be applied to scattering off electrons.