obscura: A modular C++ tool and library for the direct detection of (sub-GeV) dark matter via nuclear and electron recoils

TL;DR

Obscura is a flexible C++ library designed to accurately and efficiently predict event rates and spectra for sub-GeV dark matter detection via nuclear and electron recoils, aiding experimental analysis and discovery.

Contribution

It introduces a modular, adaptable tool that extends beyond nuclear targets to include electron recoils, integrating atomic and condensed matter physics for sub-GeV dark matter searches.

Findings

Supports a wide range of target materials and detection techniques

Enables rapid and reliable predictions for experimental planning

Facilitates development of new dark matter detection strategies

Abstract

For the interpretation of past and future direct searches for dark matter (DM) particles, it is important to be able to provide accurate predictions for event rates and spectra under a variety of possible and viable assumptions in a computationally efficient way. While there exists a few tools to compute DM induced nuclear recoil spectra, 'obscura' is not limited to nuclear targets. Instead its main focus lies on sub-GeV DM searches probing electron recoils which typically requires methods from atomic and condensed matter physics. In the context of sub-GeV DM searches, new ideas such as target materials or detection techniques are being proposed regularly, and the theoretical modelling of these are getting improved continuously. At the same time, currently running experiments continue to publish their results and analyses, setting increasingly strict bounds on the DM parameter space. In such a dynamic field, 'obscura' can be an invaluable tool due to its high level of adaptability and facilitate and accelerate the development of new, reliable research software for the preparation of a DM discovery in the hopefully near future.