Searching for nuclear recoil signals induced by dark matter interactions in noble liquids

• Grant number: 23/07099-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal Investigator: Edivaldo Moura Santos
• Grantee: Barbara Sales Costa
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/11489-7 - Dark matter searches, AP.ESP

Abstract

This is a doctoral project focused on the search for nuclear recoil signals induced by the possible scattering of dark matter in detectors based on noble liquids, more specifically, liquid argon (LAr). When such scatterings happen, scintillation light as well as ionization are expected to be produced, representing the two main signals used in dark matter searches with noble liquid dual-phase detectors. Special attention will be given to the determination of a possible dependence of the scintillation and ionization signals with the direction of incidence of the dark matter particle when measured with respect to the drag electric field used to collect the electric charge generated in the LAr. (AU)