Search for Dark Matter at the LHC

• Grant number: 24/13074-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal Investigator: Sergio Ferraz Novaes
• Grantee: Valerie Scheurer
• Host Institution: Núcleo de Computação Científica (NCC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/25225-9 - São Paulo Research and Analysis Center, AP.ESP

Abstract

The strongest evidence in favour of the existence of Dark Matter (DM) is the observation that the dynamics of large, gravitationally bound systems -- galaxies and galaxy clusters -- seem to be incompatible with their observed matter distribution. Another evidence for Dark Matter is the global fit of the parameters of the standard cosmological model, which implies a density of non-baryonic matter \omega_c*h^2 = 0.1196 +- 0.0031, i.e., a physical density of Dark Matter around 23%. The characteristics that define a Dark Matter candidate are stability on cosmological time scales; an extremely weak interaction with electromagnetic radiation; and the correct relic density. None of the particles present in the standard model meets those requisites, whilst many BSM theories predict one or more Dark Matter candidates.