Searching for the Dark Matter Wind with Direction-Sensitive Dark Matter Detection

The Center for Particle Physics at Royal Holloway is offering a PhD opportunity to develop particle detectors to search for the dark matter wind of our galaxy with the DMTPC experiment.

The motion of the earth through the galactic dark matter halo should create an apparent wind of dark matter particles, blowing opposite to the direction of the earth’s motion. Detecting the dark matter wind direction is potentially a powerful way to positively identify a dark matter signal, and to discriminate between a dark matter signal and terrestrial backgrounds. The search for dark matter interactions in terrestrial detectors has pushed the development of cutting-edge particle detection technology. In order to measure the direction of dark-matter induced recoils, the DMTPC collaboration is developing CCD imaging of low-pressure gas time projection chamber detectors.

This studentship project is to work on the direction-sensitive DMTPC dark matter detector development, and on the calibration systems critical to studying the detector response to dark matter-like signals and characterize the direction reconstruction capability. The PhD student will contribute to executing the calibration program, simulating the detector response to calibration and dark matter signals, and develop tools to analyze this data. The student will gain skills in detector hardware development, simulation software, and analysis tools and techniques of particle physics.

For further details on the project or funding please contact Prof. Jocelyn Monroe at [Email Address Removed].