Sensitivity plots for WIMP direct detection using the annual modulation signature

Cebrian, S Garcia, E Gonzalez, D Irastorza, IG Morales, A Morales, J de Solorzano, AO Peruzzi, A Puimedon, J Sarsa, ML Scopel, S Villar, JA

S. Cebrian et al., Sensitivity plots for WIMP direct detection using the annual modulation signature, ASTROPART P, 14(4), 2001, pp. 339-350

18

INGLESE

Article

Space Sciences

ASTROPARTICLE PHYSICS

0927-6505 → ACNP

14

4

2001

339 - 350

ISI

0927-6505(200101)14:4<339:SPFWDD>2.0.ZU;2-E

Annual modulation due to the Earth's motion around the Sun is a well-known signature of the expected weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) signal induced in a solid state underground detector. In the present paper, we di scuss the prospects of this technique on statistical grounds, introducing a nnual-modulation sensitivity plots for the WIMP-nucleon scalar cross-sectio n for different materials and experimental conditions. The highest sensitiv ity to modulation is found in the WIMP mass interval 10 less than or simila r to m(W) less than or similar to 130 GeV, the actual upper limit depends o n the choice of the astrophysical parameters, while the lowest values of th e explorable WIMP-nucleon elastic cross-sections fall in most cases within one order of magnitude of the sensitivities of the present direct detection WIMP searches. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.