The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) Dark Matter Search
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Planned Impact
This project will address the fundamental nature of the dark matter in the universe, of great importance to particle physics,
astrophysics and cosmology. Our science output will directly impact these fields by constraining models of physics beyond
the Standard Model and structure formation and evolution in the universe.
The technologies we are developing find wider and immediate benefit to other areas of physics within the STFC remit,
notably long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments and neutrino-less double beta decay (0vBB) searches. Construction
and operation of a multi-tonne noble gas time projection chamber impacts the UK and international neutrino physics
communities seeking to develop detectors based on similar principles and technology. Challenges such as high voltage
delivery, light collection, sensor readout, purification and electron transport, and long-term stability are all paralleled for
proposed experiments such as LBNF, which could also be located at SURF, and with significant UK involvement. Similarly,
LZ will develop and employ leading ultra-low background techniques to construct an instrument capable of detecting the
rarest particle interactions. Experiments searching for rare 0vBB decay have similar requirements on stringent radio-purity.
The UK 0vBB community and their international partners will benefit from our material screening instrument development
and radiation detection techniques.
Our outputs developing low-background material screening technology will find further application in a diverse range of
applications outside of physics. Mass-spectrometry instrumentation capable of detecting trace contaminants at parts-pertrillion
levels in small samples provides unprecedented sensitivity for food safety, pharmaceutical, environmental, forensic
and clinical research. Commercial service providers are limited in their capability due to regular exposure to high
concentrations of impurities in their samples. We will validate our system against food safety and pharmaceutical standards
from mid-2017. Demonstration of successful screening for toxicity in spiked samples, beginning with titanium dioxide
nanoparticles, has the potential for improving safety standards and impacting UK health.
We will also investigate feasibility of measuring impact of uranium and thorium in silicon electronics chips from 2017. The
alpha decays from U and Th progeny cause 'Single Event Effects' resulting in faults in integrated circuits; a problem that is
increasingly significant as chips become smaller, and an area of active research. Coupled to our underground ultra-low
background gamma spectroscopy capability, we can uniquely provide measures of the full U and Th chains, at sub-mBq/kg
sensitivity, accounting for the complete alpha particle emission rates. Pre-screening Si and other construction materials
with both mass spectrometry and gamma spectroscopy will allow manufacturers to increase reliability of their components
and foster greater economic competitiveness of UK industry.
Our research provides training for students and staff in a wide range of specialist skills that are readily transferrable to
commercial, financial and industrial sectors. Radiation detection technology and techniques are applicable to medical
imaging and defence, particularly screening for special nuclear material. Data processing, analysis, statistical methods,
programming, and Monte Carlo simulations are regularly employed in the banking and investment sectors. Construction of
vacuum systems, gas recirculation and purification plants, photosensors and many other systems in LZ provide valuable
engineering skills, as does project management training.
Finally, given the readily accessible nature of the topic of dark matter and deep underground operation, our research has
always captured the public's imagination, providing significant outreach and engagement opportunity for dissemination of knowledge.
astrophysics and cosmology. Our science output will directly impact these fields by constraining models of physics beyond
the Standard Model and structure formation and evolution in the universe.
The technologies we are developing find wider and immediate benefit to other areas of physics within the STFC remit,
notably long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments and neutrino-less double beta decay (0vBB) searches. Construction
and operation of a multi-tonne noble gas time projection chamber impacts the UK and international neutrino physics
communities seeking to develop detectors based on similar principles and technology. Challenges such as high voltage
delivery, light collection, sensor readout, purification and electron transport, and long-term stability are all paralleled for
proposed experiments such as LBNF, which could also be located at SURF, and with significant UK involvement. Similarly,
LZ will develop and employ leading ultra-low background techniques to construct an instrument capable of detecting the
rarest particle interactions. Experiments searching for rare 0vBB decay have similar requirements on stringent radio-purity.
The UK 0vBB community and their international partners will benefit from our material screening instrument development
and radiation detection techniques.
Our outputs developing low-background material screening technology will find further application in a diverse range of
applications outside of physics. Mass-spectrometry instrumentation capable of detecting trace contaminants at parts-pertrillion
levels in small samples provides unprecedented sensitivity for food safety, pharmaceutical, environmental, forensic
and clinical research. Commercial service providers are limited in their capability due to regular exposure to high
concentrations of impurities in their samples. We will validate our system against food safety and pharmaceutical standards
from mid-2017. Demonstration of successful screening for toxicity in spiked samples, beginning with titanium dioxide
nanoparticles, has the potential for improving safety standards and impacting UK health.
We will also investigate feasibility of measuring impact of uranium and thorium in silicon electronics chips from 2017. The
alpha decays from U and Th progeny cause 'Single Event Effects' resulting in faults in integrated circuits; a problem that is
increasingly significant as chips become smaller, and an area of active research. Coupled to our underground ultra-low
background gamma spectroscopy capability, we can uniquely provide measures of the full U and Th chains, at sub-mBq/kg
sensitivity, accounting for the complete alpha particle emission rates. Pre-screening Si and other construction materials
with both mass spectrometry and gamma spectroscopy will allow manufacturers to increase reliability of their components
and foster greater economic competitiveness of UK industry.
Our research provides training for students and staff in a wide range of specialist skills that are readily transferrable to
commercial, financial and industrial sectors. Radiation detection technology and techniques are applicable to medical
imaging and defence, particularly screening for special nuclear material. Data processing, analysis, statistical methods,
programming, and Monte Carlo simulations are regularly employed in the banking and investment sectors. Construction of
vacuum systems, gas recirculation and purification plants, photosensors and many other systems in LZ provide valuable
engineering skills, as does project management training.
Finally, given the readily accessible nature of the topic of dark matter and deep underground operation, our research has
always captured the public's imagination, providing significant outreach and engagement opportunity for dissemination of knowledge.
People |
ORCID iD |
Alexander Murphy (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Khaitan D
(2018)
Supernova Neutrino Detection in LZ
Akerib D
(2018)
Position reconstruction in LUX
in Journal of Instrumentation
Akerib D
(2018)
Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector
in Physical Review D
Collaboration T
(2018)
Liquid xenon scintillation measurements and pulse shape discrimination in the LUX dark matter detector
in arXiv e-prints
Scovell P
(2018)
Low-background gamma spectroscopy at the Boulby Underground Laboratory
in Astroparticle Physics
Akerib D. S.
(2018)
Projected WIMP sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment
in arXiv e-prints
Akerib D
(2018)
Calibration, event reconstruction, data analysis, and limit calculation for the LUX dark matter experiment
in Physical Review D
Akerib D
(2018)
Search for annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX experiment
in Physical Review D
Akerib D
(2018)
Chromatographic separation of radioactive noble gases from xenon
in Astroparticle Physics
Description | We are developing computer models to understand the scientific reach of the future LZ dark matter search; we are learning how to ensure a low radiological background, specifically with regard to dust and radon contamination. . |
Exploitation Route | Improved techniques and methodologies |
Sectors | Other |
Description | Through my role in this project I have been invited to international public understanding of science events |
First Year Of Impact | 2016 |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
Description | IPPP Senior Experimental Fellowship |
Organisation | Durham University |
Department | Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology (IPPP) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I aim to provide a bridge between the theoretical and experimental community, to the particular benefit of my group. |
Collaborator Contribution | They will provide technical and specialist expertise in helping us make the best use of our data. We have carried out workshops on statistical approaches, for the benefit of the UK community of scientists working in rare event searches. |
Impact | We are developing novel approaches to the analysis of direct dark matter search data. In particular, we are exploring the usage of the profile likelihood ratio analysis techniques, as used in the LUX 2013 resit paper, for non standard dark matter velocity distributions and for more sophisticated interactions than the usual 'spin dependent' and 'spin independent' options - explicitly, we are exploring the impact of various EFT approaches. |
Start Year | 2014 |
Description | AAAS |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The AAAS Annual Meeting is a widely recognized global science gathering, bringing thousands of scientists, engineers, policymakers, educators, and journalists together to discuss the most recent developments in science and technology. Together with the IOP, I organises a specialist session on astroparticle physics. I spoke on 'astroparticle physics - on the cusp of discovery', and explicitly on dark matter searches with LUX and LZ. The conference overall has many thousands attending. My session was to around 150 people. In a separate event (Family Science Day), I gave a talk directed at high-school and younger children. A large number of media reports came form this work. {http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-02/uoe-dms020516.php http://www.science20.com/news_articles/are_dark_matter_scientists_about_to_prove_its_existence-165746 http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/science-technology/story/196140.html http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/we-maybe-closing-in-on-dark-matter-116021400079_1.html http://science.einnews.com/article/311599879/VlkmFMjCD8Z6thTX http://www.htsyndication.com/htsportal/article/We-maybe-closing-in-on-dark-matter/11474750 http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1113412594/we-are-on-the-verge-of-discovering-dark-matter-scientists-say-021516/ http://dudetimes.ga/race-is-on-for-next-breakthrough-as-physicists-target-dark-matter-the-guardian/ http://www.kolkata24x7.com/content/we-maybe-closing-dark-matter http://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/156882/dark-matter-scientists-on-brink-of-discovering-elusive-particles.html} |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | https://aaas.confex.com/aaas/2016/webprogram/Session11629.html |
Description | High schools at CERN |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | I am helping a high school (Craigmount, Edinburgh) to submit a proposal for the Beamtime at CERN competition. This involves visiting the school, talking with students, reviewing their work, answering their questions, etc. Essentially acting as a consultant (unpaid!) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://beamline-for-schools.web.cern.ch |
Description | Media item from AAAS |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Media report from a presentation at the AAAS. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
URL | http://dudetimes.ga/race-is-on-for-next-breakthrough-as-physicists-target-dark-matter-the-guardian/ |
Description | Remote3 public engagement activity |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | STFC Sparks award for public engagement (lead PI XinRan Liu, University of Edinburgh). Remote3 = Remote session by remote schools in remote environments. We challenge teams of 11-14 yo pupils from 10 remote Scottish schools, to design build and operate lego Mindstorm EV3 rovers in the Boulby Mars analogue area. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019,2020 |