[astroseminar at Sapienza] 23/11/2020 at 15:00: Tomassoni Chisesi Physics Prize seminars: Jo Dunkley - Karoline Schäffner

[Elia Battistelli]

WINNERS 2020: Fondazione Sapienza - Tomassoni Chisesi Physics Prize

web: https://www.phys.uniroma1.it/fisica/en/node/10215
_________________________________________________________

Title: COSINUS - A unique perspective to shine light on the 
long-standing dark matter claim of DAMA/LIBRA
Speaker: Dr. Karoline Schaeffner (Winner under 40 category)
Institution: Max-Planck-Institute for Physics (Werner Heisenberg 
Institut, Germany)
Date: Monday 23 November 2020
Time: 3:00pm
Location: meet.google.com/twa-qvtg-fxd

Abstract
Dark matter is a main ingredient of the cosmos, its nature, despite of 
enormous progress in terrestrial direct dark matter searches, is still 
undiscovered. Most prominently, the results from DAMA/LIBRA, since more 
than two decades, create a controversial situation in the field of 
direct dark matter detection. Their latest results from DAMA phase 2 add 
further constraints since they imply that any interpretation of DAMA in 
terms of dark matter requires non-standard interactions of dark matter 
particles, or non-standard astrophysical assumptions, or both.
For a fully model-independent investigation of the nature of the 
DAMA/LIBRA claim, experiments which use the same material as DAMA/LIBRA 
are essential. Therefore, experiments applying sodium iodide (NaI) 
crystals are planned or are right on their way to solve the long-lasting 
discrepancy.

COSINUS will also use crystals of NaI, however not operates them as mere 
scintillation detectors, but as so-called cryogenic scintillating 
calorimeters operated at milli-Kelvin temperatures. COSINUS detectors 
provide a simultanous and independent measurement of both the 
temperature signal and the scintillation light signal caused by a 
particle interaction. Since the amount of produced light depends on the 
particle type (light quenching), this detection technique yields 
identification of the type of interacting particle on an event-by-event 
basis.
In this talk I will present results of our first generation prototype 
detectors and I will discussion future steps and prospects of COSINUS 
currently installing its own experimental facility at LNGS.

Motivation:
Dr. Schäffner has developed a novel approach for experiments searching 
Dark Matter.By using her solid expertise of mK physics, she has built a 
prototype of an experiment to search Dark Matter at LNGS based on a new 
background rejection technique with cryogenic detectors. This is the 
base for the COSINUS project now being aiming to direct observation of 
Dark Matter.

_________________________________________________________

Title: The Millimeter Sky from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope
Speaker: Prof. Jo Dunkley (Winner over 40 category)
Institution: Princeton University (USA)
Date: Monday 23 November 2020
Time: 3:40pm
Location: meet.google.com/twa-qvtg-fxd

Abstract
I will show new images of the Cosmic Microwave Background made by the 
Atacama Cosmology Telescope in Chile, capturing the universe as it was 
at 380,000 years after the Big Bang. I will describe how they are 
advancing our knowledge of cosmology, and how the new data let us weigh 
in on the concordance cosmological model known as 
‘Lambda-Cold-Dark-Matter', the local expansion rate of the universe, and 
its spatial geometry.

Motivation:
For the development of innovative analysis methods for Cosmic Microwave 
Background anisotropy and polarization data, efficiently constraining 
both cosmology and fundamental physics, and producing a unifying view of 
the Physical Universe.

_________________________________________________________