Nuclear Tracks from Cold Dark Matter Interactions in Mineral Crystals: A Computational Study

Preprint

11 May 1995

preprint
Published by arXiv in arXiv

Abstract

Recoiling nuclei from Cold Dark Matter (CDM) elastic scattering interactions with the constituent elements of some minerals may produce etchable damage tracks in the crystal structure. Present calculations show that in muscovite mica, CDM tracks from recoiling potassium atoms could be readily distinguished from others due to alpha-decays in the uranium and thorium chains. Under favorable conditions, this technique could greatly improve the existing limits on Weakly Interacting Massive Particles as the constituents of the galactic halo.

Keywords

CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
COLD DARK MATTER
MINERAL CRYSTALS
NUCLEAR TRACKS
DARK MATTER
RECOILING
URANIUM
THORIUM
CDM

All Related Versions

Version 1, 1995-05-11, ArXiv
Version 2, 1995-05-12, ArXiv
Published version: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 95 (3), 349.

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