Towards a model-independent comparison of dark matter direct detection data

by Eugenio Del Nobile

Thursday 9 Jan 2014, 15:00 → 16:00 Europe/Rome

248 (Building C, First Floor)

In order to favor the comparison of the different dark matter search data, the experimental collaborations typically translate their results into bounds or allowed regions within a specific dark matter model: namely, they assume the Standard Halo Model for the dark matter halo, and spin-independent interactions of the dark matter with nucleons. However, there are no reasons for this model to be the one realized in nature. In the first part of this talk we will propose a simple method to translate bounds from one interaction model to another, thus going beyond the usual assumption of spin-independent interactions. In the second part we will introduce a halo-independent way to compare data from different direct detection experiments, that allows to avoid the large uncertainties introduced by the unknown astrophysics of the dark matter halo.