XXth International Conference on Neutrino Physics and Astrophysics
V.A.Kudryavtsev for the Boulby Dark Matter Collaboration
Dark Matter Experiments at Boulby Mine
The status of dark matter searches at the UK Boulby mine is
reviewed. The experiments are searching for Weakly Interacting Massive
Particles (WIMPs) using various techniques. These techniques at
present include NaI(Tl) detectors (NAIAD experiment), liquid xenon
detector (ZEPLIN I) and Time Projection Chamber with directional
sensitivity (DRIFT I). Array of NaI(Tl) crystals is aimed to confirm
or refute positive annual modulation signal claimed by the DAMA
experiment with similar type detectors. Scintillation properties and
high discrimination power of liquid xenon make it sensitive to the
region of parameter space favoured by some SUSY models. The first
stage DRIFT detector uses directionality to improve its sensitivity to
WIMP-induced nuclear recoils. Recent results from all three
experiments are presented. Prospects for future detectors, capable of
covering large range of parameters favoured by SUSY models, are
described. This includes two stage liquid/gas xenon detectors ZEPLIN
II / ZEPLIN III, able to detect both scintillation and ionisation of
charged particles, and large-scale DRIFT detector with directional
sensitivity.
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