Learn · CERN

Talk1 h 2 min

Searching for Sub-GeV Dark Matter (TH BSM institute)

Matthew Dolan · CERN

Watch At CERN

About

Direct detection of sub-GeV mass dark matter which scatters off nuclei has long been challenging due to loss of experimental sensitivity in this region of parameter space. However, sensitivity can be regained by exploiting the Migdal effect: the ionisation or excitation of atomic electrons after a nuclear scattering event. I describe the necessity of revisiting previous calculations of the Migdal effect to provide more accurate predictions which allow for large nuclear recoil velocities and incorporate the effects of multiple ionisation. I will also discuss the landscape of measurements seeking to confirm the presence of the Migdal effect in neutron scattering experiments. In addition, I will show how new bounds on sub-GeV, hadronically interacting dark matter can be derived from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, improving on current astrophysical constraints by orders of magnitude.

This talk is part also of the Evolving Beyond the Standard Model TH institute

The talk

  1. Searching for Sub-GeV Dark Matter (TH BSM institute) 2025-07-09 · 1 h 2 min · CERN's player

Credits and licence

Institution
CERN
Department
Theory Colloquia
Speaker
Matthew Dolan
Year
2025
Language
English
Source
CERN
Licence
CERN, as CERN states it. CERN's terms
Attribution
© CERN. CERN provides its audiovisual media free of charge for educational and informational use, credited to CERN; this lecture is shown in CERN's own player.
Who can watch
CERN gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from what the source says about it. How courses are placed