IEAP - Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics CTU - Czech Technical University in Prague
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IEAP - Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics CTU - Czech Technical University in Prague
CTU - Czech Technical University in Prague
Seminars  > The PICASSO experiment: searching for dark matter
The PICASSO experiment: searching for dark matter

Date
5.3.2013 14:00
Speaker
Mgr. Robert Filgas, Ph.D. Ústav technické a experimentální fyziky ČVUT v Praze


Abstract

The PICASSO experiment (Project In CAnada to Search for Supersymmetric Objects) specializes in searches for cold dark matter through the direct detection of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). It uses the superheated droplet technique, which is based on the operation principle of the classic bubble chamber. In the case of PICASSO the active detector liquid is dispersed as droplets of a metastable superheated perfluorobutane, C4F10, and the detectors are operated in a temperature range such that nuclear recoils in the keV range induced by interactions with WIMPS could trigger bubble formation. These explosive evaporations are accompanied by acoustic signals, which are recorded by piezoelectric transducers. I will present details of the PICASSO experiment and the first results obtained by the detector located at the underground laboratory of the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.
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