We present a novel experimental concept to search for proton decay. Using paleo-detectors, ancient minerals acquired from deep underground which can hold traces of charged particles, it may be possible to conduct a search for $p \to \bar{\nu} K^+$ via the track produced at the endpoint of the kaon. Such a search is not possible on Earth due to large atmospheric-neutrino-induced backgrounds....
The quest to understand dark matter (DM) continues to be a driving force in astrophysics and particle physics. This talk discusses the potential of the RES-NOVA project, envisioned for detecting astrophysical neutrinos via Coherent Elastic Neutrino-Nucleus Scattering (CEvNS), to also serve as a DM observatory. Leveraging the array of cryogenic detectors made from archaeological Pb, known for...
The talk is focused on an asymmetric dark matter model based on semi-annihilations into long-lived standard-model-sector particles. The dark matter is stabilized by discrete $\mathbb{Z}(3)$ symmetry. It is shown that despite strong dark matter annihilation, the asymmetry obtained from the semi-annihilations may significantly affect the resulting relic density, even at very small coupling values.
The prospect of a Dark Sector neutral under Standard Model interactions represents a compelling explanation for the existence of Dark Matter. A popular class of models considers kinetic mixing as a portal between the visible and the Dark Sector. The introduction of a non-abelian $SU(N)_D$ group can cause kinetic mixing via higher-dimensional operators, naturally explaining the experimental...
The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment is a multi-tonne dark matter direct detection experiment operating 4850 feet underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. At the heart of LZ is a liquid xenon time projection chamber (TPC) with a 7-tonne active mass designed to capture the low energy signals from interactions with WIMP dark matter in our galactic halo, as well...
