According to cosmological observations, ordinary matter, of which atoms, all living beings, stars, planets and galaxies consist, accounts for only 5 percent of the total matter in the universe. A larger portion by far, around 25 percent, is made up of so-called dark matter. It is, however, not yet clear what this consists of.
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is surrounded by a large accumulation of dark matter. Its enormous mass has had a crucial impact on the evolution of the galaxy.
A number of well-founded theories state
- that dark matter consists of particles that exert gravity and
- interacts with visible matter - albeit very weakly.
If these dark matter particles exist, it should be possible to observe them from Earth with suitable measuring devices.
Scientists working on the CRESST experiment are on the lookout for dark matter. CRESST is an acronym for “Cryogenic Rare Event Search with Superconducting Thermometers”. The experiment is being conducted by a European research collaboration headed by the Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP).
Tracking down dark matter with crystal detectors
The CRESST experiment is located in the underground laboratory below the Gran Sasso massif (Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, LNGS) in Italy. It comprises high-sensitivity detectors that react when a dark matter particle impinges on an atomic nucleus in the detector material.
Since a reaction between these particles and ordinary matter is an extremely rare event, researchers expect only a small number of observable events per year. In order to discover them with a high degree of certainty, the scientists have developed a special method.
The instruments consist of ultrapure, scintillating calcium tungstate crystals (CaWO4) whose operating temperature is at almost -273 degrees Celsius, i.e. close to absolute zero. When a dark matter particle collides with an atomic nucleus, the temperature in the crystal increases by around one millionth of a degree.
High-sensitivity sensors make all the difference
Highly sensitive thermometers in the detector measure this absolutely minute difference. In addition, the particle-particle interactions generate flashes of light in the crystal. The light particles – or photons, as they are known – are measured by a sapphire and silicon sensor.
The second signal has the important task of identifying which particle species has triggered the reaction. Signals caused by dark matter can thus be reliably distinguished from the radioactive background.
This technology is the basis for one of the most sensitive particle detectors ever built. In their search for dark matter, physicists can thereby venture into still unexplored mass regions. These properties make CRESST the top experiment in the search for particularly light particles of dark matter.
With its expertise in detector development, low-energy technology and data analysis, the MPP is playing a leading role in the CRESST research collaboration.
CRESST at the MPP
Group members
E-mail address: e-mail@mpp.mpg.de
Phone number: +49 89 32354-extension
name
function
e-mail
extension
office
Altwasser, Doris
Secretary
doris.altwasser
364
A.2.43
Banerjee, Heerak, Dr.
Postdoc
heerak.banerjee
473
A.1.59
Bento, Antonio, Dr.
Senior Scientist
antonio.bento
309
A.1.49
Casadei, Federico
PhD Student
federico.casadei
270
A.1.51
Cipelli, Eleonora Rebecca
PhD Student
eleonora.cipelli
473
A.1.49
Cullen, Nate
Intern
nate.cullen
270
A.1.49
Di Lorenzo, Stefano, Dr.
Postdoc
stefano.di.lorenzo
316
A.1.55
Dominsky, Felix
PhD Student
felix.dominsky
569
A.1.59
Gomez Moreno, Ivannia
Student
ivannia.gomez
309
A.1.49
Grasso, Francesco
Student
francesco.grasso
352
A.1.57
Guillaumon, Pedro Vinicius, Dr.
Postdoc
pedro.guillaumon
270
A.1.51
Hauff, Dieter
Senior Scientist
dieter.hauff
266
A.1.55
Hutecker, Patrick
Student
patrick.hutecker
218
A.1.59
Langenkämper, Alexander, Dr.
Postdoc
alexander.langenkaemper
270
A.1.51
Mancuso, Michele, Dr.
Senior Scientist
michele.mancuso
756
A.1.55
Mauri, Beatrice, Dr.
Postdoc
beatrice.mauri
352
A.1.57
Moore, Colin, Dr.
Postdoc
colin.moore
473
A.1.49
Olems, Fiona
Student
fiona.olems
352
A.1.57
Petricca, Federica, Dr.
Senior Scientist
federica.petricca
309
A.1.53
Pröbst, Franz, Dr.
Senior Scientist
franz.proebst
270
A.1.51
Werner, Diana
Secretary
diana.werner
364
A.2.43
Zanirato, Marco Maria
PhD Student
marco.zanirato
352
A.1.57
Zhu, Wan
Student
wan.zhu
352
A.1.57
Group members
Phone number: +49 89 32354-extension
| name | function | extension | office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altwasser, Doris | Secretary | doris.altwasser | 364 | A.2.43 |
| Banerjee, Heerak, Dr. | Postdoc | heerak.banerjee | 473 | A.1.59 |
| Bento, Antonio, Dr. | Senior Scientist | antonio.bento | 309 | A.1.49 |
| Casadei, Federico | PhD Student | federico.casadei | 270 | A.1.51 |
| Cipelli, Eleonora Rebecca | PhD Student | eleonora.cipelli | 473 | A.1.49 |
| Cullen, Nate | Intern | nate.cullen | 270 | A.1.49 |
| Di Lorenzo, Stefano, Dr. | Postdoc | stefano.di.lorenzo | 316 | A.1.55 |
| Dominsky, Felix | PhD Student | felix.dominsky | 569 | A.1.59 |
| Gomez Moreno, Ivannia | Student | ivannia.gomez | 309 | A.1.49 |
| Grasso, Francesco | Student | francesco.grasso | 352 | A.1.57 |
| Guillaumon, Pedro Vinicius, Dr. | Postdoc | pedro.guillaumon | 270 | A.1.51 |
| Hauff, Dieter | Senior Scientist | dieter.hauff | 266 | A.1.55 |
| Hutecker, Patrick | Student | patrick.hutecker | 218 | A.1.59 |
| Langenkämper, Alexander, Dr. | Postdoc | alexander.langenkaemper | 270 | A.1.51 |
| Mancuso, Michele, Dr. | Senior Scientist | michele.mancuso | 756 | A.1.55 |
| Mauri, Beatrice, Dr. | Postdoc | beatrice.mauri | 352 | A.1.57 |
| Moore, Colin, Dr. | Postdoc | colin.moore | 473 | A.1.49 |
| Olems, Fiona | Student | fiona.olems | 352 | A.1.57 |
| Petricca, Federica, Dr. | Senior Scientist | federica.petricca | 309 | A.1.53 |
| Pröbst, Franz, Dr. | Senior Scientist | franz.proebst | 270 | A.1.51 |
| Werner, Diana | Secretary | diana.werner | 364 | A.2.43 |
| Zanirato, Marco Maria | PhD Student | marco.zanirato | 352 | A.1.57 |
| Zhu, Wan | Student | wan.zhu | 352 | A.1.57 |
Key publications
Results on light dark matter particles with a low-threshold CRESST-II detector
G. Angloher et al. (CRESST Collaboration)
Eur. Phys. J. C 76, 25 (2016)
Limits on Momentum-Dependent Asymmetric Dark Matter with CRESST-II
G. Angloher et al. (CRESST Collaboration),
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 021303
Beta/gamma and alpha backgrounds in CRESST-II Phase 2
R. Strauss et al. (CRESST Collaboration)
J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 06 (2015) 030
A detector module with highly efficient surface-alpha event rejection operated in CRESST-II Phase 2
R. Strauss et al. (CRESST Collaboration)
Eur. Phys. J. C (2015) 75:352
Results on low-mass WIMPs using an upgraded CRESST-II detector
G. Angloher et al. (CRESST Collaboration)
Eur. Phys. J. C 74, 3184 (2014)
Key publications
Results on light dark matter particles with a low-threshold CRESST-II detector
G. Angloher et al. (CRESST Collaboration)
Eur. Phys. J. C 76, 25 (2016)
Limits on Momentum-Dependent Asymmetric Dark Matter with CRESST-II
G. Angloher et al. (CRESST Collaboration),
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 021303
Beta/gamma and alpha backgrounds in CRESST-II Phase 2
R. Strauss et al. (CRESST Collaboration)
J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 06 (2015) 030
A detector module with highly efficient surface-alpha event rejection operated in CRESST-II Phase 2
R. Strauss et al. (CRESST Collaboration)
Eur. Phys. J. C (2015) 75:352
Results on low-mass WIMPs using an upgraded CRESST-II detector
G. Angloher et al. (CRESST Collaboration)
Eur. Phys. J. C 74, 3184 (2014)