Recent measurements show that dark matter makes up at least one fifth of the total energy density of the Universe. The nature of the dark matter is one of the biggest mysteries in current particle physics and cosmology. Big Bang nucleosynthesis limits the amount of baryonic matter that can exist, and shows that the dark matter has to be non-baryonic. Particle physics provides some candidates for non-baryonic matter that could solve the dark-matter problem, weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) being the most popular. If these particles were created in the early Universe a substatial relic abundance would exist today. WIMPs in our galactic halo could be gravitationally bound in the Solar System and accumulate inside heavy bodies like the Earth. Supersymmetric extensions to the Standard Model give a viable WIMP dark matter candidate in the form of the lightest neutralino. This thesis describes an indirect search for WIMPs by the neutrino signature from neutralino annihilation at the core of the Earth using the AMANDA detector. As opposed to previous dark matter searches with AMANDA, this work focuses on the hypothesis of a relatively light WIMP particle with mass of 50-250GeV/c2 The AMANDA neutrino telescope is an array of photomultiplier tubes installed in the clear glacier ice at the South Pole which is used as Cherenkov medium. Data taken with AMANDA during the period 2001-2003 is analyzed. The energy threshold of the detector is lowered by the use of a local correlation trigger, and the analysis is taylored to select vertically upgoing low energy events. No excess above the expected atmospheric neutrino background is found. New limits on the flux of muons from WIMP annihilations in the center of the Earth are calculated.

A relic density of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) remaining from the Big Bang constitutes a promising solution to the Dark Matter problem. It is possible for such WIMPs to be trapped by and accumulate in gravitational potentials of massive dense objects such as the Sun. A perfect WIMP candidate appears in certain supersymmetric extensions to the Standard Model of particle physics, where the lightest supersymmetric particle is a neutralino which can be stable, massive and weakly interacting. The neutralinos may annihilate pair-wise and in these interactions neutrinos with energies ranging up to the neutralino mass can be indirectly produced. Hence, a possible population of dark matter neutralinos trapped in the Sun can give rise to an observable neutrino flux. The Antarctic Muon And Neutrino Detector Array, AMANDA, is a neutrino telescope that detects Cherenkov light emitted by charged particles created in neutrino interactions in the South Pole glacial ice sheet using an array of light detectors frozen into the deep ice. In this work data taken with the AMANDA-II detector during 2003 are analyzed to measure or put upper bounds on the flux of such neutrinos from the Sun. In the analysis detailed signal and background simulations are compared to measurements. Background rejection filters optimized for various neutralino models have been constructed. No excess above the background expected from neutrinos and muons created in cosmic ray interactions in the atmosphere was found. Instead 90% confidence upper limits have been set on the neutralino annihilation rate in the Sun and the muon flux induced by neutralino signal neutrinos.

Identifying the matter in the universe is one of the main challenges of modern cosmology and astrophysics. An important part of this matter seems to be made of non-baryonic particles. EDELWEISS is a direct dark matter search using cryogenic germanium bolometers in order to look for particles that interact very weakly with the ordinary matter, generically known as WIMPs. An important challenge for EDELWEISS is the radioactive background and one of the ways to identify it is to use a larger variety of target crystals. Sapphire is a light target which can be complementary to the germanium crystals already in use. Spectroscopic characterization studies have been performed using different sapphire samples in order to find the optimum doping concentration for good low temperature scintillation. Ti doped crystals with weak Ti concentrations have been used for systematic X ray excitation tests both at room temperature and down to 30 K. The tests have shown that the best Ti concentration for optimum room temperature scintillation is 100 ppm and 50 ppm at T = 45 K. All concentrations have been checked by optical absorption and fluorescence.<br />After having shown that sapphire had interesting characteristics for building heat-scintillation detectors, we have tested if using a sapphire detector was feasible within a dark matter search. During the first commissioning tests of EDELWEISS II, we have proved the compatibility between a sapphire heat-scintillation detector and the experimental setup.

A search for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) annihilating in the dark matter halo of the Milky Way was performed, using data from the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and its low-energy extension DeepCore. The data were collected during one year between 2011 to 2012 corresponding to 329.1 days of detector livetime. If WIMPs in the dark matter halo undergo pairwise annihilation they may produce a neutrino signal detectable at the Earth. Assuming annihilation into bb, W+W-, τ+τ-, μ+μ-, νν and a neutrino flavor ratio of 1:1:1 at the detector, cascade events from all neutrino flavors were used to search for an excess of neutrinos matching a dark matter signal spectrum. Two dark matter density profiles for the halo were used; the cored Burkert profile and the cusped NFW profile. No excess of neutrinos from the Galactic halo was observed, and upper limits were set for the thermally averaged product of the WIMP self-annihilation cross section and velocity, &lt;σAv&gt;, in the WIMP mass range 30 GeV to 10 TeV. For the bb annihilation channel and the NFW halo profile, the 90% C.L. upper limits are 9.03×10-22 cm3 s-1 for the mass WIMP 100 GeV and 4.08×10-22 cm3 s-1 for the WIMP mass 3000 GeV. The corresponding upper limits for the μ+μ- annihilation channel are 4.40×10-23 cm3 s-1 and 3.20×10-23 cm3 s-1. / IceCube

The response of low energy nuclear recoil in NaI(Tl) is investigated in the following experiment. Such detectors have been used recently to search for evidence of dark matter in the form of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). NaI(Tl) crystal response to nuclear recoil energy deposition is a key element in these searches. I discuss the cosmological and experimental motivations for these experiments, followed by an overview of the physics of direct detection and current relevant WIMP search experiments. With the experiment motivations covered, the details of NaI(Tl) detectors are reviewed. The specifics of our experiment are laid out including the neutron production, neutron beam calibration, shielding optimization, experimental design and setup. Then the crystal response calibration studies and Geant4 simulations are discussed followed by the final quenching factor values and uncertainties. This experiment measured quenching factors for sodium recoils in the energy range of (9 keV-40 keV) of 19%-27% QF. These results are similar to current published measurements. Interesting features of the QF measurements include an increase at low energies and a dip in the values at 30 keV, the iodine K-shell absorption edge. The goal of this experiment was to add valuable measurements of nuclear recoils at low energies that are relevant to low-mass WIMP experiments. Future plans will improve and expand on these measurements in order to better understand the response of NaI(Tl) at low energies.

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

The concept of post-WIMP-based (post Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointer) digital services can best be described as interfaces which are moving away from the traditional workspace environment with computers (desktop or laptop) controlled by a mouse and a keyboard. Post-WIMP interfaces focus on intuitive and tactile usage, such as touch or gestures in the air (among others). Libraries have recently begun exploring technology based on post-WIMP maneuver mechanisms, but little research has investigated the outcome. This thesis focuses on the implementation and results of post-WIMP-based technologies within the academic library space. The thesis aims to understand the libraries’ purposes and hopes for the implementation, but also to pin down elements concerning context, space and social norms that seem to have an impact on the actual usage. The subject is approached by exploring ‘early adopters’ and their experiences with these kinds of technologies. This is done through an interview study with key figures within academic library organisations that have implemented the technologies, both employees and users such as teachers and doctoral students. The interview material is explored through a theoretical framework focusing on socio-technical premises and social factors within the human computer interaction research field. The study shows that the usage is affected by factors such as resources within the organization, the infrastructure of space and user expectations on an academic environment. Sponta-neous use of public services tends to be short and “less academic” while usage within closed spaces tends to be longer and linked to the academic field.

Bien que représentant plus d’un quart de la distribution en énergie de notre Univers ainsi que la majorité (84\%) de la masse de celui-ci, la nature de la matière noire n’a pas encore été percée à ce jour. Dans cette thèse, il sera supposé que la matière noire est une nouvelle particule élémentaire, stable et dont la connexion (hors interactions gravitationnelles) avec le secteur visible est réalisée grâce à une autre particule, le médiateur. Au sein de ces lignes, la matière noire sera supposée être un fermion de Dirac et le médiateur un boson (vecteur ou scalaire), ce dernier étant choisi comme étant plus léger que la matière noire. Cette thèse propose d’explorer les aspects infrarouges de la production de la matière noire dans l’Univers primordial, le potentiel de détection d’une importante classe de candidats dits \enquote{freeze-in}, caractérisés par de très faibles interactions avec le Modèle Standard, auprès des expériences de détection directe et l’effet des auto-interactions de la matière noire sur son comportement superfluide dans les régions de haute densité de matière noire (halos, capture par des astres compacts) asymétrique. Sous ces hypothèses, premièrement, une étude exhaustive des différents mécanismes de production de la matière noire est réalisée, illustrée dans un modèle où le médiateur est un photon du secteur caché, issu d’un nouveau groupe de jauge U(1)’, qui mélange de façon cinématique avec le photon du Modèle Standard. En particulier, de nouveaux canaux de production sont mis en avant, nommément \textit{freeze-in from mediator} et \textit{sequential freeze-in}. Ceux-ci correspondent à des scénarios où la matière noire est très faiblement couplée au Modèle Standard, n’atteint jamais l’équilibre avec celui-ci dans l’Univers primordial et est produit petit à petit par des annihilations de médiateurs (en équilibre ou non avec le Modèle Standard). Il est ensuite montré que pour l’important et très attractif cas d’une matière noire milli-chargée (ainsi que pour des scénarios où le médiateur n’est pas plus massif que 40 méga-electronvolt), l’expérience de détection indirect Xenon1T contraint aujourd’hui l’espace des paramètres de la phase de freeze-in de ces modèles, et est, dans cette région de l’espace des paramètres, la contrainte la plus importante. Une réinterprétation des limites sur les interactions indépendantes du spin matière noire – nucléon est par ailleurs nécessaire, détaillée et validée. Dans la seconde partie de la thèse, l’effet des auto-interactions dans les scénarios de matière noire asymétrique est exploré. Sous l’hypothèse qu’un halo (galactique ou non) de matière noire atteint l’équilibre thermodynamique à très basse température (comparée à sa masse) et développe donc un potentiel chimique fini, des interactions matière noire – matière noire au voisinage de la surface de Fermi peut entraîner la formation de condensats, de transitions de phase du milieu et dès lors modifier drastiquement l’équation d’état du halo. Un système d’équations auto-consistant pour les condensats est présenté et résolu numériquement. Ensuite, la thermodynamique du système de gaz interagissant est explorée. Finalement, les interactions gravitationnelles sont considérées et les configurations auto-gravitantes, prenant en compte l’ensemble des auto-interactions, sont déterminées et leurs aspects phénoménologiques sont explorés.Even though dark matter represents more than a quarter of the energy budget of our Universe and the majority (84\%) of its mass, the nature of dark matter has not yet been unravelled. In this thesis, it will be assumed that dark matter is a new elementary particle, stable and whose connection (on top of gravitational interactions) with the visible sector is realized through another particle, the mediator. In this thesis, dark matter will be assumed to be a Dirac fermion and the mediator will be a boson (either vector or scalar). This thesis proposes to explore infrared aspects of the production of dark matter in the primeval Universe, aspects of detection of the important class of feebly coupled \enquote{freeze-in} candidates at direct detection experiments and aspects of condensed matter physics such as superfluidity in region of high dark matter density (halos or inside compact objects such as neutron stars). Under these hypothesis, we will first detail an exhaustive study of the possible thermal mechanism of dark matter production, illustrated in a model where the mediator is a dark photon, arising from a new $U\left(1\right)'$ gauge group, which kinematically mixes with the Standard Model photon. In particular, new production channels are put forward, namely the \textit{freeze-in from mediator} and \textit{sequential freeze-in}. They correspond to scenarios where dark matter is very feebly coupled to the Standard Model, do not reach equilibrium with the visible sector thermal bath in the Early Universe and are slowly produced by mediator annihilations (in-equilibrium or not with the Standard Model). It is then showed that for the popular case of a millicharged dark matter ( and for scenarios in which the mediator mass is not bigger than $40$ mega electronvolt), the direct detection experiment XENON1T constrains today the freeze-in parameter space of such models and is the strongest constraint overall for such candidates. A recast of the bounds on spin-independent dark matter$-$nucleon interactions was needed and we validate our procedure against other recast. In the second part of this thesis, the effects of self-interactions in asymmetric dark mater scenarios are explored. Under the hypothesis that a dark matter halo reaches thermodynamic equilibrium at very low temperature (compared to its mass) and develops a finite chemical potential, dark matter$-$ dark matter interactions at the vicinity of the Fermi surface can lead to the formation of condensates, to phase transitions and therefore modify drastically the equation of state of the halo. A self-consistant set of equations for the condensates is presented and solved numerically. The thermodynamics of the interacting dark matter cloud is also explored. Finally, gravitational interactions are considered and self-gravitating configurations of halos, taking into account self-interactions, are determined and their phenomenological aspects is explored. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

In the year 2011 the construction of IceCube, a neutrino observatory buried in deep clear Antarctic ice, was completed. IceCube now consists of an array of 5160 digital light detection modules assembled on 86 strings, which encloses a instrumented volume of roughly 1~km$^3$ optimized for detection of neutrinos down to energies of 100~GeV. In this detector eight of these strings are arranged in a denser configuration of the low energy extension DeepCore, which pushes the neutrino energy threshold further down to 10~GeV.\\This allows probing for fluxes from various astrophysical sources. Of special interest in context of Dark Matter theories is the Sun as a potential source of energetic neutrinos. There neutrinos can be messenger particles created in annihilations of trapped Dark Matter particles (WIMPs). Searches for solar WIMPs have a tradition in IceCube and shall be continued with data recorded in the completed detector configuration (IC86). Since the detector configuration does not substantially change further, it is worthwhile to revisit, investigate and refine analysis methods developed during the construction phases and improve on them.\\Described in this thesis is the preparation work for such an improved analysis: filter and data treatment studies have been conducted during three years ensuring the quality of the experimental data stream. In parallel the simulation codes 'WimpSim' and 'WimpSim-Reader' have been improved, which provide the signal definition for solar WIMP studies. Also in an extensive investigation about event splitting and hit clustering algorithms has been conducted. This yielded an alternative event splitting and recombination approach using 'MaxDist-Splitter' and 'CoincidentSuite'. In a subsequent study it could be shown that thereby the performance was increased compared to previous solutions by up to 50\%. Also the general benefit of these alternative solutions for general data processing has been investigated, which can remedy so far unregarded problems in lowest level data treatment. Furthermore the analysis strategy has been reviewed and adjusted to the new conditions, which is expected to bring furtherimprovements.\\By this work the foundation for the next solar WIMP analysis has been laid and the achieved improvements are expected to improve the sensitivity. / <p>I like Cats</p> / IceCube

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第18074号 / 理博第3952号 / 新制||理||1569(附属図書館) / 30932 / 京都大学大学院理学研究科物理学・宇宙物理学専攻 / (主査)教授 谷森 達, 教授 鶴 剛, 准教授 市川 温子 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM