[Previous] | [Session 22] | [Next]

[22.21] A novel antideuteron detector for space-based indirect dark matter searches

K. Mori, C.J. Hailey, J. Koglin, H. Yu (Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory), W.W. Craig (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory), J. Hong (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)

We report work on the gaseous antiparticle spectrometer (GAPS), a novel method for detecting antimatter. GAPS relies on detection of deexcitation X-rays produced when antimatter is slowed down and captured into excited states of gas molecules. The X-rays are a unique signature of the antimatter species. GAPS has high sensitivity for space-based detection of antideuterons which are produced in neutralino-neutralino interactions. We report on continued modeling of the GAPS performance and its sensitivity for neutralino searches, details of the prototype GAPS detector and plans for accelerator-based testing of GAPS with antiproton beams.

Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 35#2
© 2003. The American Astronomical Soceity.