Is the CDM particle still elusive?

In summary, the discussion in APS Viewpoints reveals that the XENON10 and CDMS II experiments have made significant progress in probing the region where the CDM particle may be found. However, the complexity and vast parameter space of supersymmetry may limit the ability of these experiments to fully discover the CDM particle. The search for supersymmetry continues to be an important benchmark for current and future experiments.
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wolram
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From the discussion in APS Viewpoints.

The two experiments taken together—XENON10 superior at lower masses and CDMS II at higher—are now encroaching well into the region where discovery may be lurking, a marvelous feat considering that a scattering cross section of order 10-44 cm2 corresponds to a mean free path measured in light years of solid lead. Expectations should be tempered, however, as supersymmetry as a theory has an enormous dimensionality and is largely unconstrained. Parameter explorations of supersymmetry performed with a view to understanding the implications for experiments generate landscapes extending orders of magnitude in both mass and cross section, some regions of which always lay beyond the pale of any conceivable experiment


Are they saying the CDM particle may remain a mystery.
 
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Astronomy news on Phys.org
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Benchmark for SUSY searches.

http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep?key=4875940
 
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1. What is cold dark matter?

Cold dark matter is a type of hypothetical matter that is believed to make up a significant portion of the universe's mass. It is called "cold" because it moves at slow speeds compared to the speed of light, and "dark" because it does not interact with light, making it invisible to telescopes.

2. Why are scientists searching for cold dark matter?

Scientists are searching for cold dark matter because it is believed to play a crucial role in the formation and evolution of the universe. It is thought to be the missing piece that explains the discrepancies between the observed mass of galaxies and the amount of visible matter in the universe.

3. How do scientists search for cold dark matter?

Scientists use a variety of methods to search for cold dark matter, including particle accelerators, underground detectors, and space-based telescopes. These methods rely on detecting the effects of dark matter on visible matter or directly detecting dark matter particles.

4. What are some potential candidates for cold dark matter?

Some popular candidates for cold dark matter include weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), axions, and sterile neutrinos. However, there is still no definitive proof of which particle(s) make up dark matter.

5. How close are scientists to finding cold dark matter?

While there have been many promising results and ongoing research in the field of cold dark matter, scientists have yet to definitively detect and identify it. However, new technologies and experiments are constantly being developed, bringing us closer to understanding the nature of dark matter.

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