SABRE and the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory Dark Matter Research at the Australian National University

¹ Department of Nuclear Physics, Research School of Physics, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
² School of Physics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
³ School of Science, The University of New South Wales, UNSW Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2612, Australia

^* e-mail: lindsey.bignell@anu.edu.au

Published online: 6 April 2020

Abstract

The direct detection of dark matter is a key problem in astroparticle physics that generally requires the use of deep-underground laboratories for a low-background environment where the rare signals from dark matter interactions can be observed. This work reports on the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory – currently under construction and the first such laboratory in the Southern Hemisphere – and the associated research program. A particular focus will be given to ANU’s contribution to SABRE, a NaI:Tl dark matter, direct detection experiment that aims to confirm or refute the long-standing DAMA result. Preliminary measurements of the NaI:Tl quenching factor and characterisation of the SABRE liquid scintillator veto are reported.