DAMA

(spokesperson: Prof. R. Bernabei)

DAMA is an observatory for rare processes developing and using low radioactive scintillators. It is located deep underground in the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) of INFN; where several low background setups are operative and many different kinds of measurements are carried out.

The main aim of the project is the investigation of Dark Matter particles in the galactic halo. Originally with the pioneer DAMA/NaI and after with the DAMA/LIBRA set-up in the phase1 and phase2 configuration. Studies of several other rare processes are also carried out with the help of the other low background experimental set-up’s. We recall here the search for ββ decay modes in various isotopes, charge-non-conserving processes, Pauli exclusion principle violating processes, nucleon instability, detection of solar axions and search for exotic processes.

The main radiopure experimental set-ups of the DAMA project at LNGS are:

  • DAMA/LIBRA (Large sodium Iodide Bulk for RAre processes) ~250 kg of ultra-radiopure NaI(Tl) crystal scintillators. It is mainly devoted to the investigations of Dark Matter. It is the successor of DAMA/NaI having a larger mass and an increased sensitivity. Two phases of the experiment have been realized.
  • DAMA/NaI (~100 kg highly radiopure NaI(Tl)) concluded in 2002. It had as main aim the investigation of the presence of a Dark Matter particle component in the galactic halo by means of the model independent annual modulation signature.
  • DAMA/LXe (~6.5 kg liquid Xenon) concluded in 2019. It could operate filled with Kr-free Xenon enriched either in 129Xe or in 136Xe isotopes. It investigated several rare processes with time passing in the various configurations.
  • DAMA/R&D a low background set-up that allows to perform tests of prototype PMTs and crystal scintillators as well as small scale experiments mainly devoted to the search for double beta decay processes in various isotopes.
  • DAMA/Crys a small scale facility mainly dedicated to the characterization of new prototype detectors and small scale experiments.
  • DAMA/Ge an HP-Ge detector included in a passive shield dedicated to measurements on samples’ radiopurity and on relatively small scale experiments.

Photos of the experimental set-ups can be found here.