10h : Ilias Ourahou (Physique théorique)
"Directional Detection of Dark Matter: WIMPs with MIMAC and Dark Photons with Dandelion"
Presentation in English
Abstract :
Directional detection is a powerful strategy for isolating rare Dark Matter signals from overwhelming backgrounds. Among its current applications, we can mention the search for meV-scale Dark Photons with the Dandelion experiment, as well as direct searches for GeV-scale Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) with the MIMAC detector at the Modane Underground Laboratory (LSM).
Although these experiments target vastly different Dark Matter candidates and use distinct technologies—Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) for Dandelion and low-pressure gaseous TPCs for MIMAC—they share a common fundamental approach. Both exploit the 'Dark Matter wind' induced by the Solar System's motion to unambiguously discriminate the signal from the background. Consequently, both require robust background mitigation strategies and advanced statistical treatments.
In this presentation, I will discuss my research activities on both experiments. I will detail the background noise modeling using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) developed for Dandelion, as well as the use of Machine Learning techniques (Boosted Decision Trees) conducted within MIMAC to extract competitive exclusion limits.