Journal Article

Proof of principle for a light dark matter search with low-energy positron beams at NA64

Karneyeu, A. E., Bautin, V., Banto Oberhauser, B., Salamatin, K., Charitonidis, N., Kirsanov, M. M., Tlisova, I., Dermenev, A. V., Hösgen, M., Radics, B., Kirpichnikov, D. V., Kuleshov, S. V., Banerjee, D., Mena Fredes, R., Bernhard, J., Shchukin, D., Volkov, P. V., Tuzi, M., Gertsenberger, S. V., Toropin, A. N., Celentano, A., Crivelli, P., Marini, A., Bisio, P., Kambar, Y., Bondì, M., Ketzer, B., Tikhomirov, V. O., Enik, T., Kravchuk, L. V., Ayala Torres, M. A., Molina Bueno, L., Kramarenko, V. A., Matveev, V. A., Lysan, V., Gninenko, S. N., Polyakov, V. A., Frolov, V. N., Mena Yanssen, R., Donskov, S. V., Andreev, Yu. M., Soto, O., Zamora-Saá, J., Sieber, H., Peshekhonov, D. V., Kekelidze, G., Samoylenko, V. D., Voronchikhin, I. V., Marsicano, L., Lyubovitskij, V. E., Antonov, A., Dusaev, R. R., Girod, S., Krasnikov, N. V., Zhevlakov, A. S., Mongillo, M.

2025

Overview

A bstract Thermal light dark matter (LDM) with particle masses in the 1 MeV–1 GeV range could successfully explain the observed dark matter abundance as a relic from the primordial Universe. In this picture, a new feeble interaction acts as a “portal” between the Standard Model and LDM particles, allowing for the exploration of this paradigm at accelerator experiments. In the last years, the “missing energy” experiment NA64 e at CERN SPS (Super Proton Synchrotron) has set world-leading constraints in the vector-mediated LDM parameter space, by exploiting a 100 GeV electron beam impinging on an electromagnetic calorimeter, acting as an active target. In this paper, we report a detailed description of the analysis of a preliminary measurement with a 70 GeV/c positron beam at NA64 e , performed during summer 2023 with an accumulated statistics of 1 . 596 × 10 10 positrons on target (hereafter referred to as e + OT). This data set was analyzed with the primary aim of evaluating the performance of the NA64 e detector with a lower energy positron beam, towards the realization of the post-LS3 program. The analysis results, other than additionally probing unexplored regions in the LDM parameter space, provide valuable information towards the future NA64 e positron campaign.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V,SpringerOpen
• Subject: Beyond Standard Model / Classical and Quantum Gravitation / Dark Matter / e +-e − Experiments / Electron beams / Elementary Particles / Parameters / Particle and Resonance Production / Particle beams / Physics / Physics and Astronomy / Positron beams / Positrons / Quantum Field Theories / Quantum Field Theory / Quantum Physics / Regular Article - Experimental Physics / Relativity Theory / Standard model (particle physics) / String Theory