Particle Physics in Birmingham

Particle Physics Seminar

Wednesday 27th January 2010 at 1:30pm
Poynting Small Lecture Theatre

(tea, coffee and biscuits served at 1:15pm)

Dark Matter in the Galaxy and at the LHC – Making the Connection

Malcolm Fairbairn (King's College London)


Abstract

There are three ways of detecting dark matter, direct detection where we look for the recoils of dark matter from standard model particles, indirect detection where we see the signals of dark matter annihilating with itself or decaying and finally production at colliders. If we are lucky enough to detect what we think is dark matter in any of these ways we will enter a new era of research which involves trying to link the different observations together to see if they fit - making them fit is a necessary step towards claiming a discovery, having them not fit is arguably more interesting. Whichever situation may arise, much work needs to be done to prepare ourselves for the data which will arrive from various sources over the next years. I will describe ongoing efforts in this direction.