Searching for dark matter with the AMS-02 detector

Abstract

The origin and composition of dark matter is one of the most significant open questions in modern astroparticle physics. According to the existing theoretical models dark matter candidates are particles such as weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), axions and sterile neutrinos, while primordial black holes present a potential macroscopic candidate. WIMPs are particularly well studied and may be detected indirectly by sophisticated detector systems such as AMS-02 through the products from their interactions or decay. Since the beginning of its mission in 2011, AMS-02 has measured over 250 billion charged particles, providing precise measurements of particle and antiparticle fluxes. Certain features of these fluxes may indicate dark matter contributions. The detector’s upcoming upgrade will drastically increase its acceptance and thus the sensitivity to rare, low or high-energy events. This motivates the use of efficient analysis methods for particle identification.