WIDG (Weak Interaction Discussion Group) Talk: Walter Pettus, Yale University, “Time-Varying Backgrounds in the DM-Ice17 Dark Matter Experiment”

DM-Ice17 is the first NaI(Tl) direct detection dark matter experiment operating in the Southern Hemisphere and has performed a search for the expected dark matter annual modulation. Motivated by the importance of low background and rate stability for this search, we have thoroughly characterized all time-varying backgrounds in the detector to model the rate in the low-energy region of interest. The stable 3.6-yr dataset collected by DM-Ice17 provides an excellent demonstration of the capabilities of this experimental strategy and a unique platform for studying the time-varying backgrounds. In this talk, I will discuss the science results of DM-Ice17, placed within the context of future larger NaI(Tl) dark matter experiments.