Dark Matter
DEAP-3600 uses a vessel of liquid argon to look for dark matter. When argon atoms are excited by particle interactions, they produce ultraviolet light. This light is then detected by sensors surrounding the vessel and analyzed to determine what caused it.
Did you know?
- DEAP-3600 gets its name because it uses about 3,600 kg of liquid argon as its target.
- The spherical acrylic vessel in the centre of DEAP had to be brought into the lab in orange-slice shaped pieces because it was too big to fit in the mine cage in one piece.
- The argon is kept liquid through high pressure and low temperature. If it became gaseous, it would take up almost 600 times as much volume.
Photos of DEAP-3600
Inner acrylic vessel with light guides attached.
DEAP detector inside empty metal shielding.
Inner AV with light guides, filler blocks, and copper thermal shorts.
Looking up at the DEAP detector with veto PMTs.
Diagram of the DEAP-3600 detector.
Event display showing live data from DEAP.