AQP Seminar: Dark matter direct detection

Abstract: 

The dark matter hypothesis is an appealing explanation for the origin and observed properties of cosmic structure. I will briefly review this background and discuss how dark matter may arise within the current frameworks elementary particle physics. This connection is important for quantitative understanding of the evolution of the early universe and in particular offers ways to search for direct dark matter interactions with ordinary matter. I will describe the landscape of current direct detection experiments and discuss in detail some recent developments. Throughout the talk particular focus is given for axion dark matter and for the prospects of its detection in laboratory experiments.