Carl Eric Dahl
Current Organizations / Institutes
The organizations/institutes from the scholar's latest article
Previous Organizations / Institutes
The organizations / institutes from the scholar's other articles in the past ten years
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Carl Eric Dahl has a total of 1000 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:
- Walter H. Lippincott
University of California, Santa Barbara
18 shared publications J. Kwong
14 shared publicationsM. Crisler
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory 60510 Batavia Illinois USA
14 shared publicationsP. Sorensen
14 shared publicationsS. Fiorucci
14 shared publicationsJ. Hall
SNOLAB P3Y 1N2 Lively Ontario Canada
13 shared publications
Latest Publications
- 29 July 2025
- Published by Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
Installation and Commissioning of the SBC-LAr10 Detector at Fermilab
This report describes the progress towards a scalable detector capable of quasi-background-free detection of sub-keV nuclear recoils under DOE award DE-SC0024254. Work supported by this award follows two distinct thrusts: (1) the first calibration of sensitivity to sub-keV nuclear recoils in a liquid-noble bubble chamber, based on data taken in a prototype liquid xenon bubble chamber run previously at Northwestern University, and (2) the successful assembly and installation of the 10-kg liquid argon bubble chamber SBC-LAr10 in the MINOS underground area at Fermilab. These accomplishments have paved the way for the precision calibration of SBC-LAr10 in the MINOS underground area at Fermilab in the coming year, which will use novel calibration techniques to measure the potential of the liquid noble bubble chamber technology for the detection of GeV-scale dark matter particles and the measurement of coherent elastic nuclear scattering by reactor anti-neutrinos (CEvNS).
- 29 July 2025
- Published by Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
Installation and Commissioning of the SBC-LAr10 Detector at Fermilab
This report describes the progress towards a scalable detector capable of quasi-background-free detection of sub-keV nuclear recoils under DOE award DE-SC0024254. Work supported by this award follows two distinct thrusts: (1) the first calibration of sensitivity to sub-keV nuclear recoils in a liquid-noble bubble chamber, based on data taken in a prototype liquid xenon bubble chamber run previously at Northwestern University, and (2) the successful assembly and installation of the 10-kg liquid argon bubble chamber SBC-LAr10 in the MINOS underground area at Fermilab. These accomplishments have paved the way for the precision calibration of SBC-LAr10 in the MINOS underground area at Fermilab in the coming year, which will use novel calibration techniques to measure the potential of the liquid noble bubble chamber technology for the detection of GeV-scale dark matter particles and the measurement of coherent elastic nuclear scattering by reactor anti-neutrinos (CEvNS).
- Open Access
- 15 July 2025
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review D
- Vol. 112 (1)
Electron-ion recombination in composite interactions in liquid xenon
The response of liquid xenon to various types of ionizing radiation has been extensively studied theoretically and experimentally. Recent progress in direct detection dark matter experiments highlights the significance of composite events, where multiple particles interact with xenon simultaneously and generate overlapping ionization signatures. In these events, recombination of electrons and ions associated with different primary particles leads to additional suppression of the ionization signal, introducing a new source of uncertainty in dark matter searches and Migdal effect studies. We developed a model to estimate the recombination enhancement for overlapping low-energy particle interactions. This method, which has minimal dependence on xenon microphysics and is primarily driven by existing experimental data, yields predictions that are consistent with available measurements of composite interactions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the model predictions are robust against xenon microphysics assumptions.
- 15 July 2025
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review D
- Vol. 112 (1)
Open AccessElectron-ion recombination in composite interactions in liquid xenon
The response of liquid xenon to various types of ionizing radiation has been extensively studied theoretically and experimentally. Recent progress in direct detection dark matter experiments highlights the significance of composite events, where multiple particles interact with xenon simultaneously and generate overlapping ionization signatures. In these events, recombination of electrons and ions associated with different primary particles leads to additional suppression of the ionization signal, introducing a new source of uncertainty in dark matter searches and Migdal effect studies. We developed a model to estimate the recombination enhancement for overlapping low-energy particle interactions. This method, which has minimal dependence on xenon microphysics and is primarily driven by existing experimental data, yields predictions that are consistent with available measurements of composite interactions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the model predictions are robust against xenon microphysics assumptions.
- Open Access
Scintillating Bubble Chambers for Rare Event Searches
The Scintillating Bubble Chamber (SBC) collaboration is developing liquid-noble bubble chambers for the detection of sub-keV nuclear recoils. These detectors benefit from the electron recoil rejection inherent in moderately-superheated bubble chambers with the addition of energy reconstruction provided from the scintillation signal. The ability to measure low-energy nuclear recoils allows the search for GeV-scale dark matter and the measurement of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering on argon from MeV-scale reactor antineutrinos. The first physics-scale detector, SBC-LAr10, is in the commissioning phase at Fermilab, where extensive engineering and calibration studies will be performed. In parallel, a functionally identical low-background version, SBC-SNOLAB, is being built for a dark matter search underground at SNOLAB. SBC-SNOLAB, with a 10 kg-yr exposure, will have sensitivity to a dark matter–nucleon cross section of cm at 1 GeV/ dark matter mass, and future detectors could reach the boundary of the argon neutrino fog with a tonne-yr exposure. In addition, the deployment of an SBC detector at a nuclear reactor could enable neutrino physics investigations including measurements of the weak mixing angle and searches for sterile neutrinos, the neutrino magnetic moment, and the light Z’ gauge boson.Open AccessScintillating Bubble Chambers for Rare Event Searches
The Scintillating Bubble Chamber (SBC) collaboration is developing liquid-noble bubble chambers for the detection of sub-keV nuclear recoils. These detectors benefit from the electron recoil rejection inherent in moderately-superheated bubble chambers with the addition of energy reconstruction provided from the scintillation signal. The ability to measure low-energy nuclear recoils allows the search for GeV-scale dark matter and the measurement of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering on argon from MeV-scale reactor antineutrinos. The first physics-scale detector, SBC-LAr10, is in the commissioning phase at Fermilab, where extensive engineering and calibration studies will be performed. In parallel, a functionally identical low-background version, SBC-SNOLAB, is being built for a dark matter search underground at SNOLAB. SBC-SNOLAB, with a 10 kg-yr exposure, will have sensitivity to a dark matter–nucleon cross section of cm at 1 GeV/ dark matter mass, and future detectors could reach the boundary of the argon neutrino fog with a tonne-yr exposure. In addition, the deployment of an SBC detector at a nuclear reactor could enable neutrino physics investigations including measurements of the weak mixing angle and searches for sterile neutrinos, the neutrino magnetic moment, and the light Z’ gauge boson. - Open Access
Snowmass 2021 Scintillating Bubble Chambers: Liquid-noble Bubble Chambers for Dark Matter and CE$ν$NS Detection
The Scintillating Bubble Chamber (SBC) Collaboration is developing liquid-noble bubble chambers for the quasi-background-free detection of low-mass (GeV-scale) dark matter and coherent scattering of low-energy (MeV-scale) neutrinos (CE$\nu$NS). The first physics-scale demonstrator of this technique, a 10-kg liquid argon bubble chamber dubbed SBC-LAr10, is now being commissioned at Fermilab. This device will calibrate the background discrimination power and sensitivity of superheated argon to nuclear recoils at energies down to 100 eV. A second functionally-identical detector with a focus on radiopure construction is being built for SBC's first dark matter search at SNOLAB. The projected spin-independent sensitivity of this search is approximately $10^{-43}$ cm$^2$ at 1 GeV$/c^2$ dark matter particle mass. The scalability and background discrimination power of the liquid-noble bubble chamber make this technique a compelling candidate for future dark matter searches to the solar neutrino fog at 1 GeV$/c^2$ particle mass (requiring a $\sim$ton-year exposure with non-neutrino backgrounds sub-dominant to the solar CE$\nu$NS signal) and for high-statistics CE$\nu$NS studies at nuclear reactors.Open AccessSnowmass 2021 Scintillating Bubble Chambers: Liquid-noble Bubble Chambers for Dark Matter and CE$ν$NS Detection
The Scintillating Bubble Chamber (SBC) Collaboration is developing liquid-noble bubble chambers for the quasi-background-free detection of low-mass (GeV-scale) dark matter and coherent scattering of low-energy (MeV-scale) neutrinos (CE$\nu$NS). The first physics-scale demonstrator of this technique, a 10-kg liquid argon bubble chamber dubbed SBC-LAr10, is now being commissioned at Fermilab. This device will calibrate the background discrimination power and sensitivity of superheated argon to nuclear recoils at energies down to 100 eV. A second functionally-identical detector with a focus on radiopure construction is being built for SBC's first dark matter search at SNOLAB. The projected spin-independent sensitivity of this search is approximately $10^{-43}$ cm$^2$ at 1 GeV$/c^2$ dark matter particle mass. The scalability and background discrimination power of the liquid-noble bubble chamber make this technique a compelling candidate for future dark matter searches to the solar neutrino fog at 1 GeV$/c^2$ particle mass (requiring a $\sim$ton-year exposure with non-neutrino backgrounds sub-dominant to the solar CE$\nu$NS signal) and for high-statistics CE$\nu$NS studies at nuclear reactors. - 9 December 2021
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review D
- Vol. 104 (11) , 112001
Measurement of charge and light yields for -shell electron captures in liquid xenonDark matter searches using dual-phase xenon time-projection chambers (LXe-TPCs) rely on their ability to reject background electron recoils (ERs) while searching for signal-like nuclear recoils (NRs). ER response is typically calibrated using -decay sources, such as tritium, but these calibrations do not characterize events accompanied by an atomic vacancy, as in solar neutrino scatters off inner-shell electrons. Such events lead to emission of x rays and Auger electrons, resulting in higher electron-ion recombination and thus a more NR-like response than inferred from -decay calibration. We present a cross-calibration of tritium -decays and electron-capture decays (which produce inner-shell vacancies) in a small-scale LXe-TPC and give the most precise measurements to date of light and charge yields for the -shell electron-capture in liquid xenon. We observe a () discrepancy in the -shell capture response relative to tritium decays, measured at a drift field of (), when compared to simulations tuned to reproduce the correct -decay response. In dark matter searches, use of a background model that neglects this effect leads to overcoverage (higher limits) for background-only multi-kiloton-year exposures, but at a level much less than the experiment-to-experiment variation of the 90% C.L. upper limit on the interaction rate of a dark matter particle.- 9 December 2021
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review D
- Vol. 104 (11) , 112001
Measurement of charge and light yields for -shell electron captures in liquid xenonDark matter searches using dual-phase xenon time-projection chambers (LXe-TPCs) rely on their ability to reject background electron recoils (ERs) while searching for signal-like nuclear recoils (NRs). ER response is typically calibrated using -decay sources, such as tritium, but these calibrations do not characterize events accompanied by an atomic vacancy, as in solar neutrino scatters off inner-shell electrons. Such events lead to emission of x rays and Auger electrons, resulting in higher electron-ion recombination and thus a more NR-like response than inferred from -decay calibration. We present a cross-calibration of tritium -decays and electron-capture decays (which produce inner-shell vacancies) in a small-scale LXe-TPC and give the most precise measurements to date of light and charge yields for the -shell electron-capture in liquid xenon. We observe a () discrepancy in the -shell capture response relative to tritium decays, measured at a drift field of (), when compared to simulations tuned to reproduce the correct -decay response. In dark matter searches, use of a background model that neglects this effect leads to overcoverage (higher limits) for background-only multi-kiloton-year exposures, but at a level much less than the experiment-to-experiment variation of the 90% C.L. upper limit on the interaction rate of a dark matter particle.- 1 February 2021
- Published by Elsevier in Astroparticle Physics
- Vol. 125
Simulations of events for the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment
- 1 February 2021
- Published by Elsevier in Astroparticle Physics
- Vol. 125
Simulations of events for the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) dark matter experiment
- Open Access
- 4 September 2020
- Published by Springer Nature in The European Physical Journal C
- Vol. 80 (9) , 1-8
Velocity independent constraints on spin-dependent DM-nucleon interactions from IceCube and PICO
Adopting the Standard Halo Model (SHM) of an isotropic Maxwellian velocity distribution for dark matter (DM) particles in the Galaxy, the most stringent current constraints on their spin-dependent scattering cross-section with nucleons come from the IceCube neutrino observatory and the PICO-60 $$\hbox {C}_3\hbox {F}_8$$ superheated bubble chamber experiments. The former is sensitive to high energy neutrinos from the self-annihilation of DM particles captured in the Sun, while the latter looks for nuclear recoil events from DM scattering off nucleons. Although slower DM particles are more likely to be captured by the Sun, the faster ones are more likely to be detected by PICO. Recent N-body simulations suggest significant deviations from the SHM for the smooth halo component of the DM, while observations hint at a dominant fraction of the local DM being in substructures. We use the method of Ferrer et al. (JCAP 1509: 052, 2015) to exploit the complementarity between the two approaches and derive conservative constraints on DM-nucleon scattering. Our results constrain $$\sigma _{\mathrm{SD}} \lesssim 3 \times 10^{-39} \mathrm {cm}^2$$ ( $$6 \times 10^{-38} \mathrm {cm}^2$$ ) at $$\gtrsim 90\%$$ C.L. for a DM particle of mass 1 TeV annihilating into $$\tau ^+ \tau ^-$$ ( $$b\bar{b}$$ ) with a local density of $$\rho _{\mathrm{DM}} = 0.3~\mathrm {GeV/cm}^3$$ . The constraints scale inversely with $$\rho _{\mathrm{DM}}$$ and are independent of the DM velocity distribution.- 4 September 2020
- Published by Springer Nature in The European Physical Journal C
- Vol. 80 (9) , 1-8
Open AccessVelocity independent constraints on spin-dependent DM-nucleon interactions from IceCube and PICO
Adopting the Standard Halo Model (SHM) of an isotropic Maxwellian velocity distribution for dark matter (DM) particles in the Galaxy, the most stringent current constraints on their spin-dependent scattering cross-section with nucleons come from the IceCube neutrino observatory and the PICO-60 $$\hbox {C}_3\hbox {F}_8$$ superheated bubble chamber experiments. The former is sensitive to high energy neutrinos from the self-annihilation of DM particles captured in the Sun, while the latter looks for nuclear recoil events from DM scattering off nucleons. Although slower DM particles are more likely to be captured by the Sun, the faster ones are more likely to be detected by PICO. Recent N-body simulations suggest significant deviations from the SHM for the smooth halo component of the DM, while observations hint at a dominant fraction of the local DM being in substructures. We use the method of Ferrer et al. (JCAP 1509: 052, 2015) to exploit the complementarity between the two approaches and derive conservative constraints on DM-nucleon scattering. Our results constrain $$\sigma _{\mathrm{SD}} \lesssim 3 \times 10^{-39} \mathrm {cm}^2$$ ( $$6 \times 10^{-38} \mathrm {cm}^2$$ ) at $$\gtrsim 90\%$$ C.L. for a DM particle of mass 1 TeV annihilating into $$\tau ^+ \tau ^-$$ ( $$b\bar{b}$$ ) with a local density of $$\rho _{\mathrm{DM}} = 0.3~\mathrm {GeV/cm}^3$$ . The constraints scale inversely with $$\rho _{\mathrm{DM}}$$ and are independent of the DM velocity distribution. - 3 August 2020
- Published by Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
A Scintillating Xenon Bubble Chamber for Dark Matter Detection. Final Report
This report describes the progress in the search for particle dark matter achieved under DOE award DE-SC0012161, as well as the invention of a new dark matter and neutrino detection technique. Work supported by this award follows in three distinct thrusts: (1) the successful completion of the Generation-1 Direct Detection experiment PICO-60, which set the world-leading limit on the spin-dependent coupling of dark matter to protons and achieved a precise understanding of the response of bubble chambers to nuclear-recoil signals and electron-recoil backgrounds; (2) the construction of the Generation-2 Direct Detection experiment LZ, which will soon be the world's most sensitive dark matter detector; and (3) the demonstration of the first scintillating bubble chamber. The development of a scintillating liquid noble bubble chamber was the primary goal of the proposed work, with the aim of combining the excellent background rejection of a PICO-style bubble chamber with the event-by-event energy resolution of a liquid-noble detector such as LZ. This work produced the first ever observation of coincident scintillation and bubble nucleation by a nuclear recoil in a superheated fluid and also revealed an unexpected benefit to the use of noble liquids in a bubble chamber, namely the ability to increase themore » degree of superheat by an order of magnitude beyond that achievable in PICO-style detectors while maintaining PICO's world-leading background rejection. This discovery has led to new projects in the US and Canada, developing noble liquid bubble chambers both as detectors for low-mass dark matter and as detectors of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) by neutrinos produced at nuclear reactors. « less
- 3 August 2020
- Published by Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)
A Scintillating Xenon Bubble Chamber for Dark Matter Detection. Final Report
This report describes the progress in the search for particle dark matter achieved under DOE award DE-SC0012161, as well as the invention of a new dark matter and neutrino detection technique. Work supported by this award follows in three distinct thrusts: (1) the successful completion of the Generation-1 Direct Detection experiment PICO-60, which set the world-leading limit on the spin-dependent coupling of dark matter to protons and achieved a precise understanding of the response of bubble chambers to nuclear-recoil signals and electron-recoil backgrounds; (2) the construction of the Generation-2 Direct Detection experiment LZ, which will soon be the world's most sensitive dark matter detector; and (3) the demonstration of the first scintillating bubble chamber. The development of a scintillating liquid noble bubble chamber was the primary goal of the proposed work, with the aim of combining the excellent background rejection of a PICO-style bubble chamber with the event-by-event energy resolution of a liquid-noble detector such as LZ. This work produced the first ever observation of coincident scintillation and bubble nucleation by a nuclear recoil in a superheated fluid and also revealed an unexpected benefit to the use of noble liquids in a bubble chamber, namely the ability to increase themore » degree of superheat by an order of magnitude beyond that achievable in PICO-style detectors while maintaining PICO's world-leading background rejection. This discovery has led to new projects in the US and Canada, developing noble liquid bubble chambers both as detectors for low-mass dark matter and as detectors of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEvNS) by neutrinos produced at nuclear reactors. « less
- 6 July 2020
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review C
- Vol. 102 (1) , 014602
Projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment to the decay ofThe LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will enable a neutrinoless double decay search in parallel to the main science goal of discovering dark matter particle interactions. We report the expected LZ sensitivity to neutrinoless double decay, taking advantage of the significant ( kg) mass contained within the active volume of LZ without isotopic enrichment. After 1000 live-days, the median exclusion sensitivity to the half-life of is projected to be years (90% confidence level), similar to existing constraints. We also report the expected sensitivity of a possible subsequent dedicated exposure using 90% enrichment with at years.- 6 July 2020
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review C
- Vol. 102 (1) , 014602
Projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment to the decay ofThe LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will enable a neutrinoless double decay search in parallel to the main science goal of discovering dark matter particle interactions. We report the expected LZ sensitivity to neutrinoless double decay, taking advantage of the significant ( kg) mass contained within the active volume of LZ without isotopic enrichment. After 1000 live-days, the median exclusion sensitivity to the half-life of is projected to be years (90% confidence level), similar to existing constraints. We also report the expected sensitivity of a possible subsequent dedicated exposure using 90% enrichment with at years.- Top Cited Papers
- 4 March 2020
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review D
- Vol. 101 (5) , 052002
Projected WIMP sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment
LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a next-generation dark matter direct detection experiment that will operate 4850 feet underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, USA. Using a two-phase xenon detector with an active mass of 7 tonnes, LZ will search primarily for low-energy interactions with weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which are hypothesized to make up the dark matter in our galactic halo. In this paper, the projected WIMP sensitivity of LZ is presented based on the latest background estimates and simulations of the detector. For a 1000 live day run using a 5.6-tonne fiducial mass, LZ is projected to exclude at 90% confidence level spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections above for a mass WIMP. Additionally, a discovery potential is projected, reaching cross sections below the exclusion limits of recent experiments. For spin-dependent WIMP-neutron(-proton) scattering, a sensitivity of () for a mass WIMP is expected. With underground installation well underway, LZ is on track for commissioning at SURF in 2020.- 4 March 2020
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review D
- Vol. 101 (5) , 052002
Top Cited PapersProjected WIMP sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment
LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a next-generation dark matter direct detection experiment that will operate 4850 feet underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, USA. Using a two-phase xenon detector with an active mass of 7 tonnes, LZ will search primarily for low-energy interactions with weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which are hypothesized to make up the dark matter in our galactic halo. In this paper, the projected WIMP sensitivity of LZ is presented based on the latest background estimates and simulations of the detector. For a 1000 live day run using a 5.6-tonne fiducial mass, LZ is projected to exclude at 90% confidence level spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections above for a mass WIMP. Additionally, a discovery potential is projected, reaching cross sections below the exclusion limits of recent experiments. For spin-dependent WIMP-neutron(-proton) scattering, a sensitivity of () for a mass WIMP is expected. With underground installation well underway, LZ is on track for commissioning at SURF in 2020.