Annual modulations from secular variations: relaxing DAMA?

• Published in: The journal of high energy physics Vol. 2020; no. 4; pp. 1 - 21
• Main Authors: Buttazzo, Dario, Panci, Paolo, Rossi, Nicola, Strumia, Alessandro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.04.2020; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Classical and Quantum Gravitation; Computer simulation; Dark matter; Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments); Elementary Particles; High energy physics; Modulation; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Quantum Field Theories; Quantum Field Theory; Quantum Physics; Regular Article - Experimental Physics; Relativity Theory; Secular variations; String Theory; Time dependence; Dark matter; Dark Matter and Double Beta Decay (experiments)
• ISSN: 1029-8479; 1029-8479
• DOI: 10.1007/JHEP04(2020)137

A bstract The DAMA collaboration reported an annually modulated rate with a phase compatible with a Dark Matter induced signal. We point out that a slowly varying rate can bias or even simulate an annual modulation if data are analyzed in terms of residuals computed by subtracting approximately yearly averages starting from a fixed date, rather than a background continuous in time. In the most extreme case, the amplitude and phase of the annual modulation reported by DAMA could be alternatively interpreted as a decennial growth of the rate. This possibility appears mildly disfavoured by a detailed study of the available data, but cannot be safely excluded. In general, a decreasing or increasing rate could partially reduce or enhance a true annual modulation, respectively. The issue could be clarified by looking at the full time-dependence of the DAMA total rate, not explicitly published so far.