Tracking performance of the NEWAGE-0.3a direction-sensitive dark matter detector

• Published in: Astroparticle physics Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 185 - 191
• Main Authors: Nishimura, Hironobu, Miuchi, Kentaro, Hattori, Kaori, Iwaki, Satoru, Ida, Chihiro, Kabuki, Shigeto, Kubo, Hidetoshi, Kurosawa, Shunsuke, Sekiya, Hiroyuki, Takada, Atsushi, Takahashi, Michiaki, Takeda, Atsushi, Tanimori, Toru, Tsuchiya, Ken’ichi, Ueno, Kazuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.04.2009
• Subjects: Dark matter; Direction-sensitive; Time projection chamber; WIMP; Direction-sensitive; Dark matter; WIMP; Time projection chamber
• ISSN: 0927-6505; 1873-2852
• DOI: 10.1016/j.astropartphys.2008.12.011

NEWAGE-0.3a is a prototype direction-sensitive dark matter search detector. We measured its response to electron tracks and nuclear tracks while focusing on the tracking performances in an underground laboratory. It showed a gamma-ray rejection power of 8.1 ± 1.9 × 10 −6 at 100 keV α.e.(alpha-equivalent) and an energy resolutions of 45% at 6 MeV α.e. The absolute nuclear efficiency was 80% at 100 keV α.e. and the nuclear directional-dependent efficiency was also measured. The three-dimensional angular resolution for the nuclear track was 46 ± 3° in the energy range from 100 keV α.e. to 400 keV α.e.