New Windows on Heavy Dark Matter: Mineral Melt Modelling and X-Ray Readout for Muscovite Mica
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arXiv
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| Auteurs principaux: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Publié: |
2026
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| _version_ | 1866914623801786368 |
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| author | Boukhtouchen, Yilda Bramante, Joseph Buchanan, Andrew Hayes, Alexander Leybourne, Matthew McIntosh, Jennika Ray, Anupam Shugar, Aaron |
| author_facet | Boukhtouchen, Yilda Bramante, Joseph Buchanan, Andrew Hayes, Alexander Leybourne, Matthew McIntosh, Jennika Ray, Anupam Shugar, Aaron |
| contents | Muscovite mica is a translucent, layered silicate mineral whose basal cleavage, low radiogenic background, gigayear exposures, and demonstrated track retention over geological timescales make it a compelling target for rare particle searches. In this work, we develop a new framework for detecting heavy composite dark matter using muscovite mica as a paleodetector. We model melt track formation by heavy composite dark matter transiting through mica using a Sedov-Taylor thermal spike formalism, and validate the sub-micron regime with SRIM/TRIM simulations of nuclear recoil cascades, which also calibrate the phonon efficiency governing local energy deposition. We demonstrate a novel readout method using rapid X-ray fluorescence mapping with a copper backing contrast technique, capable of identifying micron-scale damage features in cleaved mica sheets over macroscopic scan areas, and calibrate the minimum detectable track size using laser-ablated defect regions. We present projected sensitivities for opaque and diffuse composite dark matter, including a sub-melt hole-channel detection mode for large composites substantially attenuated by overburden. We also revisit prior dark matter exclusions from etched mica searches, identifying shortcomings that compromise the robustness of these constraints. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2606_02579 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | New Windows on Heavy Dark Matter: Mineral Melt Modelling and X-Ray Readout for Muscovite Mica Boukhtouchen, Yilda Bramante, Joseph Buchanan, Andrew Hayes, Alexander Leybourne, Matthew McIntosh, Jennika Ray, Anupam Shugar, Aaron High Energy Physics - Phenomenology High Energy Physics - Experiment Muscovite mica is a translucent, layered silicate mineral whose basal cleavage, low radiogenic background, gigayear exposures, and demonstrated track retention over geological timescales make it a compelling target for rare particle searches. In this work, we develop a new framework for detecting heavy composite dark matter using muscovite mica as a paleodetector. We model melt track formation by heavy composite dark matter transiting through mica using a Sedov-Taylor thermal spike formalism, and validate the sub-micron regime with SRIM/TRIM simulations of nuclear recoil cascades, which also calibrate the phonon efficiency governing local energy deposition. We demonstrate a novel readout method using rapid X-ray fluorescence mapping with a copper backing contrast technique, capable of identifying micron-scale damage features in cleaved mica sheets over macroscopic scan areas, and calibrate the minimum detectable track size using laser-ablated defect regions. We present projected sensitivities for opaque and diffuse composite dark matter, including a sub-melt hole-channel detection mode for large composites substantially attenuated by overburden. We also revisit prior dark matter exclusions from etched mica searches, identifying shortcomings that compromise the robustness of these constraints. |
| title | New Windows on Heavy Dark Matter: Mineral Melt Modelling and X-Ray Readout for Muscovite Mica |
| topic | High Energy Physics - Phenomenology High Energy Physics - Experiment |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.02579 |