DarkNESS CubeSat: development of Skipper CCDs for X-ray astronomy

Juan Cruz Estrada

doi:10.1117/12.3019183

22 August 2024 DarkNESS CubeSat: development of Skipper CCDs for X-ray astronomy

Juan Cruz Estrada

Proceedings Volume 13093, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray; 130931S (2024) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019183
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2024, Yokohama, Japan

Abstract

The DarkNESS CubeSat will deploy skipper-CCDs, the most sensitive silicon detectors to date, on a nano-satellite to study the diffuse X-ray background in the Milky Way and search for Dark Matter (DM). DM is an abundant, but invisible, presence in our Universe. It dictates how galaxies were initially formed and influences their dynamics today. The total mass of DM in the universe is known to be five times that of ordinary matter, but its true nature remains elusive, and its identity is one of the biggest questions in science today. We will search for DM by mapping the Galaxy's diffuse X-ray spectrum using an array of skipper-CCDs on a nanosatellite in LEO. This will address the experimental conundrum associated with the observation of an unidentified 3.5~keV X-ray line, potentially produced from the decay of a DM particle. The mission will also perform a direct search for low-mass, strongly-interacting DM candidate particles that would not penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere and are therefore inaccessible to terrestrial DM experiments

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Juan Cruz Estrada "DarkNESS CubeSat: development of Skipper CCDs for X-ray astronomy", Proc. SPIE 13093, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2024: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, 130931S (22 August 2024); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019183

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available