Paleo-Detectors as a Novel Probe of Dark Matter-Nucleus Effective Interactions

Paleo-detectors are a proposed approach to the direct detection of dark matter (DM) based on the observation of DM-induced nuclear recoils. Rather than relying on large detector masses required for conventional detectors, paleo-detectors exploit extremely long integration times, using small samples of naturally occurring minerals that have resided deep underground and accumulated damage tracks over geological timescales of order a gigayear. In this contribution, we review recent theoretical predictions for the sensitivity of paleo-detectors to WIMP-nucleus interactions within the framework of a Non-Relativistic Effective Field Theory (NREFT). We discuss both elastic and inelastic scattering processes and consider isoscalar couplings, taking into account backgrounds from neutrinos and radiogenic sources. We present projected sensitivities of paleo-detectors for different readout and exposure scenarios and compare the reach of paleo-detectors to that of conventional direct-detection experiments. For DM masses in the range 1 GeV/c squared - 10 GeV/c squared, paleo-detectors are expected to achieve sensitivities exceeding those of conventional experiments for WIMP-nucleus interactions mediated by all NREFT operators, with only a weak dependence on the read-out scenario or target mineral. For larger DM masses, 10 GeV/c squared - 5 TeV/c squared, paleo-detectors are projected to attain sensitivities comparable to or surpassing conventional experiments for interactions mediated by several NREFT operators, depending on the specific read-out scenario and choice of target mineral.