https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-019-7485-x
Regular Article - Experimental Physics
Effects of the thermodynamic conditions on the acoustic signature of bubble nucleation in superheated liquids used in dark matter search experiments
1
IGIC, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camí de Vera S/N, 46022, Valencia, Spain
2
INFN, Sezione di Milano - Bicocca, P.za della Scienza 3, 20126, Milano, Italy
3
UNIMIB, Università di Milano - Bicocca, Dip. di Fisica, P.za della Scienza 3, 20126, Milano, Italy
4
ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, Via Anguillarese 301, S. Maria di Galeria, 00123, Roma, Italy
5
INFN, Sezione di Roma La Sapienza, P.le Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy
6
DIAEE, Sapienza Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184, Roma, Italy
7
CTN, Marine Technology Center, Ctra El Estrecho-Lobosillo Km2, Fuente Álamo, 30320, Murcia, Spain
* e-mail: massimo.corcione@uniroma1.it
Received:
21
May
2019
Accepted:
13
November
2019
Published online:
22
November
2019
In the framework of the search for dark matter in the form of WIMPs using superheated liquids, a study is conducted to establish a computational procedure aimed at determining how the thermodynamic conditions kept inside a particle detector affect the acoustic signal produced by bubble nucleation. It is found that the acoustic energy injected into the liquid by the growing vapour bubble increases as the liquid pressure is decreased and the superheat degree is increased, the former effect being crucial for the generation of a well-intelligible signal. A good agreement is met between the results of the present study and some experimental data available in the literature for the amplitude of the acoustic signal. Additionally, the higher loudness of the alpha-decay events compared with those arising from neutron-induced nuclear recoils is described in terms of multiple nucleations.
© The Author(s), 2019
