Search for a Non-Relativistic Component in the Spectrum of Cosmic Rays at Earth

Understand

Dark matter particles gravitationally bound to our galaxy should exhibit a characteristic speed distribution limited by their escape velocity at the position of the Earth ($v_{esc}\simeq$ 550 km/s).

• An ongoing search for anomalous cosmic rays at Earth, kinematically similar to cold dark matter, is described.
• The technique can discriminate between these and known slow-moving particles such as neutrons, would be sensitive to telltale signatures from presently unexplored candidates, and offers the possibility of identifying the mediating type of interaction (nuclear vs.
• electron recoils).