Abstract:
The particle physics nature of the dark matter and neutrinos are top unknowns in modern physics. The Particle and Astrophysical Xenon (PandaX) project is a series of xenon-based ultralow background experiments in the China Jinping Underground Laboratory (CJPL) targeting these big questions. The first and second stage experiments (PandaX-I and II) both utilize dual-phase xenon time-projection chamber (TPC) to carry out direct search for the dark matter particles. PandaX-II, a half-ton scale experiment, is currently under operation, and has recently produced world-leading limits to dark matter-nucleon scattering cross section. The upgrade to a multi-ton experiment is being planned in parallel. PandaX-III, currently under preparation as well, will employ a gaseous xenon TPC with 200 kg of 136Xe target to search for the neutrinoless double beta decay.
In this talk, I shall present an overview of the full project, the latest results from the first 99-day run of PandaX-II, and future prospects.
Brief Bio:
1998 B.S. Nanjing University
2006 Ph.D. University of Maryland at College Park
2006-2010 Postdoc/Senior Postdoc, Caltech
2010-Now Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Assistant Professor (10-15), Professor (15-Now)
Dr. Jianglai Liu has worked on various experiments in the intersections of nuclear, particle, and astrophysics. He studied the strange form factors of the nucleon at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility via parity-violating electron scattering (1999-2006), and performed measurements of the axial-vector coupling constant using ultracold neutron decays at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (2006- 2010). Currently he is the PI of the neutrino physics group at the SJTU, working on the Daya Bay and JUNO neutrino experiments, studying the fundamental properties of the neutrinos. He is in charge of the detector calibration for both projects. Since 2010 he started his endeavor on the PandaX experiment, a xenon-based direct dark matter search at the China Jin-Ping Underground Laboratory, and is presently serving as the deputy spokesperson of the project. Dr. Liu received the best Ph.D. dissertation prize from Jefferson Science Association in 2006. He was selected into the “1000 Junior Talent Program” in China in 2011 and Outstanding Junior Investigator awards from NSFC in 2015.