Extending the DAMA annual-modulation region by inclusion of the uncertainties in astrophysical velocities

Abstract

The original annual-modulation region, singled out by the DAMA-NaI experiment for direct detection of WIMPs, is extended by taking into account the uncertainties in the galactic astrophysical velocities. Also the effect due to a possible bulk rotation for the dark matter halo is considered. We find that the range for the WIMP mass becomes 30 $\mathrm{GeV}\ensuremath{\lesssim}{m}_{\ensuremath{\chi}}\ensuremath{\lesssim}130$ GeV at 1\ensuremath{\sigma} C.L. with a further extension in the upper bound, when a possible bulk rotation of the dark matter halo is taken into account. We show that the DAMA results, when interpreted in the framework of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model, are consistent with a relic neutralino as a dominant component of cold dark matter (on the average in our universe and in our galactic halo). The discovery potential for the relevant supersymmetric configurations at present generation accelerators is also discussued.