Optimized velocity distributions for direct dark matter detection

Abstract

We present a method to calculate, without making assumptions about the local\ndark matter velocity distribution, the maximal and minimal number of signal\nevents in a direct detection experiment given a set of constraints from other\ndirect detection experiments and/or neutrino telescopes. The method also allows\nto determine the velocity distribution that optimizes the signal rates. We\nillustrate our method with three concrete applications: i) to derive a\nhalo-independent upper limit on the cross section from a set of null results,\nii) to confront in a halo-independent way a detection claim to a set of null\nresults and iii) to assess, in a halo-independent manner, the prospects for\ndetection in a future experiment given a set of current null results.\n