Cryogenic Dark Matter Search: What is CDMS?
CDMS Detector Located in Soudan Mine Lab
As early as the 1930's scientists had begun to notice inconsistencies in observable cosmological phenomena and the amount of matter necessary to allow those phenomena. For example, galaxies appeared to be spinning faster than was allowed for something of their size. The missing mass was referred to as Dark Matter. CDMS seeks to observe one possible dark matter candidate: Weakly Interacting Massive Particles. The hypothetical WIMP would almost never interact with normal matter and would therefore need extremely sensitive detection equipment.
Because the detection equipment is so sensitive, 1/2 mile underground is a great location for its home. The half mile of rock between Soudan lab and the surface block the constant particle bombardment on the surface of the Earth from natural cosmic radiation. If the CDMS detectors were placed on the surface of the earth they would be overloaded and useless for detecting the ghostly WIMPs.
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