Minutes from first VRVS of Dark Matter Working group.

Present: Bergstrom, Bloom, do Cuto e Silva, Dubois(part), Ullio (really tried, but did not make finally connect)

The first VRVS meeting starting promptly at 8:30 AM PST, with a number of attendees already present or trying to be present by logging in early to try out the connection. The VRVS worked surprisingly well for the first meeting with only Piero having difficulty logging in properly. We began by discussing the Charge of the working group.

1. Charge of Working group - Searching for Dark Matter using GLAST.

This includes the WIMP lines, but also includes more:

Wimp Continuum.

Galactic Center

-Central Black hole and associated structures

Dark Molecular Clouds.

Galactic Halo.

All of the above topics were discussed at some length in the GLAST proposal to the DOE in 1999, and more briefly in the AO response to NASA in 2000.

In addition, Lars suggested a couple of other topics. The first was measuring the speed of light vs. energy to test for Planck scale dependences indicated in certain string cosmologies. We finally decided that the underlying phenomenology, and GLAST instrument measurements were very different than the Dark Matter searches mentioned above, and so this search might be more efficiently studied by the Gamma ray burst working group (I know that Jay Norris has a strong interest in this topic).

The other suggested topic was using the extra galactic diffuse to put limits on extra dimensions. - Larry Hall at LBNL has done work on this (Reference Lars?). We thought that this topic might be included in our studies as it involves limits in the Extra Galactic diffuse background. Of course, the real progress that GLAST will provide on the Extra Galactic background, beside measuring at higher energies, is the removal of the blazar contribution. This work might leave an interesting remnant that needs explanation or may leave nothing within statistical and systematic errors, which will invite limits.

We all agreed, however, that the highest priority for now, in support of PDR preparations, will be Dark matter searches.

2. Membership in the group - How do we form a serious working group of committed and hard working members.

We decided that all core members (people who are now receiving this email) should suggest people to Elliott who they thought should be members of the working group--please include email addresses. Elliott will then arrange for a mail list server on the GLAST home page for email communications and archiving. However, this mail list, though not advertised to the entire collaboration via email, will be open for interested Collaboration members to sign up. Please get names to Elliott via email by Monday, May 7.

Elliott brought up the need for members of our working group from the Calorimeter subsystem team. Any suggested names? If I don't receive any, I will discuss this issue with Neil Johnson to get some suggestions.

3. List of action items - A list of action

items to be completed before PDR.

Assign items and schedule after group

membership has been expanded via 2.

5. Schedule of future meetings - I have reserved the SUN room

for the following dates all on Mondays (same time each date):

May 7 (special request from Aldo Morselli), May 14, May 28, June 11, June 25, July 30, August 13.

6. AOB

None.

"See" you next week,

Elliott

_________________________________________

Elliott D. Bloom Voice: 650-926-2469

Particle Astro Physics FAX: 650-926-4335

SLAC, Stanford University