Nuclear recoils caused by interactions of Dark Matter or neutrinos can leave latent damage in the crystal structure of minerals. These damage features can be read out using a variety of modern microscopy techniques, ranging from optical (fluorescence) microscopy over X-ray microscopy at accelerator light sources to techniques with sub-nm spatial resolution such as He-ion beam or transmission electron microscopy. Natural as well as laboratory-manufactured minerals have been discussed as nuclear recoil detectors for a variety of applications. For example, using the damage features accumulated over 10 Myr -- 1 Gyr in natural "paleo-detector" mineral samples, one could measure astrophysical neutrino fluxes (from the Sun, supernovae, or cosmic rays interacting with the atmosphere) or search for a variety of Dark Matter candidates. Using signals accumulated over months to few-years timescales in laboratory-manufactured minerals, one could measure reactor neutrinos or use minerals as Dark Matter detectors, potentially with directional sensitivity. This workshop will bring together theoretical and experimental physicists, material scientists, and geologists to discuss the state of the art of the emerging field of Mineral Detection of Neutrinos and Dark Matter. Particular attention will be given to the progress and plans of experimental studies pursued by groups in Europe, Asia, and America towards unlocking the potential of natural and laboratory-manufactured minerals as passive recorders of keV-scale nuclear recoils.
The proceedings of the meeting can be found here.
