SciPost Submission Page
Vector Spaces for Dark Matter (VSDM): Fast Direct Detection Calculations with Python and Julia
by Benjamin Lillard, Aria Radick
Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Benjamin Lillard |
| Submission information | |
|---|---|
| Preprint Link: | scipost_202505_00029v1 (pdf) |
| Date submitted: | May 15, 2025, 2:25 a.m. |
| Submitted by: | Benjamin Lillard |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics Codebases |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approaches: | Computational, Phenomenological |
Abstract
Anisotropic target materials are promising candidates for dark matter direct detection experiments, providing a directional sensitivity that can be used to distinguish a dark matter (DM) signal from the various Standard Model backgrounds. In this paper we introduce the Julia and Python implementations of Vector Spaces for Dark Matter (VSDM), which handle the difficult scattering rate computation for these rotating, three-dimensional response functions by calculating a partial rate matrix for every combination of DM velocity distribution, material response function, and particle DM properties.
Author indications on fulfilling journal expectations
- Benchmarking tests must be provided.
- At least one example application must be presented in detail
- High-level programming standards must be followed throughout the source code
- The userguide must properly contextualize the software, describe the logic of its workings and highlight its added value as compared to existing software
- The software must address a demonstrable need for the scientific community
- The documentation must be complete, including detailed instructions on downloading, installing and running the software
Current status:
Reports on this Submission
Strengths
- Solves the problem of having fast enough predictions for direct detection rates, even for anisotropic cases.
- Two packages, in Julia (faster) and Python (targets larger user base). First Python version of VSDM has already been included as part of 2310.01483 (Ref. [2] of current manuscript), with the new version having significantly improved functionality.
Weaknesses
- There is a lot of repetition of the material already covered elsewhere. While it is in general useful for manuscripts to be as self-contained as possible, I find it that in this case it detracts from the real focus of the paper, which is the introduction of Julia and Python codes. The background material covers 27 pages (!), and it would really help readability, if the authors could shorten/streamline this material.
Report
Requested changes
As already mentioned, it would help readability if the presentation would be shortened. For instance, there is not need to write the defining differential equations for associated Legendre polynomials (A.1), the Rodriguez formula (A.2), etc (in fact the whole section A.1 can be dropped as all one needs is that the authors follow the usual Condon-Shortley phase convention. There are many other such examples both in Appendices and Sections 1 and 2. Since this is a significant amount of work, I leave to the authors the decision on whether or not they want to follow this suggestion, and improve accessibility of the manuscript.
List of typographical errors/ smaller presentation issues:
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p. 3: Earth velocity -> Earth’s velocity
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p. 4: from from [2] -> from [2] it is not clear what is shown on the lower corners of the two panels: (0.72, 1.15) and (0.7, 1.24)
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in many places the punctuations in equations are missing, e.g., period in (1.4), (1.28)
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p. 6: in (1.7) the authors allow for inelastic scattering, while equation v_min in (1.10) is for elastic scattering. The authors may want to comment and/or modify the discussion.
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p. 11: was LSR defined anywhere?
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p. 27: the text bleeds into margins, same on p. 38
Recommendation
Publish (meets expectations and criteria for this Journal)