1. Status and Plans The Boulby Underground Science Facility (UK)

2. Boulby Science Facility Boulby is a working potash mine in the North East of England. Operated by Cleveland Potash Ltd – a major local employer. 1100m deep (2805 mwe giving ~10 6 reduction in CR muons). Surrounding rock-salt = low activity giving low gamma and radon backgrounds. Middlesboroug h Whitby Staithes York JIF facilities - 2003. > 1000 m 2, fully equipped underground ‘Palmer lab’ > Surface support facility. Boulby Mine

3. Boulby Laboratory (UK) Middlesborough Whitby Staithes York

4. Boulby Laboratory

5. Stub B Stub A Low Background Lab ZEPLIN - IIZEPLIN - III DRIFT-I Lab Mess Gas/fire sensor control Workshop Store DRIFT -II Store / DRIFT -II Phase B Materials clean-off Change area Air shower Boulby Dark Matter Detectors

6. Current Boulby Projects (2010) DRIFT-II Low pressure gas TPC directional DM detector. Installed – 2005. Continuing R&D and operation ZEPLIN-III 2 phase (liquid/gas) high field Xenon WIMP dark matter detector. Installed 2007- now operating Low-background material screening High sensitivity low-background Germanium detector and purpose built Rn emanation SKY-ZERO Danish/UK expt to study the effect of cosmic rays on aerosols & cloud production. Phase 1 near completion. Boulby Palmer Laboratory

7. Activity at the Boulby Facility The ZEPLIN III dark matter experiment is continuing at Boulby, through second data run. Results from first run are now published (see next) The DRIFT II dark matter experiment is supported by NSF. Recent visit by NSF (Jim Whitmore) very successful and awaiting extension funding for post 2012. Recent upgrade successful (see next). The DRIFT III dark matter proposal underway. SKY0 climate change experiment completed (cloud formation by cosmic rays). Next generation SKY-I experiment proposed for Boulby. LAGUNA (50-1000kton neutrino physics) design study continues. Boulby is one of 7 European sites being considered (see next). Technical feasibility of cavern confirmed by AAE Ltd. mining consultants Geo-physics and detector research projects also underway Science at Boulby is strongly supported by the mine company CPL: There is an executive board that oversees this - Graham Clarke (CPL manager); Geof Tomlinson (Sheffield); David Petley (Durham Geophysics); Mike Cowling (Crown Estates); Sean Paling/Neil Spooner

8. Neil Spooner - SheffieldCOSMO2009 09/09/09 August 2009 First science run Recent ZEPLIN III Result ZEPLIN III at Boulby two-phase 8 kg (fiducial) 31 2 ” PMTs bottom only

9. Recent DRIFTII Upgrade Multi-panel 0.9μm thick DRIFT cathode cathode tested at full voltage (32.5kV)

10. DRIFT II is now volume limited.... not background limited No compromise on directional sensitivity needed to achieve this DRIFTII SD Limit This new SD llimit is achieved with no compromise on directional sensitivity (others experiments on plot do not have this) this is ~x1000 better than any competitor directional WIMP detector

11. Boulby Update & Future Future Science Aims / Plans Continued hosting / supporting Dark Matter searches (DRIFT, ZEPLIN-III and beyond) Development of UK centre of excellence for ultra sensitive low activity material screening Development of geoscience studies – (local government funding already secured for geology/geophysics studies.) Continued involvement with ‘ILIAS-type’ EU underground lab networking. Pursual of possible future small and large projects – e.g LAGUNA, ELENA. SKY-II Latest Boulby News: - June 2009: New facility manager Sean Paling - Boulby mine and the Underground facility awarded ISO18001 national H&S management award. LAGUNA Future expansion? Plenty of space and low cost for future excavations @ Boulby Proven track record for operations Ongoing strong local support ILIAS-next DRIFT-Cygnus

12. DRIFT III Concept for Boulby

13. LAGUNA Concept for Boulby A major new global facility is possible at Boulby thanks to work to expand mine to deeper levels into hard rock (not salt like current labs)

14. LAGUNA at Boulby GLACIER Liquid Argon Cavern Design completed by AMCO Ltd amd AAE Ltd. diamater 80m

15. LAGUNA - new ramp complete 440 page design document completed for Boulby New Ramp down into hard dolomite rock at 1200-1300m depth completed (this is 100-200m below the salt level of the Palmer lab)

16. ANSYS Geo-technical simulations by AAE Ltd. confirm technical feasibility of LAGUNA at Boulby LAGUNA Cavern is Feasible at Boulby

17. Conclusion We (including CPL) are waiting hopefully for STFC to honour commitment to interim support while we put in place alternative funding and new experiments. Palmer lab operating costs are ~£300K/year (JIF/PPARC capital investment was £3.1M). Decommissioning costs are high because of the need to remove all materials from the Palmer excavation for safety reasons. Boulby continues to produce world leading science and is in demand (e.g. NSF, Danish agencies....)