The dark matter time projection chamber (DMTPC) is a direction-sensitive detector designed to measure the direction of recoiling ${}^{19}\mathrm{F}$ and ${}^{12}\mathrm{C}$ nuclei in low-pressure ${\mathrm{CF}}_4$ gas using optical and charge readout systems. In this paper, we employ measurements from two DMTPC detectors, with operating pressures of 30–60 torr, to develop and validate a model of the directional response and performance of such detectors as a function of recoil energy. Using our model as a benchmark, we formulate the necessary specifications for a scalable directional detector with sensitivity comparable to that of current-generation counting (nondirectional) experiments, which measure only recoil energy. Assuming the performance of existing DMTPC detectors, as well as current limits on the spin-dependent WIMP-nucleus cross section, we find that a 10–20 kg scale direction-sensitive detector is capable of correlating the measured direction of nuclear recoils with the predicted direction of incident dark matter particles and providing decisive ($3\sigma$) confirmation that a candidate signal from a nondirectional experiment was indeed induced by elastic scattering of dark matter particles off of target nuclei.

• Received 19 August 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.95.122002