| The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) dark matter search experiment operates a time projection chamber constructed of 370 kg of xenon, currently installed in the Homestake gold mine. The goal of the experiment is to detect Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). Novel calibration methods for this uniquely large detector are discussed. Background events due to standard model physics processes including cosmogenically activated xenon, alpha emission, and neutron production are shown to be negligible in recent 85 day WIMP search data.;The LUX Monte Carlo simulation includes a new physical model, the Nobel Element Simulation Technique (NEST), for scintillation and ionization. NEST describes energy-, particle-, field- and medium-dependent behavior of a charge recombination model. A simulated data acquisition chain that bridges the gap between simulation and data has been developed to permit full testing of the analysis tools employed by LUX. Signal generation by cumulative photon responses are described algorithmically. Computational optimization has been performed to decrease processing time by a factor of fifty.;A new technique for event depth estimation using machine learning and image analysis is introduced. Variable length waveforms are converted to fixed dimension field maps for use in machine learning. A support vector machine trained against pulse shapes with known depth successfully regressed depth without direct measurement of highly variable pulse widths.;The world's most stringent limits on spin-independent WIMP-nucleon scattering cross section are presented. |
