PARTICLE DARK MATTER IN THE GALACTIC HALO: RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES

The DAMA project is an observatory for rare processes operating deep underground at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of the I.N.F.N.. In particular, the main apparatus DAMA/LIBRA is mainly dedicated to the investigation of the presence of Dark Matter (DM) particles in the galactic halo by exploiting the model independent DM annual modulation signature. The present DAMA/LIBRA and the former DAMA/NaI (exposed masses: similar or equal to 250 kg and similar or equal to 100 kg of highly radiopure NaI(Tl), respectively) experiments have released so far a total exposure of 1.17 ton x yr, collected over 13 annual cycles. They have obtained a positive model independent result for the presence of DM particles in the galactic halo at 8.9 sigma C.L.. Some of the obtained results are shortly summarized and future perspectives mentioned.