Description
Non-relativistic effective field theory (NREFT) is one approach used for describing the interaction of WIMPS with ordinary matter. Among other factors, these interactions are expected to be affected by the structure of the atomic nuclei in the target. The sensitivity of the nuclear response components of the WIMP-nucleus scattering amplitude is investigated using shell model calculations for $^{19}$F, $^{23}$Na, $^{28, 29, 30}$Si, $^{40}$Ar, $^{127}$I, $^{70,72,73,74,76}$Ge and $^{128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 134, 136}$Xe. Resulting integrated nuclear response values are shown to be sensitive to some specifics of the nuclear structure calculations. The potential uncertainties that may arise from the nuclear components of WIMP-nucleus scattering amplitudes due to nuclear structure theory and modelling are thus highlighted.
