Probing the supersymmetric parameter space by weakly interacting massive particle direct detection - art. no. 125003

We discuss to what extent the present experiments of direct search for weak ly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), when interpreted in terms of reli c neutralinos, probe interesting regions of the supersymmetric parameter sp ace, which are also being progressively explored at accelerators. Our analy sis is performed in a number of different supersymmetric schemes. We derive the relevant neutralino cosmological properties, locally and on the averag e in the universe. We prove that part of the supersymmetric (SUSY) configur ations probed by current WIMP experiments entails relic neutralinos of cosm ological interest. The main astrophysical and particle physics uncertaintie s, relevant for a proper comparison between theory and experimental data, a re stressed and taken into account.