  We investigate the prospects for direct detection of Dark Matter (DM)
particles, such as dark photons, incident on the upper atmosphere. A recent
work relates the burst-like temperature excursions in the stratosphere at
heights of ~38-47 km with incident invisible streaming matter. Surprisingly,
dark photons match the reasoning presented in that work provided they
constitute part of the local DM density. Dark photons mix with real photons
with the same total energy without the need for an external field as would be
required for instance for axions. Furthermore, the ionospheric plasma column
above the stratosphere can enhance the dark photon to photon conversion due to
resonance. The stratosphere is easily accessible via balloon flights. Balloon
missions with up to a few tons of payload can be readily assembled to operate
for 1-2 months at such atmospheric heights making for realistic short term
endeavor of on-site direct DM search following this proposal. The approach need
not be limited to streaming dark photons as other DM candidates might be
searched simultaneously. Combining different types of measurements in a
multi-band detector system and/or relating such investigations with other
concurrent atmospheric observations, e.g. from space, may be proven to be the
missing new approach in direct DM detection.
