Torsion Discovery Potential and Its Discrimination at CERN LHC

Abstract

Torsion models constitute a well known class of extended quantum gravity models. In this paper we study some phenomenological consequences of a torsion field interacting with fermions at LHC. A torsion field could appear as a new heavy state characterized by its mass and couplings to fermions. These new states will form a resonance decaying into difermions, as occurs in many extensions of the Standard Model, such as models predicting the existence of additional neutral gauge bosons, usually named $Z^\prime$. Using the dielectron channel we evaluate the integrated luminosity needed for a $5σ$ discovery as a function of the torsion mass, for different coupling values. We also calculate the luminosity needed for discriminate, with 95% C.L., the two possible different torsion natures. Finally, we show that the observed signal coming from the torsion field could be distinguished from a signal coming from a new neutral gauge boson, provided there is enough luminosity.