SIGNALS FOR MINIMAL SUPERGRAVITY AT THE CERN LARGE HADRON COLLIDER: MULTI-JET PLUS MISSING ENERGY CHANNEL,

Abstract

We use ISAJET to perform a detailed study of the missing transverse energy $\eslt$ plus multi-jet signal expected from superparticle production at the CERN LHC. Our analysis is performed within the framework of the minimal supergravity model with gauge coupling unification and radiative electroweak symmetry breaking. We delineate the region of parameter space where the $\eslt$ supersymmetry signal should be observable at the LHC and compare it to the regions explorable via searches for sleptons and for chargino/neutralino production. We confirm that, given a data sample of 10~$\fb^{-1}$, $m_{\tg}\sim 1300$ GeV can be explored if $m_{\tq}\gg m_{\tg}$, while $m_{\tg}\sim 2000$ GeV can be probed if $m_{\tq}\simeq m_{\tg}$. We further examine what information can be gleaned from scrutinizing this event sample. For instance, the multi-jet multiplicity yields information on whether squark production makes a significant contribution to the observed $\eslt$ sample. Furthermore, reconstructing hemispheric masses may yield a measure of $m_{\tg}$ to $\sim 15-25\%$. Finally, for favourable ranges of parameters, by reconstructing masses of tagged $b\bar{b}$ jet pairs, it may be possible to detect Higgs bosons produced via sparticle cascade decay chains.