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A. Pukhov

Publications and source records attributed to A. Pukhov.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Comparison of SUSY spectrum calculations and impact on the relic density constraints from WMAP

We compare results of four public supersymmetric (SUSY) spectrum codes, Isajet, Softsusy, Spheno and Suspect to estimate the present-day uncertainty in the calculation of the relic density of dark matter in mSUGRA models. We find that even for mass differences of about 1% the spread in the obtained relic densities can be 10%. In difficult regions of the parameter space, such as large tan(beta) or large m_0, discrepancies in the relic density are much larger. We also find important differences in the stau co-annihilation region. We show the impact of these uncertainties on the bounds from WMAP for several scenarios, concentrating on the regions of parameter space most relevant for collider phenomenology. We also discuss the case of non-zero A_0 and the stop co-annihilation region. Moreover, we present a web application for the online comparison of the spectrum codes.

hep-ph↗

Relic density of dark matter in the NMSSM

We present a code to compute the relic density of dark matter in the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM). Dominant corrections to the Higgs masses are calculated with NMHDECAY as well as theoretical and collider constraints. All neutralino annihilation and coannihilation processes are then computed with an extended version of micrOMEGAs, taking into acount higher order corrections to Higgs vertices. We explore the parameter space of the NMSSM and consider in particular the case of a bino LSP, of a mixed bino-higgsino LSP and of a singlino LSP. As compared to the MSSM, neutralino annihilation is often more efficient as it can take place via (additional) Higgs resonances as well as annihilation into light Higgs states. Models with a large singlino component can be compatible with WMAP constraints.

hep-ph↗

Relic density of dark matter in mSUGRA and non-universal SUGRA

The measurements of WMAP on the relic density of dark matter strongly constrain supersymmetric models. In mSUGRA where the neutralino LSP is mostly a bino only rather fine-tuned models survive. On the other hand the relic density upper limit can be easily satisfied in models with a Higgsino or wino LSP.

hep-ph↗

Requirements on collider data to match the precision of WMAP on supersymmetric dark matter

If future colliders discover supersymmetric particles and probe their properties, one could predict the dark matter density of the Universe and would constrain cosmology with the help of precision data provided by WMAP and PLANCK. We investigate how well the relic density can be predicted in minimal supergravity (mSUGRA), with and without the assumption of mSUGRA when analysing data. We determine the parameters to which the relic density is most sensitive, and quantify the collider accuracy needed. Theoretical errors in the prediction are investigated in some detail.

hep-ph↗

Similarity for ultra-relativistic laser plasmas and the optimal acceleration regime

A similarity theory is developed for ultra-relativistic laser-plasmas. It is shown that the most fundamental S-similarity is valid for both under- and overdense plasmas. Optimal scalings for laser wake field electron acceleration are obtained heuristically. The strong message of the present work is that the bubble acceleration regime [see Pukhov, Meyer-ter-Vehn, Appl. Phys. B, vol. 74, 355 (2002)] satisfies these optimal scalings.

physics.plasm-ph↗

Scalings for ultra-relativistic laser plasmas and monoenergetic electrons

The similarity theory is derived for ultra-relativistic laser-plasma interactions. First, it is shown that the most fundamental S-similarity is valid for both under- and overdense plasmas. Then, the particular case of tenious plasma is considered in great detail. It is shown that the electron dynamics in this case has two characteristic scales. The fast scale corresponds to relaxation to some attractor solution. The slow dynamics describes an adiabatic evolution of this attractor. This leads to a remarkable wave breaking exclusion rule in the 3D geometry. A similarity theory for the slow dynamics allows obtaining simple ``engineering'' scalings for the maximum electron energies, the number of accelerated electrons, the electron beam density, and for the acceleration distance. These scalings are aimed at design of a high-energy laser-plasma accelerator generating electron beams with superior properties.

physics.plasm-ph↗

Physics Interplay of the LHC and the ILC

Physics at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the International e+e- Linear Collider (ILC) will be complementary in many respects, as has been demonstrated at previous generations of hadron and lepton colliders. This report addresses the possible interplay between the LHC and ILC in testing the Standard Model and in discovering and determining the origin of new physics. Mutual benefits for the physics programme at both machines can occur both at the level of a combined interpretation of Hadron Collider and Linear Collider data and at the level of combined analyses of the data, where results obtained at one machine can directly influence the way analyses are carried out at the other machine. Topics under study comprise the physics of weak and strong electroweak symmetry breaking, supersymmetric models, new gauge theories, models with extra dimensions, and electroweak and QCD precision physics. The status of the work that has been carried out within the LHC / LC Study Group so far is summarised in this report. Possible topics for future studies are outlined.

hep-ph↗

The Bubble regime of laser-plasma acceleration: monoenergetic electrons and the scalability

The Bubble regime of electron acceleration in ultra-relativistic laser plasma is considered. It has been shown that the bubble can produce ultra-short dense bunches of electrons with quasi-monoenergetic energy spectra. The first experiment in this regime done at LOA has confirmed the peaked electron spectrum (J. Faure, et al., {\it submitted}, 2004). The generated electron bunch may have density an order of magnitude higher than that of the background plasma. The bubble is able to guide the laser pulse over many Rayleigh lengths, thus no preformed plasma channel is needed for high-energy particle acceleration in the bubble regime. In the present work we discuss a simple analytical model for the bubble fields as well as the scaling laws.

physics.plasm-ph↗

WMAP constraints on SUGRA models with non-universal gaugino masses and prospects for direct detection

We discuss constraints on supersymmetric models arising from the relic density measurements of WMAP as well as from direct and precision measurements, LEP, b-sgamma, g-2, Bs-mumu. We consider mSUGRA models and their extensions with non-universal gaugino masses. We find, as commonly known, that the relic density pinpoints towards very specific regions of the mSUGRA models: coannihilation, focus and Heavy Higgs annihilation. The allowed regions widen significantly when varying the top quark mass. Introducing some non-universality in the gaugino masses significantly changes this conclusion as in specific non-universal models the relic density upper limit can be easily satisfied. This occurs with models where M1>M2 at the GUT scale when the LSP has a high wino component. Models where M3<M2 favours the Higgs annihilation channel in large regions of parameter space and at large $\tanβ$ also favours the annihilation of neutralinos in gauge bosons pairs.We discuss also the potential of direct detection experiments to probe supersymmetric models and point out at the main consequences for colliders based on the mass spectrum. Our calculation of the relic density of neutralinos is based on micrOMEGAs and the SUSY spectrum is generated with SoftSUSY

hep-ph↗

Coherent Harmonic Focusing and the Light Extreme

We demonstrate analytically and numerically that focusing of high harmonics produced by the reflection of a few femtosecond laser pulse from a concave plasma surface opens a new way towards unprecedentally high intensities. The key features allowing for boosting of the focal intensity is the harmonic coherency and the small exponent of the power-law decay of the harmonic spectrum. Using the similarity theory and direct particle-in-cell simulations we find that the intensity at the Coherent Harmonic Focus (CHF) scales as $I_{\tiny CHF} \propto a_0^3 I_0$, where $a_0$ and $I_0\propto a_0^2$ are the dimensionless relativistic amplitude and the intensity of the incident laser pulse. The scaling suggests that due to the CHF, the Schwinger intensity limit can be achieved using lasers with $I_0 \approx 10^{22}$ W/cm$^2$. The pulse duration at the focus scales as $τ_{\tiny CHF} \propto 1/a_0^2$ and reaches the subattosecond range.

physics.optics↗

Table-top synchrotron

Using three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations we show that a strongly nonlinear plasma wave excited by an ultrahigh intensity laser pulse works as a compact high-brightness source of X-ray radiation. It has been recently suggested by A. Pukhov and J. Meyer-ter-Vehn, Appl. Phys. B \textbf{74}, 355 (2002), that in a strongly nonlinear regime the plasma wave transforms to a ``bubble'', which is almost free from background electrons. Inside the bubble, a dense bunch of relativistic electrons is produced. These accelerated electrons make betatron oscillations in the transverse fields of the bubble and emit a bright broadband X-ray radiation with a maximum about 50 keV. The emission is confined to a small angle of about 0.1 rad. In addition, we make simulations of X-ray generation by an external 28.5-GeV electron bunch injected into the bubble. $γ$-quanta with up to GeV energies are observed in the simulation in a good agreement with analytical results. The energy conversion is efficient, leading to a significant stopping of the electron bunch over 5 mm interaction distance.

physics.optics↗

micrOMEGAs: Version 1.3

We present the latest version of micromegas, a code that calculates the relic density of the lightest supersymmetric particle in the MSSM. All tree-level processes for the annihilation of the LSP are included as well as all possible coannihilation processes with neutralinos, charginos, sleptons, squarks and gluinos. The cross-sections extracted from CalcHEP are calculated exactly using loop-corrected masses and mixings as specified in the SUSY Les Houches Accord. Relativistic formulae for the thermal average are used and care is taken to handle poles and thresholds by adopting specific integration routines. The input parameters can be either the soft SUSY parameters in a general MSSM or the parameters of a SUGRA model specified at some high scale (GUT). In the latter case, a link with Suspect, Softsusy, Spheno and Isajet allows to calculate the supersymmetric spectrum, Higgs masses, as well as mixing matrices. Higher-order corrections to Higgs couplings to quark pairs including QCD as well as some SUSY corrections (deltaMb) are implemented. Routines calculating (g-2), bsgamma and bsmumu are also included. In particular the bsgamma routine includes an improved NLO for the SM and the charged Higgs while the SUSY large tan(beta) effects beyond leading-order are included. This new version also provides cross-sections for any 2->2 process as well as partial decay widths for two-body final states in the MSSM allowing for easy simulation at colliders.

hep-ph↗

Relativistic Doppler effect: universal spectra and zeptosecond pulses

We report on a numerical observation of the train of zeptosecond pulses produced by reflection of a relativistically intense femtosecond laser pulse from the oscillating boundary of an overdense plasma because of the Doppler effect. These pulses promise to become a unique experimental and technological tool since their length is of the order of the Bohr radius and the intensity is extremely high $\propto 10^{19}$ W/cm$^2$. We present the physical mechanism, analytical theory, and direct particle-in-cell simulations. We show that the harmonic spectrum is universal: the intensity of $n$th harmonic scales as $1/n^{p}$ for $n < 4γ^2$, where $γ$ is the largest $γ$--factor of the electron fluid boundary, $p=3$ and $p=5/2$ for the broadband and quasimonochromatic laser pulses respectively.

physics.plasm-ph↗

Les Houches "Physics at TeV Colliders 2003" Beyond the Standard Model Working Group: Summary Report

The work contained herein constitutes a report of the ``Beyond the Standard Model'' working group for the Workshop "Physics at TeV Colliders", Les Houches, France, 26 May--6 June, 2003. The research presented is original, and was performed specifically for the workshop. Tools for calculations in the minimal supersymmetric standard model are presented, including a comparison of the dark matter relic density predicted by public codes. Reconstruction of supersymmetric particle masses at the LHC and a future linear collider facility is examined. Less orthodox supersymmetric signals such as non-pointing photons and R-parity violating signals are studied. Features of extra dimensional models are examined next, including measurement strategies for radions and Higgs', as well as the virtual effects of Kaluza Klein modes of gluons. An LHC search strategy for a heavy top found in many little Higgs model is presented and finally, there is an update on LHC $Z'$ studies.

hep-ph↗

Uncertainties in Relic Density Calculations in mSUGRA

We compare the relic density of neutralino dark matter within the minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA) using four different public codes for supersymmetric spectra evaluation. While the predictions for the relic density of neutralinos are rather stable in most of the mSUGRA space, it is in the most physically interesting regions that large discrepancies can be observed, in particular the focus point, large tan beta and coannihilation regions.

hep-ph↗

Lower limit on the neutralino mass in the general MSSM

We discuss constraints on SUSY models with non-unified gaugino masses and R_P conservation. We derive a lower bound on the neutralino mass combining the direct limits from LEP, the indirect limits from gmuon, bsgamma, Bsmumu and the relic density constraint from WMAP. The lightest neutralino (mneutralino=6GeV) is found in models with a light pseudoscalar with MA<200GeV and a large value for $tanβ$. Models with heavy pseudoscalars lead to mneutralino>18(29)GeV for $\tanβ=50(10)$. We show that even a very conservative bound from the muon anomalous magnetic moment can increase the lower bound on the neutralino mass in models with mu<0 and/or large values of $\tanβ$. We then examine the potential of the Tevatron and the direct detection experiments to probe the SUSY models with the lightest neutralinos allowed in the context of light pseudoscalars with high $\tanβ$. We also examine the potential of an e+e- collider of 500GeV to produce SUSY particles in all models with neutralinos lighter than the W. In contrast to the mSUGRA models, observation of at least one sparticle is not always guaranteed.

hep-ph↗

Spontaneous and Stimulated Synchrotron Radiation from Relativistic Electrons in Ion Channel

Spontaneous and stimulated emission of an electron in the ion channel is studied. The emission processes are studied in the regime of high harmonic generation when the parameter of plasma wiggler strength is large. Like for conventional free electron laser, a synchrotron-like broadband spectrum is generated in this regime. The asymptotic expression for the radiation spectrum of the spontaneous emission is derived. The radiation spectrum emitted from axisymmetric monoenergetic electron beam is analyzed. The gain of ion-channel synchrotron-radiation laser is calculated. Use of laser-produced ion channel for efficient X-ray generation is discussed.

physics.optics↗