arXiv subjects

Andre Lessa

Publications and source records attributed to Andre Lessa.

48 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Coupled Boltzmann calculation of mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter production in the early universe

We calculate the relic abundance of mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter which arises in R-parity conserving supersymmetric (SUSY) models wherein the strong CP problem is solved by the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) mechanism with a concommitant axion/saxion/axino supermultiplet. By numerically solving the coupled Boltzmann equations, we include the combined effects of 1. thermal axino production with cascade decays to a neutralino LSP, 2. thermal saxion production and production via coherent oscillations along with cascade decays and entropy injection, 3. thermal neutralino production and re-annihilation after both axino and saxion decays, 4. gravitino production and decay and 5. axion production both thermally and via oscillations. For SUSY models with too high a standard neutralino thermal abundance, we find the combined effect of SUSY PQ particles is not enough to lower the neutralino abundance down to its measured value, while at the same time respecting bounds on late-decaying neutral particles from BBN. However, models with a standard neutralino underabundance can now be allowed with either neutralino or axion domination of dark matter, and furthermore, these models can allow the PQ breaking scale f_a to be pushed up into the 10^{14}-10^{15} GeV range, which is where it is typically expected to be in string theory models.

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arXiv2011

Determining the squark mass at the LHC

We propose a new way to determine the squark mass based on the shape of di-jet invariant mass distribution of supersymmetry (SUSY) di-jet events at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Our algorithm, which is based on event kinematics, requires that the branching ratio $B(\tilde{q} \rightarrow q \tilde{z}_1)$ is substantial for at least some types of squarks, and that $m_{\tilde{z}_1}^2/m_{\tilde{q}}^2 \ll 1$. We select di-jet events with no isolated leptons, and impose cuts on the total jet transverse energy, $E_T^{tot}=E_T(j_1)+E_T(j_2)$, on $α= E_T(j_2)/m_{jj}$, and on the azimuthal angle between the two jets to reduce SM backgrounds. The shape of the resulting di-jet mass distribution depends sensitively on the squark mass, especially if the integrated luminosity is sufficient to allow a hard enough cut on $E_T^{tot}$ and yet leave a large enough signal to obtain the $m_{jj}$ distribution. We simulate the signal and Standard Model (SM) backgrounds for 100 fb$^{-1}$ integrated luminosity at 14 TeV requiring $E_T^{tot}> 700$ GeV. We show that it should be possible to extract $m_{\tilde{q}}$ to within about 3% at 95% CL --- similar to the precision obtained using $m_{T2}$ --- from the di-jet mass distribution if $m_{\tilde{q}} \sim 650$ GeV, or to within $\sim 5$% if $m_{\tilde{q}}\sim 1$ TeV.

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arXiv2011

Light Sneutrino Dark Matter at the LHC

In supersymmetric (SUSY) models with Dirac neutrino masses, a weak-scale trilinear A-term that is not proportional to the small neutrino Yukawa couplings can induce a sizable mixing between left and right-handed sneutrinos. The lighter sneutrino mass eigenstate can hence become the lightest SUSY particle (LSP) and a viable dark matter candidate. In particular, it can be an excellent candidate for light dark matter with mass below ~10 GeV. Such a light mixed sneutrino LSP has a dramatic effect on SUSY signatures at the LHC, as charginos decay dominantly into the light sneutrino plus a charged lepton, and neutralinos decay invisibly to a neutrino plus a sneutrino. We perform a detailed study of the LHC potential to resolve the light sneutrino dark matter scenario by means of three representative benchmark points with different gluino and squark mass hierarchies. We study in particular the determination of the LSP (sneutrino) mass from cascade decays involving charginos, using the mT2 variable. Moreover, we address measurements of additional invisible sparticles, in our case the lightest neutralino, and the question of discrimination against the MSSM.

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arXiv2011

Some necessary conditions for allowing the PQ scale as high as M_{GUT} in SUSY models with an axino or neutralino LSP

We examine some conditions which are needed to allow the Peccei-Quinn scale (f_a) as high as the SUSY GUT scale (M_{GUT} \sim 10^{16} GeV) in the context of the PQMSSM with either an axino or a neutralino LSP. The main problem in non-SUSY models with f_a\sim M_{GUT} is the generation of an overabundance of axion dark matter (\sim f_a^{7/6}) due to vacuum misalignment. We show that once all the components of the axion supermultiplet are included, the upper limit on f_a can be evaded due to large entropy injection from saxion decays. This large entropy injection also dilutes all other quasi-stable relic densities, naturally evading the BBN constraints and solving the gravitino problem. We find that f_a\sim M_{GUT} can be allowed by relic density/BBN constraints provided that the saxion mass m_s> 50 TeV, the initial saxion field value is of order of the PQ scale and the initial axion mis-alignment angle θ_i\alt 0.05 . These restrictions can be considerably loosened for f_a\sim 10^{15} GeV. The allowed range for the re-heat temperature (T_R) is strongly dependent on the nature of the LSP. For the axino LSP, T_R \gtrsim 10^8 GeV, while for neutralino LSP any value is allowed. In the latter case, f_a\sim M_{GUT} can be more easily accommodated than in the axino LSP scenario. For f_a\sim M_{GUT} in SUSY models, the dark matter abundance should be dominated by axions, albeit with mass m_a\sim 10^{-10} eV, far below the region currently probed by experiment.

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arXiv2011

Mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter in supersymmetric models

We consider supersymmetric (SUSY) models wherein the strong CP problem is solved by the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) mechanism with a concommitant axion/axino supermultiplet. We examine R-parity conserving models where the neutralino is the lightest SUSY particle, so that a mixture of neutralinos and axions serve as cold dark matter. The mixed axion/neutralino CDM scenario can match the measured dark matter abundance for SUSY models which typically give too low a value of the usual thermal neutralino abundance, such as models with wino-like or higgsino-like dark matter. The usual thermal neutralino abundance can be greatly enhanced by the decay of thermally-produced axinos to neutralinos, followed by neutralino re-annihilation at temperatures much lower than freeze-out. In this case, the relic density is usually neutralino dominated, and goes as \sim (f_a/N)/m_{axino}^{3/2}. If axino decay occurs before neutralino freeze-out, then instead the neutralino abundance can be augmented by relic axions to match the measured abundance. Entropy production from late-time axino decays can diminish the axion abundance, but ultimately not the neutralino abundance. In mixed axion/neutralino CDM models, it may be possible to detect both a WIMP and an axion as dark matter relics. We also discuss possible modifications of our results due to production and decay of saxions. In the appendices, we present expressions for the Hubble expansion rate and the axion and neutralino relic densities in radiation, matter and decaying-particle dominated universes.

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arXiv2011

Thermal leptogenesis and the gravitino problem in the Asaka-Yanagida axion/axino dark matter scenario

A successful implementation of thermal leptogenesis requires the re-heat temperature after inflation T_R to exceed ~2\times 10^9 GeV. Such a high T_R value typically leads to an overproduction of gravitinos in the early universe, which will cause conflicts, mainly with BBN constraints. Asaka and Yanagida (AY) have proposed that these two issues can be reconciled in the context of the Peccei-Quinn augmented MSSM (PQMSSM) if one adopts a mass hierarchy m(sparticle)>m(gravitino)>m(axino), with m(axino) keV. We calculate the relic abundance of mixed axion/axino dark matter in the AY scenario, and investigate under what conditions a value of T_R sufficient for thermal leptogenesis can be generated. A high value of PQ breaking scale f_a is needed to suppress overproduction of axinos, while a small vacuum misalignment angle θ_i is needed to suppress overproduction of axions. The large value of f_a results in late decaying neutralinos. To avoid BBN constraints, the AY scenario requires a low thermal abundance of neutralinos and high values of neutralino mass. We include entropy production from late decaying saxions, and find the saxion needs to be typically at least several times heavier than the gravitino. A viable AY scenario suggests that LHC should discover a spectrum of SUSY particles consistent with weak scale supergravity; that the apparent neutralino abundance is low; that a possible axion detection signal (probably with m_axion in the sub-micro-eV range) should occur, but no direct or indirect signals for WIMP dark matter should be observed.

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arXiv2010

Reconciling thermal leptogenesis with the gravitino problem in SUSY models with mixed axion/axino dark matter

Successful implementation of thermal leptogenesis requires re-heat temperatures T_R\agt 2\times 10^9 GeV, in apparent conflict with SUSY models with TeV-scale gravitinos, which require much lower T_R in order to avoid Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) constraints. We show that mixed axion/axino dark matter can reconcile thermal leptogenesis with the gravitino problem in models with m_{\tG}\agt 30 TeV, a rather high Peccei-Quinn breaking scale and an initial mis-alignment angle θ_i < 1. We calculate axion and axino dark matter production from four sources, and impose BBN constraints on long-lived gravitinos and neutralinos. Moreover, we discuss several SUSY models which naturally have gravitino masses of the order of tens of TeV. We find a reconciliation difficult in Yukawa-unified SUSY and in AMSB with a wino-like lightest neutralino. However, T_R\sim 10^{10}-10^{12} GeV can easily be achieved in effective SUSY and in models based on mixed moduli-anomaly mediation. Consequences of this scenario include: 1. an LHC SUSY discovery should be consistent with SUSY models with a large gravitino mass, 2. an apparent neutralino relic abundance Ω_{\tz_1}h^2\alt 1, 3. no WIMP direct or indirect detection signals should be found, and 4. the axion mass should be less than \sim 10^{-6} eV, somewhat below the conventional range which is explored by microwave cavity axion detection experiments.

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arXiv2010

Effective Supersymmetry at the LHC

We investigate the phenomenology of Effective Supersymmetry (ESUSY) models wherein electroweak gauginos and third generation scalars have masses up to about 1~TeV while first and second generation scalars lie in the multi-TeV range. Such models ameliorate the SUSY flavor and CP problems via a decoupling solution, while at the same time maintaining naturalness. In our analysis, we assume independent GUT scale mass parameters for third and first/second generation scalars and for the Higgs scalars, in addition to m_{1/2}, \tanβand A_0, and require radiative electroweak symmetry breaking as usual. We analyse the parameter space which is consistent with current constraints, by means of a Markov Chain Monte Carlo scan. The lightest MSSM particle (LMP) is mostly, but not always the lightest neutralino, and moreover, the thermal relic density of the neutralino LMP is frequently very large. These models may phenomenologically be perfectly viable if the LMP before nucleosynthesis decays into the axino plus SM particles. Dark matter is then an axion/axino mixture. At the LHC, the most important production mechanisms are gluino production (for m_{1/2} ~<700~GeV) and third generation squark production, while SUSY events rich in b-jets are the hallmark of the ESUSY scenario. We present a set of ESUSY benchmark points with characteristic features and discuss their LHC phenomenology.

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arXiv2010

Capability of LHC to discover supersymmetry with \sqrt{s}=7 TeV and 1 fb^{-1}

We examine the capability of the CERN Large Hadron Collider to discovery supersymmetry (SUSY) with energy \sqrt{s}=7 TeV and integrated luminosity of about 1 fb^{-1}. Our results are presented within the paradigm minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA or CMSSM). Using a 6-dimensional grid of cuts for optimization of signal to background-- including missing E_T-- we find for m_{\tg}\sim m_{\tq} an LHC reach of m_{\tg}\sim 800,\ 950,\ 1100 and 1200 GeV for 0.1, 0.3, 1 and 2 fb^{-1}, respectively. For m_{\tg}<< m_{\tq}, the reach is instead near m_{\tg}\sim 480,\ 540,\ 620 and 700 GeV, for the same integrated luminosities. We also examine the LHC reach in the case of very low integrated luminosity where missing E_T may not be viable. We focus on the multi-muon, multi-lepton (including electrons) and dijet signals. Although the LHC reach without E_T^{miss} is considerably lower in these cases, it is still substantial: for 0.3 fb^{-1}, the dijet reach in terms of gluino mass is up to 600 GeV for very low m_0, while the dilepton reach is to gluino masses of \sim 500 GeV over a range of m_0 values.

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arXiv2010

Beyond the Higgs boson at the Tevatron: detecting gluinos from Yukawa-unified SUSY

Simple SUSY GUT models based on the gauge group SO(10) require t-b-τYukawa coupling unification, in addition to gauge coupling and matter unification. The Yukawa coupling unification places strong constraints on the expected superparticle mass spectrum, with scalar masses \sim 10 TeV while gluino masses are much lighter: in the 300--500 GeV range. The very heavy squarks suppress negative interference in the q\bar{q}\to\tg\tg cross section, leading to a large enhancement in production rates. The gluinos decay almost always via three-body modes into a pair of b-quarks, so we expect at least four b-jets per signal event. We investigate the capability of Fermilab Tevatron collider experiments to detect gluino pair production in Yukawa-unified SUSY. By requiring events with large missing E_T and \ge 2 or 3 tagged b-jets, we find a 5σreach in excess of m_{\tg}\sim 400 GeV for 5 fb^{-1} of data. This range in m_{\tg} is much further than the conventional Tevatron SUSY reach, and should cut a significant swath through the most favored region of parameter space for Yukawa-unified SUSY models.

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arXiv2009

Testing Yukawa-unified SUSY during year 1 of LHC: the role of multiple b-jets, dileptons and missing E_T

We examine the prospects for testing SO(10) Yukawa-unified supersymmetric models during the first year of LHC running at \sqrt{s}= 7 TeV, assuming integrated luminosity values of 0.1 to 1 fb^-1. We consider two cases: the Higgs splitting (HS) and the D-term splitting (DR3) models. Each generically predicts light gluinos and heavy squarks, with an inverted scalar mass hierarchy. We hence expect large rates for gluino pair production followed by decays to final states with large b-jet multiplicity. For 0.2 fb^-1 of integrated luminosity, we find a 5 sigma discovery reach of m(gluino) ~ 400 GeV even if missing transverse energy, E_T^miss, is not a viable cut variable, by examining the multi-b-jet final state. A corroborating signal should stand out in the opposite-sign (OS) dimuon channel in the case of the HS model; the DR3 model will require higher integrated luminosity to yield a signal in the OS dimuon channel. This region may also be probed by the Tevatron with 5-10 fb^-1 of data, if a corresponding search in the multi-b+ E_T^miss channel is performed. With higher integrated luminosities of ~1 fb^-1, using E_T^miss plus a large multiplicity of b-jets, LHC should be able to discover Yukawa-unified SUSY with m(gluino) up to about 630 GeV. Thus, the year 1 LHC reach for Yukawa-unified SUSY should be enough to either claim a discovery of the gluino, or to very nearly rule out this class of models, since higher values of m(gluino) lead to rather poor Yukawa unification.

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arXiv2009

Early SUSY discovery at LHC via sparticle cascade decays to same-sign and multimuon states

In the very early stages of LHC running, uncertainties in detector performance will lead to large ambiguities in jet, electron and photon energy measurements, along with inferred missing transverse energy. However, muon detection should be quite straightforward, with the added benefit that muons can be reliably detected down to transverse energies of order 5 GeV. Supersymmetry discovery through multimuon channels has been extensively explored in the literature, but always relying on hard ET^miss cuts. Here, we quantify signal and background rates for same-sign (SS) dimuon and multimuon production at the LHC without any ET^miss cuts. The LHC, operating at \sqrt{s}=10 TeV, should be able to discover a signal over expected background consistent with gluino pair production for m_{\tg}\alt 450 (550) GeV in the SS dimuon plus \ge 4 jets state with just 0.1 (0.2) fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity.

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