arXiv subjects

B. C. Allanach

Publications and source records attributed to B. C. Allanach.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

SUSY Les Houches Accord: Interfacing SUSY Spectrum Calculators, Decay Packages, and Event Generators

An accord specifying a unique set of conventions for supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model together with generic file structures for 1) supersymmetric model specifications and input parameters, 2) electroweak scale supersymmetric mass and coupling spectra, and 3) decay tables is defined, to provide a universal interface between spectrum calculation programs, decay packages, and high energy physics event generators.

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arXiv2009

Gluon-initiated production of a Kaluza-Klein gluon in a Bulk Randall-Sundrum model

In the Bulk Randall-Sundrum model, the Kaluza-Klein excitations of the gauge bosons are the primary signatures. In particular, the search for the Kaluza-Klein (KK) excitation of the gluon at hadron colliders is of great importance in testing this model. At the leading order in QCD, the production of this KK-gluon proceeds only via q qbar-initial states. We study the production of KK-gluons from gluon initial states at next-to-leading order in QCD. We find that, even after including the sub-dominant KK-gluon loops at this order, the next-to-leading order (NLO) cross-section is tiny compared to the leading order cross-section and unlikely to impact the searches for this resonance at hardon colliders.

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arXiv2009

Lepton number violating mSUGRA and neutrino masses

We perform a quantitative study of neutrino phenomenology in the framework of minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) with grand unified theory (GUT)-scale tri-linear lepton number violation. We show that only two non-zero GUT scale lepton number violating parameters and three charged lepton mixing angles are sufficient to account for current neutrino oscillation data. This allows collider studies to be performed in a manageable parameter space. We discuss some phenomenological consequences of the models, including tuning issues.

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arXiv2009

LHC and B physics probes of neutrinoless double beta decay in supersymmetry without R-parity

In the event of an observation of neutrinoless double beta decay, a relevant question would be: what lepton number violating physics is responsible for the decay? The exchange of Majorana neutrinos and/or supersymmetric particles may contribute. We point out that measurements of supersymmetric signals at the LHC, including single slepton production, could be used to help bound some supersymmetric processes contributing to neutrinoless double beta decay. LHC information about the supersymmetric spectrum could be combined with Bd-Bd bar mixing data in order to bound a competing neutrinoless double beta decay process involving sbottom exchange.

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arXiv2009

Flavour Violation in Anomaly Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking

We study squark flavour violation in the anomaly mediated supersymmetry broken (AMSB) minimal supersymmetric standard model. Analytical expressions for the three-generational squark mass matrices are derived. We show that the anomaly-induced soft breaking terms have a decreasing amount of squark flavour violation when running from the GUT to the weak scale. Taking into account inter-generational squark mixing, we work out non-trivial constraints from B -> Xs gamma and Bs -> mu mu, which complement each other, as well as B -> tau nu decays. We further identify a region of parameter space where the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon and the B -> Xs gamma branching ratio are simultaneously accommodated. Since anomaly mediation is of the minimal flavour-violating type, the generic flavour predictions for this class of models apply, including a CKM-induced (and hence small) Bs-Bsbar-mixing phase.

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arXiv2009

Large Hadron Collider probe of supersymmetric neutrinoless double beta decay mechanism

In the minimal supersymmetric extension to the Standard Model, a non-zero lepton number violating coupling lambda'_111 predicts both neutrinoless double beta decay and resonant single slepton production at the LHC. We show that, in this case, if neutrinoless double beta decay is discovered in the next generation of experiments, there exist good prospects to observe single slepton production at the LHC. Neutrinoless double beta decay could otherwise result from a different source (such as a non-zero Majorana neutrino mass). Resonant single slepton production at the LHC can therefore discriminate between the lambda'_111 neutrinoless double beta decay mechanism and others.

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arXiv2008

Bayesian Selection of sign(mu) within mSUGRA in Global Fits Including WMAP5 Results

We study the properties of the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (mSUGRA) by performing fits to updated indirect data, including the relic density of dark matter inferred from WMAP5. In order to find the extent to which mu < 0 is disfavoured compared to mu > 0, we compare the Bayesian evidence values for these models, which we obtain straightforwardly and with good precision from the recently developed multi-modal nested sampling ('MultiNest') technique. We find weak to moderate evidence for the mu > 0 branch of mSUGRA over mu < 0 and estimate the ratio of probabilities to be P(mu > 0)/P(mu < 0) = 6-61 depending on the prior measure and range used. There is thus positive (but not overwhelming) evidence that mu > 0 in mSUGRA. The MultiNest technique also delivers probability distributions of parameters and other relevant quantities such as superpartner masses. We explore the dependence of our results on the choice of the prior measure used. We also use the Bayesian evidence to quantify the consistency between the mSUGRA parameter inferences coming from the constraints that have the largest effects: (g-2)_mu, BR(b -> s gamma) and cold dark matter (DM) relic density Omega_{DM}h^2.

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arXiv2008

Global Fits of the Large Volume String Scenario to WMAP5 and Other Indirect Constraints Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo

We present global fits to the Large Volume Scenario (LVS) of string models using current indirect data. We use WMAP5 constraints on dark matter relic density, b-physics and electroweak observables as well as direct search constraints. Such data can be adequately fit by LVS, with the best-fit point for mu>0 having chi^2=13.6 for 8 degrees of freedom. The resulting constraints on parameter space are robust in that they do not depend much upon the prior, or upon whether one uses Bayesian or frequentist interpretations of the data. Sparticle masses are constrained to be well below the 1 TeV level, predicting early SUSY discovery at the LHC. We devise a method of quantifying which are the most important constraints. We find that the LEP2 Higgs mass constraint, the relic density of dark matter and the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon affect the fits to the strongest degree.

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arXiv2008

SUSY Predictions and SUSY Tools at the LHC

We provide a bestiary of public codes and other algorithmic tools that can be used for analysing supersymmetric phenomenology. We also describe the organisation of the different tools and communication between them. Tools exist that calculate supersymmetric spectra and decay widths, simulate Monte Carlo events as well as those that make predictions of dark matter relic density or that predict precision electroweak or b-observables. Some global fitting tools for use in SUSY phenomenology are also presented. In each case, a description and a link to the relevant web-site is provided. It is hoped that this review could serve as an "entry-gate" and map for prospective users.

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arXiv2008

Measuring Smuon-Selectron Mass Splitting at the LHC and Patterns of Supersymmetry Breaking

With sufficient data, Large Hadron Collider (LHC) experiments can constrain the selectron-smuon mass splitting through differences in the di-electron and di-muon edges from supersymmetry (SUSY) cascade decays. We study the sensitivity of the LHC to this mass splitting, which within mSUGRA may be constrained down to O(10^{-4}) for 30 fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity. Over substantial regions of SUSY breaking parameter space the fractional edge splitting can be significantly enhanced over the fractional mass splitting. Within models where the selectron and smuon are constrained to be universal at a high scale, edge splittings up to a few percent may be induced by renormalisation group effects and may be significantly discriminated from zero. The edge splitting provides important information about high-scale SUSY breaking terms and should be included in any fit of LHC data to high-scale models.

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arXiv2008

Physics Beyond the Standard Model: Supersymmetry

This collection of studies on new physics at the LHC constitutes the report of the supersymmetry working group at the Workshop `Physics at TeV Colliders', Les Houches, France, 2007. They cover the wide spectrum of phenomenology in the LHC era, from alternative models and signatures to the extraction of relevant observables, the study of the MSSM parameter space and finally to the interplay of LHC observations with additional data expected on a similar time scale. The special feature of this collection is that while not each of the studies is explicitely performed together by theoretical and experimental LHC physicists, all of them were inspired by and discussed in this particular environment.

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arXiv2008

Collider aspects of flavour physics at high Q

This review presents flavour related issues in the production and decays of heavy states at LHC, both from the experimental side and from the theoretical side. We review top quark physics and discuss flavour aspects of several extensions of the Standard Model, such as supersymmetry, little Higgs model or models with extra dimensions. This includes discovery aspects as well as measurement of several properties of these heavy states. We also present public available computational tools related to this topic.

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arXiv2007

R-Parity violating minimal supergravity at the LHC

We consider the case where supersymmetry with broken R-parity is embedded in the minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA). This alters the standard mSUGRA spectrum and opens a wide range in parameter space, where the scalar tau is the lightest supersymmetric particle, instead of the lightest neutralino. We study the resulting LHC phenomenology. Promising signatures would be detached vertices from long-lived staus, multi lepton final states and multi-tau final states. We investigate in detail the corresponding cross sections and decay rates in characteristic benchmark scenarios.

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arXiv2007

Sparticle Spectra and LHC Signatures for Large Volume String Compactifications

We study the supersymmetric particle spectra and LHC collider observables for the large-volume string models with a fundamental scale of 10^{11} GeV that arise in moduli-fixed string compactifications with branes and fluxes. The presence of magnetic fluxes on the brane world volume, required for chirality, perturb the soft terms away from those previously computed in the dilute-flux limit. We use the difference in high-scale gauge couplings to estimate the magnitude of this perturbation and study the potential effects of the magnetic fluxes by generating many random spectra with the soft terms perturbed around the dilute flux limit. Even with a 40% variation in the high-scale soft terms the low-energy spectra take a clear and predictive form. The resulting spectra are broadly similar to those arising on the SPS1a slope, but more degenerate. In their minimal version the models predict the ratios of gaugino masses to be M_1 : M_2 : M_3=(1.5 - 2) : 2 : 6, different to both mSUGRA and mirage mediation. Among the scalars, the squarks tend to be lighter and the sleptons heavier than for comparable mSUGRA models. We generate 10 fb^{-1} of sample LHC data for the random spectra in order to study the range of collider phenomenology that can occur. We perform a detailed mass reconstruction on one example large-volume string model spectrum. 100 fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity is sufficient to discriminate the model from mSUGRA and aspects of the sparticle spectrum can be accurately reconstructed.

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arXiv2007

Multi-Dimensional mSUGRA Likelihood Maps

We calculate the likelihood map in the full 7 dimensional parameter space of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) assuming universal boundary conditions on the supersymmetry breaking terms. Simultaneous variations of m_0, A_0, M_{1/2}, tan beta, m_t, m_b and alpha_s(M_Z) are applied using a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm. We use measurements of b -> s gamma, (g-2)_mu and Omega_{DM} h^2 in order to constrain the model. We present likelihood distributions for some of the sparticle masses, for the branching ratio of B_s^0 -> mu^+ mu^- and for m_{stau}-m_{chi_1^0}. An upper limit of 2.10^{-8} on this branching ratio might be achieved at the Tevatron, and would rule out 29% of the currently allowed likelihood. If one allows for non thermal-neutralino components of dark matter, this fraction becomes 35%. The mass ordering allows the important cascade decay squark_L -> chi_2^0 -> slepton_R -> chi_1^0 with a likelihood of 24+/-4%. The stop coannihilation region is highly disfavoured, whereas the light Higgs region is marginally disfavoured.

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arXiv2007

Mass Spectrum in R-Parity Violating mSUGRA and Benchmark Points

We investigate in detail the low-energy spectrum of the R-parity violating mSUGRA model using the computer program \texttt{SOFTSUSY}. We impose the experimental constraints from the measurement of the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, $(g-2)_μ$, the decay $b\ra sγ$ as well as the mass bounds from direct searches at colliders, in particular on the Higgs boson and the lightest chargino. We also include a new calculation for the R parity violating contribution to $\Br(B_s\ra μ^+μ^-)$. We then focus on cases where the lightest neutralino is {\em not} the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP). In this region of parameter space either the lightest scalar tau (stau) or the scalar tau neutrino (tau sneutrino) is the LSP. We suggest four benchmark points with typical spectra and novel collider signatures for detailed phenomenological analysis and simulation by the LHC collaborations.

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arXiv2006

Naturalness Priors and Fits to the Constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model

We examine the effect of a prior that favours low values of fine-tuning on Bayesian multi-dimensional fits of the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (CMSSM or mSUGRA) to current data. The dark matter relic density, the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon and the branching ratio of b->s gamma are all used to constrain the model via a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampler. As a result of the naturalness prior, posterior probability distributions skew towards lighter higgs and sparticle masses, the effect being most pronounced in the gaugino sector. Interestingly, slepton masses are an exception and skew towards heavier masses. The lightest CP-even Higgs h^0-pole region becomes allowed at the 2 sigma level for the latest combination of measurements of m_t=172.7+/-2.9 GeV, provided we allow for a theoretical error in the prediction of its mass m_{h^0}. m_{h^0} is constrained to be less than 120 GeV at the 95% C.L. Probing the branching ratio of B_s->mu^+ mu^- to the level of 2 x 10^{-8}, as might be achieved by the Tevatron experiments, would cover 32% of the probability density, irrespective of which of the two priors is used.

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arXiv2006

Les Houches "Physics at TeV Colliders 2005'' 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, 2-20 May, 2005. We present reviews of current topics as well as original research carried out for the workshop. Supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric models are studied, as well as computational tools designed in order to facilitate their phenomenology.

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