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Howard Baer

Publications and source records attributed to Howard Baer.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
arXiv2003

Are supersymmetric models with large tan(beta) natural ?

We point out that, contrary to general belief, generic supersymmetric models are not technically unnatural in the limit of very large values of the parameter tan(beta) when radiative corrections are properly included. Rather, an upper limit on tan(beta) only arises from the requirement that Yukawa couplings remain perturbative up to some high scale. We quantify the relation between this scale and the maximum value of tan(beta). Whereas tan(beta) is limited to lie below 50-70 in the mSUGRA model, models with a much lower scale of new physics (beyond supersymmetry) may have tan(beta) < 150-200.

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arXiv2002

Relic density of neutralinos in minimal supergravity

We evaluate the relic density of neutralinos in the minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model. All 2->2 neutralino annihilation diagrams, as well as all initial states involving sleptons, charginos, neutralinos and third generation squarks are included. Relativistic thermal averaging of the velocity times cross sections is performed. We find that co-annihilation effects are only important on the edges of the model parameter space, where some amount of fine-tuning is necessary to obtain a reasonable relic density. Alternatively, at high tan(beta), annihilation through the broad Higgs resonances gives rise to an acceptable neutralino relic density over broad regions of parameter space where little or no fine-tuning is needed.

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arXiv2002

Radiative Neutralino Decay in Supersymmetric Models

The radiative decay Z2-> Z1 gamma proceeds at the one-loop level in the MSSM. It can be the dominant decay mode for the second lightest neutralino Z2 in certain regions of parameter space of supersymmetric models, where either a dynamical and/or kinematic enhancement of the branching fraction occurs. We perform an updated numerical study of this decay mode in both the minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA) and in the more general MSSM framework. In mSUGRA, the largest rates are found in the ``focus point'' region, where the mu parameter becomes small, and the lightest neutralinos become higgsino-like; in this case, radiative branching fraction can reach the 1% level. Our MSSM analysis includes a scan over independent positive and negative gaugino masses. We show branching fractions can reach the 10-100% level even for large values of the parameter tan(beta). These regions of parameter space are realized in supergravity models with non-universal gaugino masses. Measurement of the radiative neutralino branching fraction may help pin down underlying parameters of the fundamental supersymmetric model.

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arXiv2002

Neutralino relic density in minimal supergravity with co-annihilations

We evaluate the relic density of neutralinos in the minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model. All 2-->2 neutralino annihilation diagrams, as well as all processes involving sleptons, charginos, neutralinos and third generation squarks are included. Relativistic thermal averaging of the velocity times cross sections is performed. We find that co-annihilation effects are only important on the edges of the model parameter space, where some amount of fine-tuning is necessary to obtain a reasonable relic density. Alternatively, at high tan(beta), annihilation through very broad Higgs resonances gives rise to an acceptable neutralino relic density over broad regions of parameter space where little or no fine-tuning is needed. Finally, we compare our results against the reach of various e+e- and hadron colliders for supersymmetric matter.

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arXiv2001

Associated neutralino-neutralino-photon production at NLC

We study the potential of an $e^+e^-$ linear collider to search for neutralino-neutralino-photon production. Our analysis shows that this signal is not viable under realistic expectations for electron beam polarization due to large Standard Model backgrounds. Such a search would be possible only if beam polarizations of near 100% could be achieved.

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arXiv2001

The Reach of the Fermilab Tevatron and CERN LHC for Gaugino Mediated SUSY Breaking Models

In supersymmetric models with gaugino mediated SUSY breaking (inoMSB), it is assumed that SUSY breaking on a hidden brane is communicated to the visible brane via gauge superfields which propagate in the bulk. This leads to GUT models where the common gaugino mass $m_{1/2}$ is the only soft SUSY breaking term to receive contributions at tree level. To obtain a viable phenomenology, it is assumed that the gaugino mass is induced at some scale $M_c$ beyond the GUT scale, and that additional renormalization group running takes place between $M_c$ and $M_{GUT}$ as in a SUSY GUT. We assume an SU(5) SUSY GUT above the GUT scale, and compute the SUSY particle spectrum expected in models with inoMSB. We use the Monte Carlo program ISAJET to simulate signals within the inoMSB model, and compute the SUSY reach including cuts and triggers approriate to Fermilab Tevatron and CERN LHC experiments. We find no reach for SUSY by the Tevatron collider in the trilepton channel. %either with or without %identified tau leptons. At the CERN LHC, values of $m_{1/2}=1000$ (1160) GeV can be probed with 10 (100) fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity, corresponding to a reach in terms of $m_{\tg}$ of 2150 (2500) GeV. The inoMSB model and mSUGRA can likely only be differentiated at a linear $e^+e^-$ collider with sufficient energy to produce sleptons and charginos.

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arXiv2001

Supersymmetric SO(10) GUT Models with Yukawa Unification and a Positive Mu Term

Supersymmetric grand unified models based on SO(10) gauge symmetry have many desireable features, including the unification of Yukawa couplings. Using D-term contributions to scalar masses arising from the breakdown of SO(10), Yukawa coupling unification only to 30% can be achieved in models with a positive superpotential Higgs mass. The superparticle mass spectrum is highly constrained, and yields relatively light top squarks and charginos. Surprisingly, the pattern of GUT scale soft SUSY breaking masses are close to those found in the context of inverted hierarchy models. Our analysis supports the idea that the low energy MSSM parameter space is an approximate SO(10) inspired fixed point.

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arXiv2001

Sneutrino Mass Measurements at e+e- Linear Colliders

It is generally accepted that experiments at an e+e- linear colliders will be able to extract the masses of the selectron as well as the associated sneutrinos with a precision of ~ 1% by determining the kinematic end points of the energy spectrum of daughter electrons produced in their two body decays to a lighter neutralino or chargino. Recently, it has been suggested that by studying the energy dependence of the cross section near the production threshold, this precision can be improved by an order of magnitude, assuming an integrated luminosity of 100 fb^-1. It is further suggested that these threshold scans also allow the masses of even the heavier second and third generation sleptons and sneutrinos to be determined to better than 0.5%. We re-examine the prospects for determining sneutrino masses. We find that the cross sections for the second and third generation sneutrinos are too small for a threshold scan to be useful. An additional complication arises because the cross section for sneutrino pair to decay into any visible final state(s) necessarily depends on an unknown branching fraction, so that the overall normalization in unknown. This reduces the precision with which the sneutrino mass can be extracted. We propose a different strategy to optimize the extraction of m(\tildeν_μ) and m(\tildeν_τ) via the energy dependence of the cross section. We find that even with an integrated luminosity of 500 fb^-1, these can be determined with a precision no better than several percent at the 90% CL. We also examine the measurement of m(\tildeν_e) and show that it can be extracted with a precision of about 0.5% (0.2%) with an integrated luminosity of 120 fb^-1 (500 fb^-1).

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arXiv2001

Impact of Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment on Supersymmetric Models

The recent measurement of a_μ=\frac{g_μ-2}{2} by the E821 Collaboration at Brookhaven deviates from the quoted Standard Model (SM) central value prediction by 2.6σ. The difference between SM theory and experiment may be easily accounted for in a variety of particle physics models employing weak scale supersymmetry (SUSY). Other supersymmetric models are distinctly disfavored. We evaluate a_μfor various supersymmetric models, including minimal supergravity (mSUGRA), Yukawa unified SO(10) SUSY GUTs, models with inverted mass hierarchies (IMH), models with non-universal gaugino masses, gauge mediated SUSY breaking models (GMSB), anomaly-mediated SUSY breaking models (AMSB) and models with gaugino mediated SUSY breaking (inoMSB). Models with Yukawa coupling unification or multi-TeV first and second generation scalars are disfavored by the a_μmeasurement.

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arXiv2001

Aspects of Supersymmetric Models with a Radiatively Driven Inverted Mass Hierarchy

A promising way to reconcile naturalness with a decoupling solution to the SUSY flavor and CP problems is suggested by models with a radiatively driven inverted mass hierarchy (RIMH). The RIMH models arise naturally within the context of SUSY SO(10) grand unified theories. In their original form, RIMH models suffer from two problems: 1.) obtaining the radiative breakdown of electroweak symmetry, and 2.) generating the correct masses for third generation fermions. The first problem can be solved by the introduction of SO(10) D-term contributions to scalar masses. We show that correct fermion masses can indeed be obtained, but at the cost of limiting the magnitude of the hierarchy that can be generated. We go on to compute predictions for the neutralino relic density as well as for the rate for the decay $b\to sγ$, and show that these yield significant constraints on model parameter space. We show that only a tiny corner of model parameter space is accessible to Fermilab Tevatron searches, assuming an integrated luminosity of 25~$fb^{-1}$. We also quantify the reach of the CERN LHC collider for this class of models, and find values of $m_{\tg}\sim 1600$ GeV to be accessible assuming just 10 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. In an Appendix, we list the two loop renormalization group equations for the MSSM plus right handed neutrino model that we have used in our analysis.

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arXiv2000

Probing Slepton Mass Non-Universality at e^+e^- Linear Colliders

There are many models with non-universal soft SUSY breaking sfermion mass parameters at the grand unification scale. Even in the mSUGRA model scalar mass unification might occur at a scale closer to M_Planck, and renormalization effects would cause a mass splitting at M_GUT. We identify an experimentally measurable quantity Delta that correlates strongly with delta m^2 = m^2_{selectron_R}(M_GUT) - m^2_{selectron_L}(M_GUT), and which can be measured at electron-positron colliders provided both selectrons and the chargino are kinematically accessible. We show that if these sparticle masses can be measured with a precision of 1% at a 500 GeV linear collider, the resulting precision in the determination of Delta may allow experiments to distinguish between scalar mass unification at the GUT scale from the corresponding unification at Q ~ M_Planck. Experimental determination of Delta would also provide a distinction between the mSUGRA model and the recently proposed gaugino-mediation model. Moreover, a measurement of Delta (or a related quantity Delta') would allow for a direct determination of delta m^2.

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arXiv2000

Low-Scale and Gauge-Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking at the Fermilab Tevatron Run II

The prospects for discovering and studying signals of low-scale supersymmetry breaking models at the Tevatron Run II and beyond are explored. These models include gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking as the most compelling and concrete realization, but more generally are distinguished by the presence of a nearly massless Goldstino as the lightest supersymmetric particle. The next-lightest supersymmetric particle(s) (NLSP) decays to its partner and the Goldstino. Depending on the supersymmetry breaking scale, these decays can occur promptly or on a scale comparable to or larger than the size of a detector. A systematic analysis based on a classification in terms of the identity of the NLSP and its decay length is presented. The various scenarios are discussed in terms of signatures and possible event selection criteria. The Run II and beyond discovery and exclusion reaches, including the effects of background, are detailed for the most compelling cases. In addition to standard event selection criteria based on missing energy and photons, leptons, jets, taus, tagged b-jets, or reconstructed Z-bosons, more exotic signals of metastable NLSPs such as displaced photons, large negative impact parameter tracks, kink tracks, both opposite and same-sign highly ionizing tracks, time of flight measurements, charge-changing tracks, charge-exchange tracks, and same-sign di-top events are investigated. The interesting possibility of observing a Higgs boson signal in events that are efficiently "tagged" by the unique signatures of low-scale supersymmetry breaking is also considered.

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arXiv2000

Can Precision Measurements of Slepton Masses Probe Right Handed Neutrinos?

In a supersymmetric model, the presence of a right handed neutrino with a large Yukawa coupling $f_ν$ would affect slepton masses via its contribution to the renormalization group evolution between the grand unification and weak scales. Assuming a hierarchichal pattern of neutrino masses, these effects are large for only the third generation of sleptons. We construct mass combinations to isolate the effect of $f_ν$ from mass corrections already expected from tau Yukawa couplings. We then analyze the size of these effects, assuming that the Super-Kamiokande data constrain 0.033 eV $\alt m_{ν_τ} \alt 0.1$ eV and that neutrino masses arise via a see-saw mechanism. We also explore whether these effects might be detectable in experiments at future $e^+e^-$ linear colliders. We find that $m_{\tnu_τ}$ needs to be measured with a precision of about 2-3% to measure the effect of $f_ν$ if the neutrino and top Yukawa couplings unify at the grand unification scale. In a simple case study, we find a precision of only 6-10% might be attainable after several years of operation. If the neutrino Yukawa coupling is larger, or in more complicated models of neutrino masses, a determination of $\ttau_1$ and $\tnu_τ$ masses might provide a signal of a Yukawa interaction of neutrinos.

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arXiv2000

Viable Supersymmetric Models with an Inverted Scalar Mass Hierarchy at the GUT Scale

Supersymmetric models with an inverted mass hierarchy (IMH: multi-TeV first and second generation matter scalars, and sub-TeV third generation and Higgs scalars) have been proposed to ameliorate phenomenological problems arising from flavor changing neutral currents (FCNCs) and CP violating processes, while satisfying conditions of naturalness. Models with an IMH already in place at the GUT scale have been shown to be constrained in that for many model parameter choices, the top squark squared mass is driven to negative values. We delineate regions of parameter space where viable models with a GUT scale IMH can be generated. We find that larger values of GUT scale first and second generation scalar masses act to suppress third generation scalars, leading to acceptable solutions if GUT scale gaugino masses are large enough. We show examples of viable models and comment on their characteristic features. For example, in these models the gluino mass is bounded from below, and effectively decouples, whilst third generation scalars remain at sub-TeV levels. While possibly fulfilling criteria of naturalness, these models present challenges for detection at future pp and e^+e^- collider experiments.

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arXiv2000

Yukawa Unified Supersymmetric SO(10) Model: Cosmology, Rare Decays and Collider Searches

It has recently been pointed out that viable sparticle mass spectra can be generated in Yukawa unified SO(10) supersymmetric grand unified models consistent with radiative breaking of electroweak symmetry. Model solutions are obtained only if $\tanβ\sim 50$, $μ<0$ and positive $D$-term contributions to scalar masses from SO(10) gauge symmetry breaking are used. In this paper, we attempt to systematize the parameter space regions where solutions are obtained. We go on to calculate the relic density of neutralinos as a function of parameter space. No regions of the parameter space explored were actually cosmologically excluded, and very reasonable relic densities were found in much of parameter space. Direct neutralino detection rates could exceed 1 event/kg/day for a $^{73}$Ge detector, for low values of GUT scale gaugino mass $m_{1/2}$. We also calculate the branching fraction for $b\to s γ$ decays, and find that it is beyond the 95% CL experimental limits in much, but not all, of the parameter space regions explored. However, recent claims have been made that NLO effects can reverse the signs of certain amplitudes in the $b\to sγ$ calculation, leading to agreement between theory and experiment in Yukawa unified SUSY models. For the Fermilab Tevatron collider, significant regions of parameter space can be explored via $b\bar{b}A$ and $b\bar{b}H$ searches. There also exist some limited regions of parameter space where a trilepton signal can be seen at TeV33. Finally, there exist significant regions of parameter space where direct detection of bottom squark pair production can be made, especially for large negative values of the GUT parameter $A_0$.

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arXiv2000

Reach of the CERN LHC for the Minimal Anomaly-Mediated SUSY Breaking Model

We examine the reach of the CERN LHC pp collider for supersymmetric models where the dominant contribution to soft SUSY breaking parameters arises from the superconformal anomaly. In the simplest viable anomaly mediated SUSY breaking (AMSB) model, tachyonic slepton squared masses are made positive by adding a universal contribution m_0^2 to all scalars. We use the event generator ISAJET to generate AMSB signal events as a function of model parameter space. Assuming an integrated luminosity of 10 fb-1, the LHC can reach to values of $m_{\tg}\sim 2.3$ TeV for low values of $m_0$, where the dilepton plus jets plus E_T(missing) channel offers the best reach. For large $m_0$, the best signature is typically 0 or 1 isolated lepton plus jets plus E_T(missing); in this case the reach is typically diminished to values of $m_{\tg}\sim 1.3$ TeV. The presence of terminating tracks in a subset of signal events could serve to verify the presence of a long lived lightest chargino which is generic in the minimal AMSB model.

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arXiv2000

Impact of Physical Principles at Very High Energy Scales on the Superparticle Mass Spectrum

We survey a variety of proposals for new physics at high scales that serve to relate the multitude of soft supersymmetry breaking parameters of the MSSM. We focus on models where the new physics results in non-universal soft parameters, in sharp contrast with the usually assumed mSUGRA framework. These include {\it i}) SU(5) and SO(10) grand unified (GUT) models, {\it ii}) the MSSM plus a right-handed neutrino, {\it iii}) models with effective supersymmetry, {\it iv}) models with anomaly-mediated SUSY breaking and gaugino mediated SUSY breaking, {\it v}) models with non-universal soft terms due to string dynamics, and {\it vi}) models based on $M$-theory. We outline the physics behind these models, point out some distinctive features of the weak scale sparticle spectrum, and allude to implications for collider experiments. To facilitate future studies, for each of these scenarios, we describe how collider events can be generated using the program ISAJET. Our hope is that detailed studies of a variety of alternatives will help point to the physics underlying SUSY breaking and how this is mediated to the observable sector, once sparticles are discovered and their properties measured.

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