arXiv subjects

Sophie L. Williamson

Publications and source records attributed to Sophie L. Williamson.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Strength in numbers: optimal and scalable combination of LHC new-physics searches

To gain a comprehensive view of what the LHC tells us about physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM), it is crucial that different BSM-sensitive analyses can be combined. But in general, search analyses are not statistically orthogonal, so performing comprehensive combinations requires knowledge of the extent to which the same events co-populate multiple analyses' signal regions. We present a novel, stochastic method to determine this degree of overlap and a graph algorithm to efficiently find the combination of signal regions with no mutual overlap that optimises expected upper limits on BSM-model cross-sections. The gain in exclusion power relative to single-analysis limits is demonstrated with models with varying degrees of complexity, ranging from simplified models to a 19-dimensional supersymmetric model.

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arXiv2021

New signatures of Dirac neutralino dark matter

Supersymmetric dark matter has been studied extensively in the context of the MSSM, where gauginos have Majorana masses. Introducing Dirac gaugino masses, we obtain an enriched phenomenology from which considerable differences in, e.g., LHC signatures can be expected. Concretely, in the Minimal Dirac Gaugino Model (MDGSSM) we have an electroweakino sector extended by two extra neutralinos and one extra chargino. The bino- and wino-like states bring about small mass splittings leading to the frequent presence of scenarios with Long Lived Particles (LLPs). In this contribution, we delineate the parameter space of the electroweakino sector of the MDGSSM, where the lightest neutralino is a viable dark matter candidate that escapes current dark matter direct detection. We then focus on the allowed regions that contain LLPs and confront them against the corresponding LHC searches. Finally, we discuss the predominant case of long-lived neutralinos, to which no search is currently sensitive.

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arXiv2020

Constraining Electroweakinos in the Minimal Dirac Gaugino Model

Supersymmetric models with Dirac instead of Majorana gaugino masses have distinct phenomenological consequences. In this paper, we investigate the electroweakino sector of the Minimal Dirac Gaugino Supersymmetric Standard Model (MDGSSM) with regards to dark matter (DM) and collider constraints. We delineate the parameter space where the lightest neutralino of the MDGSSM is a viable DM candidate, that makes for at least part of the observed relic abundance while evading constraints from DM direct detection, LEP and lowenergy data, and LHC Higgs measurements. The collider phenomenology of the thus emerging scenarios is characterised by the richer electroweakino spectrum as compared to the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) -- 6 neutralinos and 3 charginos instead of 4 and 2 in the MSSM, naturally small mass splittings, and the frequent presence of long-lived particles, both charginos and/or neutralinos. Reinterpreting ATLAS and CMS analyses with the help of SModelS and MadAnalysis 5, we discuss the sensitivity of existing LHC searches for new physics to these scenarios and show which cases can be constrained and which escape detection. Finally, we propose a set of benchmark points which can be useful for further studies, designing dedicated experimental analyses and/or investigating the potential of future experiments.

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arXiv2019

LHC constraints on the minimal Dirac gaugino model

Most SUSY searches at the LHC are optimised for the MSSM, where gauginos are Majorana particles. By introducing Dirac gauginos, we obtain an enriched phenomenology, from which considerable differences in the LHC signatures and limits are expected as compared to the MSSM. Concretely, in the minimal Dirac gaugino model (MDGSSM) we have six neutralino and three chargino states. Moreover, production cross sections are enhanced for gluinos, while for squarks they are suppressed. In this contribution, we explore the consequences of the current LHC limits on gluinos and squarks in this model.

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arXiv2019

Sleptons without Hadrons

Multilepton searches for electroweakino and slepton pair production at hadron colliders remain some of the best means to test weak-scale supersymmetry. Searches at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, however, are limited by large diboson and top quark pair backgrounds, despite the application of traditional, central jet vetoes. In this context, we report the impact of introducing dynamic jet vetoes in searches for colorless superpartners. As a representative scenario, we consider the Drell-Yan production of a pair of right-handed smuons decaying into a dimuon system accompanied with missing transverse energy. As an exploratory step, we consider several global and local measures of the leptonic and hadronic activity to construct the veto. In most all cases, we find that employing a dynamic jet veto improves the sensitivity, independently of the integrated luminosity. The inclusion of non-perturbative multiple particle interactions and next-to-leading order jet merging does not alter this picture. Directions for further improvements are discussed.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

LHC limits on gluinos and squarks in the minimal Dirac gaugino model

Dirac gauginos are a well-motivated extension of the MSSM, leading to interesting phenomenological consequences. At the LHC, gluino-pair production is enhanced while squark production is suppressed as compared to the MSSM, and the decay signatures are altered by a more complex chargino and neutralino spectrum. We investigate how this impacts current gluino and squark mass limits from Run~2 of the LHC. Concretely, we compare different assumptions about the electroweak-ino spectrum through four benchmark models paying particular attention to the effect of the trilinear $λ_S$ coupling, which induces a mass splitting between the mostly bino/U(1) adjoint states. Among other results, we show that for large $λ_S$ the additional $\tildeχ^0_2\to f\bar f \tildeχ^0_1$ decays somewhat weaken the limits on gluinos (squarks) in the case of heavy squarks (gluinos). Moreover, we compare the limits in the gluino vs. squark mass plane to those obtained in equivalent MSSM scenarios.

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arXiv2018

Higgs alignment from extended supersymmetry

We consider the effective type-II Two-Higgs doublet model originating from Dirac gaugino models with extended supersymmetry in the gauge sector, which is automatically aligned in the simplest realisations. We show that raising the scale at which the extended supersymmetry is manifest and including quantum corrections actually improves the alignment. Using an effective field theory approach including new threshold corrections and two-loop RGEs, plus two-loop corrections to the Higgs mass in the low-energy theory, we study the implications from the Higgs mass and other experimental constraints on the scale of superpartners. We contrast the results of the minimal Dirac gaugino model, where alignment is automatic, with the hMSSM and the MRSSM, where it is not, also providing an hMSSM-inspired analysis for the new models.

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