Search

M-theory compactified on a G2 manifold with resolved E8 singularities realizes four-dimensional N=1 supersymmetric gauge theories coupled to gravity with three families of Standard Model fermions. Beginning with one E8 singularity, three fermion families emerge when E8 is broken by geometric engineering deformations to a smaller subgroup with equal rank. In this paper, we use the local geometry of the theory to explain the origin of the three families and their mass hierarchy. We linearize the blowing up of two-cycles associated with resolving E8 singularities. After imposing explicit constraints on the effectively stabilized moduli, we arrive at Yukawa couplings for the quarks and leptons. We fit the high scale Yukawa couplings approximately which results in the quark masses agreeing reasonably well with the observations, implying that the experimental hierarchy of the masses is achievable within this framework. The hierarchy separation of the top quark from the charm and up is a stringy effect, while the spitting of the charm and up also depends on the Higgs sector. The Higgs sector cannot be reduced to having a single vacuum expectation value (VEV); all three VEVs must be nonzero. Three extra U(1) s survive to the low scale but are not massless, so Z states are motivated to occur in the spectrum, but may be massive.

In light of the improved sensitivities of cosmological observations, we examine the status of quasi-degenerate neutrino mass scenarios. Within the simplest extension of the standard cosmological model with massive neutrinos, we find that quasi-degenerate neutrinos are severely constrained by present cosmological data and neutrino oscillation experiments. % % We find that Planck 2018 observations of cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies disfavour quasi-degenerate neutrino masses at $2.4$ Gaussian $\sigma$'s, while adding Baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) data brings the rejection to 5.9$\sigma$'s. % The highest statistical significance with which one would be able to rule out quasi-degeneracy would arise if the sum of neutrino masses is $\Sigma m_\nu = 60$ \meV (the minimum allowed by neutrino oscillation experiments); % indeed a sensitivity of 15 meV, as expected from a combination of future cosmological probes, would further improve the rejection level up to 17$\sigma$. % We discuss the robustness of these projections with respect to assumptions on the underlying cosmological model, and also compare them with bounds from $\beta$ decay endpoint and neutrinoless double beta decay studies., Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures, 1 table

We examine the current constraints and future sensitivity of coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) experiments to mixing scenarios involving a Z′ which interacts via portals with the standard model. We contrast the results against those from fixed target, atomic parity violation, and solar neutrino experiments. We demonstrate a significant dependence of the experimental reach on the Z′ coupling nonuniversality and the complementarity of CEνNS to existing searches.

We study well-motivated dark matter candidates arising from weakly-coupled hidden sectors in compactified string/$M$-theory. Imposing generic top-down constraints greatly restricts allowed candidates. By considering the possible mechanisms for achieving the correct dark matter relic density, we compile categories of viable dark matter candidates and annihilation mediators. We consider the case where supersymmetry breaking occurs via moduli stabilisation and is gravitationally mediated to the visible and other hidden sectors, without assuming sequestering of the sector in which supersymmetry is broken. We find that in this case, weakly-coupled hidden sectors only allow for fermionic dark matter. Additionally, most of the mechanisms for obtaining the full relic density only allow for a gauge boson mediator, such as a dark $Z'$. Given these considerations, we study the potential for discovering or constraining the allowed parameter space given current and future direct detection experiments, and direct production at the LHC. We also present a model of a hidden sector which would contain a satisfactory dark matter candidate., Comment: 29 pages, 10 figures

We argue, based on typical properties of known solutions of string/$M$-theory, that the lightest supersymmetric particle of the visible sector will not be stable. In other words, dark matter is {\em not} a particle with Standard Model quantum numbers, such as a WIMP. The argument is simple and based on the typical occurrence of a) hidden sectors, b) interactions between the Standard Model (visible) sector and these hidden sectors, and c) the lack of an argument against massive neutral hidden sector particles being lighter than the lightest visible supersymmetric particle. These conclusions do not rely on arguments such as R-parity violation., 5 pages

We study a realistic top-down M-theory compactification with low-scale effective Supersymmetry, consistent with phenomenological constraints. A combination of top-down and generic phenomenological constraints fix the spectrum. The gluino mass is predicted to be about 1.5 TeV. Three and only three superpartner channels, $\tilde{g} \tilde{g}$, $\chi_2^0 \chi_1^\pm$ and $\chi_1^+ \chi_1^-$ (where $\chi_2^0, \chi_1^\pm$ are Wino-like), are expected to be observable at LHC-14. We also investigate the prospects of finding heavy squarks and Higgsinos at future colliders. Gluino-stop-top, gluino-sbottom-bottom associated production and first generation squark associated production should be observable at a 100 TeV collider, along with direct production of heavy Higgsinos. Within this framework the discovery of a single sparticle is sufficient to determine uniquely the SUSY spectrum, yielding a number of concrete testable predictions for LHC-14 and future colliders, and determination of $M_{3/2}$ and thereby other fundamental quantities., Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures

Preface Acknowledgments What is an Electroon? (M J Perry) The What and Why of Moduli (J Conlon) Perspective on the Weakly Coupled Heterotic String (M K Gaillard) Geography of Fields in Extra Dimensions: String Theory Lessons for Particle Physics (H P Nilles & P K S Vaudrevange) The String Landscape: A Personal Perspective (K R Dienes) Mathematics for String Phenomenology (M R Douglas) The String Theory Landscape (A N Schellekens) Local String Models and Moduli Stabilization (F Quevedo) F-Theory: From Geometry to Phenomenology (S Schaefer-Nameki) Compactified String Theories - Generic Predictions for Particle Physics (P Kumar) How Could (Should) We Make Contact Between String/M Theory and Our Four-Dimensional World? (G Kane) String Cosmology - Large-Field Inflation in String Theory (A Westphal) Dark Energy in String Theory (B Greene & G Shiu) Cosmological SUSY Breaking and the Pyramid Scheme (T Banks)

We perform a comprehensive study of models of dark matter (DM) in a Universe with a non-thermal cosmological history, i.e with a phase of pressure-less matter domination before the onset of big-bang nucleosynethesis (BBN). Such cosmological histories are generically predicted by UV completions that contain gravitationally coupled scalar fields (moduli). We classify the different production mechanisms for DM in this framework, generalizing previous works by considering a wide range of DM masses/couplings and allowing for DM to be in equilibrium with a "dark" sector. We identify four distinct parametric regimes for the production of relic DM, and derive accurate semi-analytic approximations for the DM relic abundance. Our results are particularly relevant for supersymmetric theories, in which the standard non-thermally produced DM candidates are disfavored by indirect detection constraints. We also comment on experimental signals in this framework, focusing on novel effects involving the power spectrum of DM density perturbations. In particular, we identify a class of models where the spectrum of DM density perturbations is sensitive to the pressure-less matter dominated era before BBN, giving rise to interesting astrophysical signatures to be looked for in the future. A worthwhile future direction would be to study well-motivated theoretical models within this framework and carry out detailed studies of the pattern of expected experimental signals., Comment: 46 pages, 10 Figures

We examine arguments that could avoid light superpartners as an implication of supersymmetric radiative electroweak symmetry breaking. We argue that, from the point of view of string theory and standard approaches to generating the mu-term, cancellations among parameters are not a generic feature. While the coefficients relating the Z-mass to parameters in the soft supersymmetry breaking Lagrangian can be made smaller, these same mechanisms lead to lighter superpartner masses at the electroweak scale. Consequently we strengthen the implication that gluinos, neutralinos, and charginos are light and likely to be produced at the Fermilab Tevatron and a linear collider., Comment: 27 pages, 3 figures

In this talk a number of broad issues are raised about the origins of CP violation and how to test the ideas., Comment: 17 pages, LaTeX, 6 postscript figures. Uses iopart10.clo, iopart12.clo and iopart.cls. Plenary talk given at the BSM Phenomenology Workshop, Durham, UK, 6-11 May 2001. To appear in the proceedings

The predicted Standard Model (SM) electric dipole moments (EDMs) of electrons and quarks are tiny, providing an important window to observe new physics. Theories beyond the SM typically allow relatively large EDMs. The EDMs depend on the relative phases of terms in the effective Lagrangian of the extended theory, which are generally unknown. Underlying theories, such as string/M-theories compactified to four dimensions, could predict the phases and thus EDMs in the resulting supersymmetric (SUSY) theory. Earlier one of us, with collaborators, made such a prediction and found, unexpectedly, that the phases were predicted to be zero at tree level in the theory at the unification or string scale $\sim\mathcal{O}(10^{16}$ GeV). Electroweak (EW) scale EDMs still arise via running from the high scale, and depend only on the SM Yukawa couplings that also give the CKM phase. Here we extend the earlier work by studying the dependence of the low scale EDMs on the constrained but not fully known fundamental Yukawa couplings. The dominant contribution is from two loop diagrams and is not sensitive to the choice of Yukawa texture. The electron EDM should not be found to be larger than about $ 5\times 10^{-30} e$ cm, and the neutron EDM should not be larger than about $5\times 10^{-29}e$ cm. These values are quite a bit smaller than the reported predictions from Split SUSY and typical effective theories, but much larger than the Standard Model prediction. Also, since models with random phases typically give much larger EDMs, it is a significant testable prediction of compactified M-theory that the EDMs should not be above these upper limits. The actual EDMs can be below the limits, so once they are measured they could provide new insight into the fundamental Yukawa couplings of leptons and quarks. We comment also on the role of strong CP violation. EDMs probe fundamental physics near the Planck scale., 33 pages, 2 figures

Motivated by results from the LHC and dark matter searches, we study the possibility of phenomenologically viable R-parity violation in $SU(5)$ GUT models from a top-down point of view. We show that in contrast to the more model dependent bounds on the proton lifetime, the limits on neutrino masses provide a robust, stringent and complementary constraint on all $SU(5)$ GUT-based R-parity violating models. Focusing on well-motivated string/$M$ theory GUT frameworks with mechanisms for doublet-triplet splitting and a solution to the $\mu/B\mu$ problems, we show that imposing the neutrino mass bounds implies that R-parity violation is disfavored. The arguments can also be generalized to minimal $SO(10)$ GUTs. An experimental observation of R-parity violation would, therefore, disfavor such classes of top-down GUT models., Comment: Citations added, accepted to JHEP with minor revisions

We study the implications of interpreting the recent muon g(mu) -- 2 deviation from the standard model prediction as evidence for virtual superpartners, with very general calculations that include effects of phases and are consistent with all relevant constraints. Assuming that the central value is confirmed with smaller errors, there are upper limits on masses: at 1.5 sigma, at least one superpartner mass is below about 450 GeV (550 GeV) for tan beta = 35 (50) and may be produced at the Fermilab Tevatron in the upcoming run.

This article is a colloquium-level review of the idea of supersymmetry and why so many physicists expect it to soon be a major discovery in particle physics. Supersymmetry is the hypothesis, for which there is indirect evidence, that the underlying laws of nature are symmetric between matter particles (fermions) such as electrons and quarks, and force particles (bosons) such as photons and gluons.

We discuss fine-tuning constraints on supergravity models. The tightest constraints come from the experimental mass limits on two key particles: the lightest CP even Higgs boson and the gluino. We also include the lightest chargino which is relevant when universal gaugino masses are assumed. For each of these particles we show how fine-tuning increases with the experimental mass limit, for four types of supergravity model: minimal supergravity, no-scale supergravity (relaxing the universal gaugino mass assumption), D-brane models and anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking models. Among these models, the D-brane model is less fine tuned.The experimental propects for an early discovery of Higgs and supersymmetry at LEP and the Tevatron are discussed in this framework., 17 pages, Latex, including 5 eps figures

Eventually, the properties of particles relevant to the possible amounts of dark matter from various particle physics sources (lightest superpartner (LSP), massive neutrinos, axions, etc.) will be well determined. I discuss how well Ω LSP h 2 can be calculated once there is collider data on the properties of the LSP. Study of the supersymmetry Lagrangian implies that current limits on WIMPs are not general.

The parameters of the supersymmetry Lagrangian are the place where experiment and theory will meet. We show that measuring them is harder than has been thought, particularly because of large unavoidable dependences on phases. Measurements are only guaranteed if a lepton collider with a polarized beam and sufficient energy to produce the relevant sparticles is available. Current limits on superpartner masses, WIMPs, and the supersymmetric Higgs are not general, and need re-evaluation. We also tentatively define the MRM (Minimum Reasonable Model), whose parameters may be measurable at LEP, FNAL and LHC., 10 pages, 1 figure; a typographical error corrected in eq. (1) and one reference added

In this talk, as requested, I begin with a overview and with some basic reminders about how evidence for supersymmetry in nature might appear -- in particular, how SUSY signatures are never clear so it is difficult to search for them without major theoretical input. Models can be usefully categorized phenomenologically by naming their LSP -- that is, once the LSP is approximately fixed so is the behavior of the observables, and the resulting behavior is generally very different for different LSPs. Next I compare the three main LSP-models (gravitino, bino, higgsino). Hints from data suggest taking the higgsino-LSP world very seriously, so I focus on it, and describe its successful prediction of reported events from the 1996 LEP runs. SUSY signatures in the $\tilde h$ LSP world are very different from those that are usually studied. Then I briefly discuss how to measure the parameters of the effective Lagrangian from collider and decay data. Finally I turn to how data will test and help extract the implications of string theories., Uses espcrc2.sty

We analyse in detail the supersymmetric contributions to the decay of an extra Z boson in effective rank 5 models, including the important effect of D-terms on sfermion masses. The inclusion of supersymmetric decay channels will reduce the Z' branching ratio to standard model particles resulting in lower Z' mass limits than those often quoted. In particular, the supersymmetric parameter space motivated by the recent Fermilab $ee\gamma\gamma$ event and other suggestive evidence results in a branching fraction B(Z' -> e^+ e^-)\simeq 2-4%. The expected cross sections and branching ratios could give a few events in the present data and we speculate on the connection to the three e^+e^- events observed at Fermilab with large dielectron invariant mass., Comment: 23 pages, ReVTeX, 4 figures

There is a class of supersymmetric models which is well-motivated by hints of evidence for SUSY and consistent with all existing data. It is important to study the predictions of these models. They are characterized by M(N3) > M(C1) > M(snu) > M(N1) (where Ni and Ci are neutralino and chargino mass eigenstates), |mu| ~< M1 ~< M2 ~= M(Z), mu < 0, and tan(beta) near 1. Their LEP signatures are mostly unusual. Most produced superpartners are invisible! A good signature is two photons plus large missing energy. There are also excess events at large recoil mass in the single photon plus nothing channel. We list the main signatures for charginos, stops, etc., which are also likely to be unconventional. This class of models will be definitively tested at LEP194 with 100 pb^{-1} per detector, and almost definitively tested at LEP184., 15 pages, revtex, 1 figure (included). We include a paragraph on the improved understanding of the SM background for gamma-gamma-Emiss events that has occurred since our original posting. We also emphasize the softness of the leptons from chargino decays in our models. Our conclusions are unchanged

We describe a method to help the search for a light top squark ({tilde M}{sub t}+{tilde M}{sub LSP}{lt}m{sub t}) at the Fermilab Tevatron. Traditional search methods rely upon a series of stringent background-reducing cuts which, unfortunately, leave very few signal events given the present data set. To avoid this difficulty, we instead suggest using a milder set of cuts, combined with a {open_quotes}superweight,{close_quotes} whose purpose is to discriminate between signal and background events. The superweight consists of a sum of terms, each of which are either zero or one. The terms are assigned event-by-event depending upon the values of various observables. We suggest a method for choosing the observables as well as the criteria used to assign the values such that the superweight is {open_quotes}large{close_quotes} for the supersymmetric signal and {open_quotes}small{close_quotes} for the standard model background. For illustration, we mainly consider the detection of tops squarks coming from top quark decay, making our analysis especially relevant to the W+2 jets top quark sample. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

Dennis Normile, in the first paragraph of his article “More powerful pulses please and puzzle” (Research News, [24 Jan., p. 481][1]), suggests, as do the authors of many articles about results from frontier acceleration techniques, that major progress is being made in developing accelerators that can be used for particle physics. Particle physicists would be delighted if that were so. However, even if the sorts of problems that are discussed in the article can be solved, many units have to be linked coherently to reach the high energies that would be useful for particle physics, and that raises new problems. Most important, in order to be useful for particle physics, a high energy accelerator must also have very high luminosity, because the cross sections for events of interest decrease with increasing energy. No technique I have seen discussed has demonstrated that it can get within orders of magnitude of the needed luminosity. Rather than raise false hopes in the science policy community, it would be better to not discuss the particle physics application until the values for the energy and the luminosity are nearer to those required for the physics. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.275.5299.481

We present a refined and expanded analysis of the CDF ee{gamma}{gamma}+E/{sub T} event as superpartner production, assuming the lightest neutralino is the lightest supersymmetric particle. A general low energy Lagrangian is constrained by a minimum cross section times branching ratio into two electrons and two photons, kinematics consistent with the event, and LEP 1{endash}LEP 130 data. We examine how the supersymmetric parameters depend on the kinematics, branching ratios, and experimental predictions with a selectron interpretation of the event, and discuss to what extent these are modified by other interpretations. Predictions for imminent CERN LEP upgrades and the present and future Fermilab Tevatron are presented. Finally, we briefly discuss the possible connection to other phenomena including a light top squark, the neutralino relic density, the shift in R{sub b}, and the associated shift in {alpha}{sub s}, and implications for the form of the theory. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

We analyze the prospects for discovering supersymmetry at the Fermilab Tevatron and CERN LEP colliders in the scenario that the lightest supersymmetric particle is a gravitino of mass < 1 keV. We consider in particular the case that the lightest neutralino has a nearly 100% branching fraction into gravitino + photon within the detector. This implies that supersymmetric events should contain both missing (transverse) energy and two energetic photons. Therefore one can search for supersymmetry simply through inclusive production of superpartners. We consider the exclusion and reach capabilities of the Tevatron in exploring the supersymmetric parameter space, and study the efficiencies which can be achieved in this search. We also consider the discovery reach and backgrounds at LEP with $\sqrt{s} =$ 160, 175, and 190 GeV., 36 pages, LaTeX, uses epsf.sty, 17 figures, minor typos corrected, version to appear in Phys. Rev. D

Motivated by the supersymmetric interpretation of the CDF ee����plus missing energy event and the reported Z->bb excess at LEP, we analyze the Higgsino as a cold dark matter candidate. We examine the constraints as implied by the collider experiments, and then calculate its relic density. We find that this Higgsino-like lightest supersymmetric particle is a viable cold dark matter candidate (0.05 < Omega h^2 < 1), and we discuss its favorable prospects for laboratory detection., 10 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX with epsf

We have analyzed the Collider Detector at Fermilab $\mathrm{ee}\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\gamma}+\mathrm{missing}\mathrm{energy}$ event. Its kinematics and expected rate are consistent with selectron pair production. We consider two classes of general low-energy supersymmetric theories where the lightest neutralino or the gravitino is the lightest supersymmetric particle. The supersymmetric Lagrangian is tightly constrained by the production and decay of the selectron and other data. We discuss other processes at the Fermilab Tevatron and at LEP that could confirm or exclude a supersymmetric explanation of the event.

If the reported excess (over the standard model prediction) for Z->bb from LEP persists, and is explained by supersymmetric particles in loops, then we show that (1) a superpartner (chargino and/or stop) will be detected at LEP2, and probably at LEP1.5 in 1995, (2) the basic parameter tan(beta) is at its lower perturbative limit, (3) BR(t->t1+chi0) is at or above 0.4, (4) the upper limit on m_h is considerably reduced, and (5) several important consequences arise for the form of a unified supersymmetric theory. Our analysis is done in terms of a general weak scale Lagrangian and does not depend on assumptions about SUSY breaking.

We study the most promising signals of Constrained Minimal Supersymmetry detectable at a luminosity upgraded 2 TeV Fermilab Tevatron collider. Using a full event-level Monte Carlo based on Pythia/Jetset, we simulate the trilepton signal examining in detail the effect of constraints on the parameter space. We also simulate the monolepton and dilepton signals, the missing E_T + jets signal, and the signals of stop production in supersymmetry all with full Standard Model backgrounds with realistic detector cuts. We find that large fractions of parameter space can be probed (or eliminated if no signal is found), but mass limits on charginos and neutralinos are not possible based solely on the trilepton signal. Detection efficiencies depend strongly on supersymmetry parameters beyond simply the neutralino and chargino masses; analyses (experimental or theoretical) that do not include this will draw misleading conclusions. Finally, we comment on how searches at LEP II will complement searches at Fermilab., 30 pages, LaTeX, 11 figures, now uses epsf.sty. Reference in text has been corrected; references added. Figures have been included using uufiles. Compressed PS file with embedded figures available via anonymous ftp at ftp://williams.physics.lsa.umich.edu/pub/preprints/UM-TH-95-14.ps.Z

We find that re-analyzing the LEP/SLC data with light superpartners and low $\alpha_s(\mz^2)\simeq 0.112$ yields a better fit to the data than the Standard Model, giving a satisfactory description of the $R_b$ measurement, and a better fit to $A_{LR}$. A large body of low energy ($q^2 \ll \mz^2$) data and analyses provide compelling evidence for $\alpha_s(\mz^2)\simeq 0.112$. Global fits to LEP/SLC data in the Standard Model, however, converge on a value of $\alpha_s(\mz^2)\simeq 0.126$. Recently it has become increasingly clear that these should be viewed as incompatible rather than values that can be averaged. We investigate the possibility that new physics is causing the LEP high value. To this end we have conducted a global analysis of LEP/SLC data in the Standard Model and also in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. Several predictions could confirm (or rule out) the results of this paper: light chargino and stop, top decays into stop and neutralino, large $R_b$, large $A_{LR}$, and a higher $M_W$. We briefly discuss the implications of low $\alpha_s$ for more fundamental high-scale supersymmetric theories., Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX. Available via anonymous ftp at ftp://williams.physics.lsa.umich.edu/pub/preprints/UM-TH-95-16.ps

In recent years it has been learned that scalar superpartner masses and trilinear couplings should both generically be larger than about 20 TeV at the short distance string scale if our world is described by a compactified string or M-theory with supersymmetry breaking and stabilized moduli. Here we study implications of this, somewhat generally and also in detail for a particular realization (compactification of M-theory on a G_2 manifold) where there is significant knowledge of the superpotential and gauge kinetic function, and a light gluino. In a certain sense this yields an ultraviolet completion of minimal flavour violation. Flavour violation stems from off-diagonal and non-universal diagonal elements of scalar mass matrices and trilinear couplings, and from renormalization group running. We also examine stability bounds on the scalar potential. While heavy scalars alone do not guarantee the absence of flavour problems, our studies show that models with heavy scalars and light gluinos can be free from such problems., Comment: 22 pages + references, 5 figures; v2: corrected calculation of epsilon_K (SUSY contribution is always harmless), improved presentation, added references; v3: further minor improvements, matches version to appear in EPJ C

Assuming that the actual values of the top quark mass at FNAL and of the ratio of partial widths Z->bb/Z->hadrons at LEP are within their current one-sigma reported ranges, we present a No-Lose Theorem for superpartner searches at LEP II and an upgraded Tevatron. We impose only two theoretical assumptions: the Lagrangian is that of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model with arbitrary soft-breaking terms, and all couplings remain perturbative up to scales of order 10^16 GeV; there are no assumptions about the soft SUSY breaking parameters, proton decay, cosmology, etc. In particular, if the LEP and FNAL values hold up and supersymmetry is responsible for the discrepancy with the SM prediction of the partial width of Z->bb, then we must have charginos and/or top squarks observable at the upgraded machines. Furthermore, little deviation from the SM is predicted within "super-unified" SUSY. Finally, it appears to be extremely difficult to find any unified MSSM model, regardless of the form of soft SUSY breaking, that can explain the partial width for large tan(beta); in particular, no model with top-bottom-tau Yukawa coupling unification appears to be consistent with the experiments.

Recently it has been recognized that in compactified string/M-theories that satisfy cosmological constraints, it is possible to derive some robust and generic predictions for particle physics and cosmology with very mild assumptions. When the matter and gauge content below the compactification scale is that of the MSSM, it is possible to make precise predictions. In this case, we predict that there will be a single Standard Model-like Higgs boson with a calculable mass 105 GeV $\lesssim M_h \lesssim$ 129 GeV depending on tan beta (the ratio of the Higgs vevs in the MSSM). For tan beta > 7, the prediction is : 122 GeV $\lesssim M_h \lesssim$ 129 GeV., 8 pages, 1 Figure

Arguably the best-motivated channel for early LHC discovery is events including a high multiplicity of third generation quarks, such as four top quarks. For example generic string theories compactified to four dimensions with stabilized moduli typically have light gluinos with large branching ratios to t- and b-quarks. We analyze signals and background at 7 TeV LHC energy for 1 fb{sup -1} integrated luminosity, suggesting a reach for gluinos of about 650 GeV. A non-standard model signal from counting b-jets and leptons is robust, and provides information on the gluino mass, cross section, and spin.

We consider associated production of squarks and gluinos with the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP), or states nearly degenerate in mass with it. Though sub-dominant to pair production of color SU(3)-charged superpartners, these processes are directly sensitive to the wavefunction composition of the lightest neutralinos. Exploiting event-shape variables -- including some introduced here for the first time -- we are able to identify the composition of the LSP by selecting events involving a single high-pT jet recoiling against missing transverse energy. We illustrate the proposed technique on a set of benchmark cases and propose methods for applying these results in more realistic experimental environments., 10 pages, 19 figures. v2: refs updated, minor typos corrected

We point out that in theories where the gravitino mass, $M_{3/2}$, is in the range (10-50)TeV, with soft-breaking scalar masses and trilinear couplings of the same order, there exists a robust region of parameter space where the conditions for electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) are satisfied without large imposed cancellations. Compactified string/M-theory with stabilized moduli that satisfy cosmological constraints generically require a gravitino mass greater than about 30 TeV and provide the natural explanation for this phenomenon. We find that even though scalar masses and trilinear couplings (and the soft-breaking $B$ parameter) are of order (10-50)TeV, the Higgs vev takes its expected value and the $\mu$ parameter is naturally of order a TeV. The mechanism provides a natural solution to the cosmological moduli and gravitino problems with EWSB., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figs, V2 has additional comments

We consider a solution to the mu-problem within M theory on a G2-manifold. Our study is based upon the discrete symmetry proposed by Witten that forbids the mu-term and solves the doublet-triplet splitting problem. We point out that the symmetry must be broken by moduli stabilization, describing in detail how this can occur. The mu-term is generated via Kahler interactions after strong dynamics in the hidden sector generate a potential which stabilizes all moduli and breaks supersymmetry with m_{3/2} ~ 20 - 30 TeV. We show that mu is suppressed relative to the gravitino mass, by higher dimensional operators, mu ~ 0.1 m_{3/2} ~ 2-3 TeV. This necessarily gives a Higgsino component to the (mostly Wino) LSP, and a small but non-negligible LSP-nucleon scattering cross-section. The maximum, spin-independent cross-sections are not within reach of the current XENON100 experiment, but are within reach of upcoming runs and upgrades., Comment: 34 pages, 3 figures

We argue that CP--violation effects below a few tenths of a percent are probably undetectable at hadron and electron colliders. Thus only operators whose contributions interfere with tree--level Standard Model amplitudes are detectable. We list these operators for Standard Model external particles and some two and three body final state reactions that could show detectable effects. These could test electroweak baryogenesis scenarios., Comment: 11pp, LaTeX, UM--TH--92--27(massaged to make TeX output cleaner), no pictures

We demonstrate that in effective theories arising from a class of N=1 fluxless compactifications of M theory on a G{sub 2} manifold with low-energy supersymmetry, CP-violating phases do not appear in the soft-breaking Lagrangian except via the Yukawas appearing in the trilinear parameters. Such a mechanism may be present in other string compactifications as well; we describe properties sufficient for this to occur. CP violation is generated via the Yukawas since the soft trilinear matrices are generically not proportional to the Yukawa matrices. Within the framework considered, the estimated theoretical upper bounds for electric dipole moments of the electron, the neutron, and mercury are all within the current experimental limits and could be probed in the near future.

In recent years it has been realised that pre-BBN decays of moduli can be a significant source of dark matter production, giving a `non-thermal WIMP miracle' and substantially reduced fine-tuning in cosmological axion physics. We study moduli masses and sharpen the claim that moduli dominated the pre-BBN Universe. We conjecture that in any string theory with stabilized moduli there will be at least one modulus field whose mass is of order (or less than) the gravitino mass. Cosmology then generically requires the gravitino mass not be less than about 30 TeV and the cosmological history of the Universe is non-thermal prior to BBN. Stable LSP's produced in these decays can account for the observed dark matter if they are `wino-like.' We briefly consider implications for the LHC, rare decays, and dark matter direct detection and point out that these results could prove challenging for models attempting to realize gauge mediation in string theory., 7 pages. v3: published version

233 páginas.-- AHEP Group: et al..-- El Pdf del artículo es la versión pre-print: arXiv.1001.2693v1.-- Trabajo presentado al "The International Workshop on Beyond the Standard Model Physics and LHC Signatures (BSM-LHC) celebrado en Boston (USA) del 2 al 4 de junio de 2009., The Large Hadron Collider presents an unprecedented opportunity to probe the realm of new physics in the TeV region and shed light on some of the core unresolved issues of particle physics. These include the nature of electroweak symmetry breaking, the origin of mass, the possible constituent of cold dark matter, new sources of CP violation needed to explain the baryon excess in the universe, the possible existence of extra gauge groups and extra matter, and importantly the path Nature chooses to resolve the hierarchy problem - is it supersymmetry or extra dimensions. Many models of new physics beyond the standard model contain a hidden sector which can be probed at the LHC. Additionally, the LHC will be a. top factory and accurate measurements of the properties of the top and its rare decays will provide a window to new physics. Further, the LHC could shed light on the origin of neutralino masses if the new physics associated with their generation lies in the TeV region. Finally, the LHC is also a laboratory to test the hypothesis of TeV scale strings and D brane models. An overview of these possibilities is presented in the spirit that it will serve as a companion to the Technical Design Reports (TDRs) by the particle detector groups ATLAS and CMS to facilitate the test of the new theoretical ideas at the LHC. Which of these ideas stands the test of the LHC data will govern the course of particle physics in the subsequent decades., Fermilab is operated by Fermi Research Alliance, LLC under Contract No. DE-AC02- 07CH11359 with the United States Department of Energy. H.D. was supported by the US Department of Energy under Grant Contract DE-AC02- 98CH10886. B.D. was supported in part by the DOE grant DE-FG02-95ER40917 and would like to thank his collaborators Richard Arnowitt, Adam Arusano, Rouzbeh Allahverdi, Alfredo Gurrola, Teruki Kamon, Nikolay Kolev, Abram Krislock, Anupam Mazumdar, Yukihiro Mimura and Dave Toback for the works related to this review. D.F. is supported in part by DOE grant DEFG92- 95ER40899. H.G. is supported in part by NSF grant PHY- 0757959 K.K. was supported by US Department of Energy contract DE-AC02-76SF00515. P.L. was supported by NSF grant PHY- 0503584 and by the IBM Einstein Fellowship. G.L. is partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant No. DE-FG02- 91ER40688. Z.L. is supported in part by NSF grant PHY- 0653342 P.N. is supported in part by NSF grant PHY- 0757959. SUSY09 and Pre-SUSY09 were supported by NSF PHY-0834022 and de-sc0001075. B.D.N. was supported by National Science Foundation Grant PHY-0653587. E.P. was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under contract DE-FG02-92ER-40699. J.S. is funded by MICINN and projects FPA2006-05294, FQM101, FQM437 and FQM03048. T.T. is supported in part by NSF grant PHY- 0757959. X.T. thanks the UW IceCube Group for making his visit to Wisconsin, where this report was prepared, possible. This research was supported in part by the United States Department of Energy. Work of J.F.W.V. supported by the US National Science Foundation under grant No. PHY- 0652363, by European Union ITN UNILHC (PITN-GA-2009-237920), by the Consolider Multidark project CSD2009-00064 (MICIIN), by the FPA2008-00319/FPA grant (MICIIN), by the PROMETEO/2009/091 grant (Generalitat Valenciana), by German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) contract 05HT6WWA, and by Colombian grant UdeA Sostenibilidad 2009-2010. C.E.M.W.’s work at ANL is supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Div. of HEP, Contract DE-AC02-06CH11357.