Connecting particle physics and cosmology: measuring the dark matter relic density in compressed supersymmetry models at the LHC

Publication date: Available online 12 December 2019Source: Physics of the Dark UniverseAuthor(s): Carlos Avila, Andrés Flórez, Alfredo Gurrola, Dale Julson, Savanna StarkoAbstractThe identity of Dark Matter (DM) is one of the relevant topics in particle physics today. The R-parity conserving Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), which naturally provides a DM candidate in the form of the lightest neutralino (χ̃10), is used as a benchmark scenario to show that a measurement of the DM relic density, Ωχ̃10h2, can be achieved from measurements at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Focus is placed on compressed mass spectra regions, where the mass difference Δm between the χ̃10 and the supersymmetric partner of the tau lepton (τ̃1) is small and where the τ̃1-χ̃10 coannihilation (CA) mechanism of the early Universe plays an important role. The technique for measuring Ωχ̃10h2 relies on two proposed searches for compressed Supersymmetry (SUSY): (1) production via Vector Boson Fusion (VBF) processes; and (2) production with associated energetic jets from initial state radiation (ISR). These approaches allow for the determination of the relic abundance at the LHC for any model where CA is an important DM reduction mechanism in the early Universe. Thus, it is possible to confirm that the DM we observe today corresponds to χ̃10’s created in the early Universe. We show that from measurements in the VBF and ISR SUSY searches at the LHC, the mass gap Δm and the d...
Source: Physics of the Dark Universe - Category: Physics Source Type: research
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