14269455
A Supersymmetric Twin Higgs
We present a supersymmetric realization of the twin Higgs mechanism, which cancels off all contributions to the Higgs mass generated above a scale f. Radiative corrections induced by the top quark sector lead to a breaking of the twin sector electroweak symmetry at a scale f ∼ TeV. In our sector, below the scale f , these radiative corrections from the top quark are present but greatly weakened, naturally allowing a Z boson mass an order of magnitude below f , even with a top squark mass of order 1 TeV and a messenger scale near the Planck mass. A sufficient quartic interaction for our Higgs boson arises from the usual gauge contribution together with a radiative contribution from a heavy top squark. The mechanism requires the presence of an SU (2)-adjoint superfield, and can be simply unified. Naturalness in these theories is usually associated with light winos and sleptons, and is largely independent of the scale of the colored particles. The assumption of unification naturally predicts the existence of many exotic fields. The theory often has particles which may be stable on collider timescales, including an additional color octet superfield. In the limit that m SU SY ≫ f , the mechanism yields a UV completion of the non-supersymmetric twin Higgs, and with the notable improvement of a tree-level quartic for the standard model Higgs. In this framework, a successful UV completion requires the existence of new charged fields well below the scale f .
119273132
Nonstandard Higgs Boson Decays
This review summarizes the motivations for and the phenomenological consequences of nonstandard Higgs boson decays, with an emphasis on final states containing a pair of non–standard model particles that subsequently decay to standard model particles. Typically these non–standard model particles form part of a “hidden” sector, for example a pair of neutral Higgs bosons or a pair of unstable neutralinos. We emphasize that such decays allow for a Higgs substantially below the standard model Higgs Large Electron-Positron Collider limit of 114 GeV. A Higgs with standard model WW, ZZ, and top couplings and a mass near 100 GeV eliminates the fine-tuning problems of many beyond the standard model theories, in particular supersymmetric models, and leads to excellent consistency with precision electroweak data.
122856053
Neutrino alternatives for missing energy events at colliders
If the dark matter consists of a weakly interacting massive particle, it can be produced and studied at future collider experiments like those at the LHC. The production of collider-stable weakly interacting massive particles is characterized by hard scattering events with large missing transverse energy. Here we emphasize and discuss the fact that the discovery of events inconsistent with the standard model with large missing transverse energy need not point to the existence of new, collider-stable particles. We explore an alternative explanation where the only sources of missing transverse energy are standard model neutrinos. We present concrete examples of such scenarios, focusing on supersymmetric models with R-parity violation. We also discuss means of differentiating neutrino missing energy signals from the production of new collider-stable particles. These include both model-dependent signals, such as particle tags and flavor counts, as well as model-independent tests that attempt to measure the missing particle mass.
62792404
Charge asymmetric cosmic ray signals from dark matter decay
The PAMELA and Fermi measurements of the cosmic-ray electron and positron spectra have generated much interest over the past two years, because they are consistent with a significant component of the electron and positron fluxes between 20 GeV and 1 TeV being produced through dark matter annihilation or decay. However, since the measurements are also consistent with astrophysical interpretations, the message is unclear. In this paper, we point out that dark matter can have a more distinct signal in cosmic rays, that of a charge asymmetry. Such charge asymmetry can result if the dark matter's abundance is due to a relic asymmetry, allowing its decay to generate an asymmetry in positrons and electrons. This is analogous to the baryon asymmetry, where decaying neutrons produce electrons and not positrons. We explore benchmark scenarios where the dark matter decays into a leptophilic charged Higgs boson or electroweak gauge bosons. These models have observable signals in gamma rays and neutrinos, which can be tested by Fermi and IceCube. The most powerful test will be at AMS-02, given its ability to distinguish electron and positron charge above 100 GeV. Specifically, an asymmetry favoring positrons typically predicts a larger positron ratio and a harder (softer) high energy spectrum for positrons (electrons) than charge symmetric sources. We end with a brief discussion on how such scenarios differ from the leading astrophysical explanations.
119203377
CoGeNT Interpretations
Recently, the CoGeNT experiment has reported events in excess of expected background. We analyze dark matter scenarios which can potentially explain this signal. Under the standard case of spin independent scattering with equal couplings to protons and neutrons, we find significant tensions with existing constraints. Consistency with these limits is possible if a large fraction of the putative signal events is coming from an additional source of experimental background. In this case, dark matter recoils cannot be said to explain the excess, but are consistent with it. We also investigate modifications to dark matter scattering that can evade the null experiments. In particular, we explore generalized spin independent couplings to protons and neutrons, spin dependent couplings, momentum dependent scattering, and inelastic interactions. We find that some of these generalizations can explain most of the CoGeNT events without violation of other constraints. Generalized couplings with some momentum dependence, allows further consistency with the DAMA modulation signal, realizing a scenario where both CoGeNT and DAMA signals are coming from dark matter. A model with dark matter interacting and annihilating into a new light boson can realize most of the scenarios considered. ar X iv :1 00 4. 06 97 v2 [ he pph ] 1 0 A ug 2 01 0
118452763
Statistical Tests of Noise and Harmony in Dark Matter Modulation Signals
The aim of the current work is a detailed time-series analysis of the data from Dark Matter direct detection experiments as well as related datasets. We examine recent claims that the cosmic ray muon flux can be responsible for generating the modulation signals seen by DAMA and, more recently, by the CoGeNT collaboration. We find no evidence for such a strong correlation and show that the two phenomena differ in their power spectrum, phase, and possibly in amplitude. In addition, we investigate in more detail, the time dependence of Dark Matter scattering. Since the signal is periodic with period of a year (due to the Earth's motion around the Sun), the presence of higher harmonics can be expected. We show that the higher harmonics generically have similar phase to the annual modulation and the biannual mode in particular could provide another handle in searching for Dark Matter in the laboratory.
118806664
Search for the Top Quark in the $e +$ Jets with $\mu^-$ Tag Channel at D0