Engineering topics
Wacker, Jay G
Publications and source records attributed to Wacker, Jay G.
Higgs, Binos and Gluinos: Split Susy within Reach
Recent results from the LHC for the Higgs boson with mass between 142 GeV {approx}< m{sub h{sup 0}} {approx}< 147 GeV points to PeV-scale Split Supersymmetry. This article explores the consequences of a Higgs mass in this range and possible discovery modes for Split Susy. Moderate lifetime gluinos, with decay lengths in the 25 {micro}m to 10 yr range, are its imminent smoking gun signature. The 7TeV LHC will be sensitive to the moderately lived gluinos and trilepton signatures from direct electroweakino production. Moreover, the dark matter abundance may be obtained from annihilation through an s-channel Higgs resonance, with the LSP almost purely bino and mass m{sub {chi}{sub 1}{sup 0}} {approx_equal} 70 GeV. The Higgs resonance region of Split Susy has visible signatures in dark matter direct and indirect detection and electric dipole moment experiments. If the anomalies go away, the majority of Split Susy parameter space will be excluded.
High Multiplicity Searches at the LHC Using Jet Masses
This article introduces a new class of searches for physics beyond the Standard Model that improves the sensitivity to signals with high jet multiplicity. The proposed searches gain access to high multiplicity signals by reclustering events into large-radius, or 'fat', jets and by requiring that each event has multiple massive jets. This technique is applied to supersymmetric scenarios in which gluinos are pair-produced and then subsequently decay to final states with either moderate quantities of missing energy or final states without missing energy. In each of these scenarios, the use of jet mass improves the estimated reach in gluino mass by 20% to 50% over current LHC searches.
Heavy Flavor Simplified Models at the LHC
We consider a comprehensive set of simplified models that contribute to final states with top and bottom quarks at the LHC. These simplified models are used to create minimal search strategies that ensure optimal coverage of new heavy flavor physics involving the pair production of color octets and triplets. We provide a set of benchmarks that are representative of model space, which can be used by experimentalists to perform their own optimization of search strategies. For data sets larger than 1 fb{sup -1}, same-sign dilepton and 3b search regions become very powerful. Expected sensitivities from existing and optimized searches are given.
Searching for Gluinos at the Tevatron and Beyond
This paper describes how to perform model-independent searches for new pair-produced color octet particles that each subsequently decay into two jets plus missing energy. The details of this analysis are focussed on the Tevatron, however, all of the lessons can be carried over to the LHC. Current searches are not sensitive to all regions of parameter space because they employ CMSSM-motivated cuts. Optimizing the H{sub T} and E{sub T} cuts expands the sensitivity of searches for all kinematically allowed decays.
Model Independent Bounds on Kinetic Mixing
New Abelian vector bosons can kinetically mix with the hypercharge gauge boson of the Standard Model. This letter computes the model independent limits on vector bosons with masses from 1 GeV to 1 TeV. The limits arise from the numerous e{sup +}e{sup -} experiments that have been performed in this energy range and bound the kinetic mixing by {epsilon} {approx}< 0.03 for most of the mass range studied, regardless of any additional interactions that the new vector boson may have.
The Simplicity of Perfect Atoms: Degeneracies in Supersymmetric Hydrogen
Supersymmetric QED hydrogen-like bound states are remarkably similar to non-supersymmetric hydrogen, including an accidental degeneracy of the fine structure and which is broken by the Lamb shift. This article classifies the states, calculates the leading order spectrum, and illustrates the results in several limits. The relation to other non-relativistic bound states is explored. Supersymmetric bound states provide a laboratory for studying dynamics in supersymmetric theories. Bound states like hydrogen provide a framework for understanding the qualitative dynamics of QCD mesons, a supersymmetric version of QED can provide a qualitative picture for the symmetries and states of superQCD mesons. Furthermore, recent interest in dark matter as a composite state, leads to asking how supersymmetry acts upon these composite states [4-7]. This article calculates the leading order corrections to a hydrogen-like atoms in an exactly supersymmetric version of QED. Much of the degeneracy is broken by the fine structure and a seminal calculation was performed in [1] for positronium, see [2] for an N = 2 version of positronium. Supersymmetric hydrogen is a similar except for the absence of annihilation diagrams, see [3] for an independent calculation. In the heavy proton mass limit, the supersymmetric interactions of the theory become irrelevant operators, suppressed by powers of the proton mass like the magnetic moment operator in QED and the fine structure is identical to the non-supersymmetric theory. This article finds that fine structure spectrum of supersymmetric spectrum of hydrogen has an accidental degeneracy which is exactly analogous to the accidental degeneracy of the l = 0 and l = 1 levels of the n = 2; j = 1/2 state of hydrogen. The supersymmetric version of the Lamb shift lifts the residual degeneracy and this article computes the logarithmically enhanced breaking.
The Cosmology of Composite Inelastic Dark Matter
Composite dark matter is a natural setting for implementing inelastic dark matter - the O(100 keV) mass splitting arises from spin-spin interactions of constituent fermions. In models where the constituents are charged under an axial U(1) gauge symmetry that also couples to the Standard Model quarks, dark matter scatters inelastically off Standard Model nuclei and can explain the DAMA/LIBRA annual modulation signal. This article describes the early Universe cosmology of a minimal implementation of a composite inelastic dark matter model where the dark matter is a meson composed of a light and a heavy quark. The synthesis of the constituent quarks into dark hadrons results in several qualitatively different configurations of the resulting dark matter composition depending on the relative mass scales in the system.
Where the Sidewalk Ends: Jets and Missing Energy Search Strategies for the 7 TeV LHC
This work explores the potential reach of the 7 TeV LHC to new colored states in the context of simplified models and addresses the issue of which search regions are necessary to cover an extensive set of event topologies and kinematic regimes. This article demonstrates that if searches are designed to focus on specific regions of phase space, then new physics may be missed if it lies in unexpected corners. Simple multiregion search strategies can be designed to cover all of kinematic possibilities. A set of benchmark models are created that cover the qualitatively different signatures and a benchmark multiregion search strategy is presented that covers these models.
It's On: Early Interpretations of ATLAS Results in Jets and Missing Energy
The first search for supersymmetry from ATLAS with 70 nb{sup -1} of integrated luminosity extends the Tevatron's reach for colored particles that decay into jets plus missing transverse energy. For gluinos that decay directly or through a one step cascade into the LSP and two jets, the mass range m{sub {bar g}} {le} 205 GeV is disfavored by the ATLAS searches, regardless of the mass of the LSP. In some cases the coverage extends up to m{sub {bar g}} {approx_equal} 295 GeV, already surpassing the Tevatron's reach for compressed supersymmetry spectra.
Jet Dipolarity: Top Tagging with Color Flow
A new jet observable, dipolarity, is introduced that can distinguish whether a pair of subjets arises from a color singlet source. This observable is incorporated into the HEPTopTagger and is shown to improve discrimination between top jets and QCD jets for moderate to high p{sub T}. The impressive resolution of the ATLAS and CMS detectors means that a typical QCD jet at the LHC deposits energy in {Omicron}(10-100) calorimeter cells. Such fine-grained calorimetry allows for jets to be studied in much greater detail than previously, with sophisticated versions of current techniques making it possible to measure more than just the bulk properties of jets (e.g. event jet multiplicities or jet masses). One goal of the LHC is to employ these techniques to extend the amount of information available from each jet, allowing for a broader probe of the properties of QCD. The past several years have seen significant progress in developing such jet substructure techniques. A number of general purpose tools have been developed, including: (i) top-tagging algorithms designed for use at both lower and higher p{sub T} as well as (ii) jet grooming techniques such as filtering, pruning, and trimming, which are designed to improve jet mass resolution. Jet substructure techniques have also been studied in the context of specific particle searches, where they have been shown to substantially extend the reach of traditional search techniques in a wide variety of scenarios, including for example boosted Higgses, neutral spin-one resonances, searches for supersymmetry, and many others. Despite these many successes, however, there is every reason to expect that there remains room for refinement of jet substructure techniques.
Nearly Supersymmetric Dark Atoms
Theories of dark matter that support bound states are an intriguing possibility for the identity of the missing mass of the Universe. This article proposes a class of models of supersymmetric composite dark matter where the interactions with the Standard Model communicate supersymmetry breaking to the dark sector. In these models supersymmetry breaking can be treated as a perturbation on the spectrum of bound states. Using a general formalism, the spectrum with leading supersymmetry effects is computed without specifying the details of the binding dynamics. The interactions of the composite states with the Standard Model are computed and several benchmark models are described. General features of non-relativistic supersymmetric bound states are emphasized.
Poker Face of Inelastic Dark Matter: Prospects at Upcoming Direct Detection Experiments
The XENON100 and CRESST experiments will directly test the inelastic dark matter explanation for DAMA's 8.9{sigma} anomaly. This article discusses how predictions for direct detection experiments depend on uncertainties in quenching factor measurements, the dark matter interaction with the Standard Model and the halo velocity distribution. When these uncertainties are accounted for, an order of magnitude variation is found in the number of expected events at CRESST and XENON100. The process of testing the DAMA anomaly highlights many of the challenges inherent to direct detection experiments. In addition to determining the properties of the unknown dark matter particle, direct detection experiments must also consider the unknown flux of the incident dark matter, as well as uncertainties in converting a signal from one target nucleus to another. The predictions for both the CRESST 2009 run and XENON100 2010 run show an order of magnitude uncertainty. The nuclear form factor for {sup 184}W, when combined with additional theoretical and experimental uncertainties, will likely prevent CRESST from refuting the iDM hypothesis with an exposure of {Omicron}(100 kg-d) in a model-independent manner. XENON100, on the other hand, will be able to make a definitive statement about a spin-independent, inelastically scattering dark matter candidate. Still, the CRESST 2009 data can potentially confirm iDM for a large range of parameter space. In case of a positive signal, the combined data from CRESST and XENON100 will start probing the properties of the Milky Way DM profile and the interaction of the SM with the dark matter.