Wino Dark Matter Under Siege

A fermion triplet of SU(2)_L - a wino - is a well-motivated dark matter candidate. This work shows that present-day wino annihilations are constrained by indirect detection experiments, with the strongest limits coming from H.E.S.S. and Fermi. The bounds on wino dark matter are presented as a function of mass for two scenarios: thermal (winos constitute a subdominant component of the dark matter for masses less than 3.1 TeV) and non-thermal (winos comprise all the dark matter). Assuming the NFW halo model, the H.E.S.S. search for gamma-ray lines excludes the 3.1 TeV thermal wino; the combined H.E.S.S. and Fermi results completely exclude the non-thermal scenario. Uncertainties in the exclusions are explored. Indirect detection may provide the only probe for models of anomaly plus gravity mediation where the wino is the lightest superpartner and scalars reside at the 100 TeV scale.Comment: 29 pages plus references, 9 figures, 2 appendices; v2 references added; v3 minor changes, journal versio

Asymmetric Dark Matter from a GeV Hidden Sector

Asymmetric Dark Matter (ADM) models relate the dark matter density to the baryon asymmetry, so that a natural mass scale for ADM is around a few GeV. In existing models of ADM, this mass scale is unexplained; here we generate this GeV scale for dark matter (DM) from the weak scale via gauge kinetic mixing with a new Abelian dark force. In addition, this dark sector provides an efficient mechanism for suppressing the symmetric abundance of DM through annihilations to the dark photon. We augment this sector with a higher dimensional operator responsible for communicating the baryon asymmetry to the dark sector. Our framework also provides DM candidate for gauge mediation models. It results in a direct detection cross section of interest for current experiments: sigma less than or similar to 10^{-42} cm^2 for DM masses in the range 1 - 15 GeV.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figure

MIGRATION PATTERNS AND MOVEMENTS OF SANDHILL CRANES WINTERING IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA

In this study we trapped wintering sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) in Louisiana and fitted them with satellite transmitters to determine their migration routes. Four of the 6 sandhill cranes with validated locations and a terminus point used the Central Flyway for spring migration; 2 of these 4 (the only 2 for which we have data) also used the Central Flyway for fall migration. Two of the 6 birds used the Mississippi Flyway for spring migration. The results of this study suggest that reintroduced whooping cranes (G. americana) that intermix and migrate with sandhill cranes that winter in Louisiana may enter the Central Flyway. In addition, the Mississippi Flyway is a viable option to use as a migration route for whooping cranes if they are reintroduced in Louisiana

Disentangling Dimension Six Operators through Di-Higgs Boson Production

New physics near the TeV scale can generate dimension-six operators that modify the production rate and branching ratios of the Higgs boson. Here, we show how Higgs boson pair production can yield complementary information on dimension-six operators involving the gluon field strength. For example, the invariant mass distribution of the Higgs boson pair can show the extent to which the masses of exotic TeV-scale quarks come from electroweak symmetry breaking. We discuss both the current Tevatron bounds on these operators and the most promising LHC measurement channels for two different Higgs masses: 120 GeV and 180 GeV. We argue that the operators considered in this paper are the ones most likely to yield interesting Higgs pair physics at the LHC.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures; v2: to match JHEP versio

DREDed Anomaly Mediation

We offer a guide to dimensional reduction (DRED) in theories with anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking. Evanescent operators proportional to epsilon arise in the bare Lagrangian when it is reduced from d=4 to d= (4-2 epsilon) dimensions. In the course of a detailed diagrammatic calculation, we show that inclusion of these operators is crucial. The evanescent operators conspire to drive the supersymmetry-breaking parameters along anomaly-mediation trajectories across heavy particle thresholds, guaranteeing the ultraviolet insensitivity.Comment: 24 pages. 10 figures. Uses Axodraw. Reference adde

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.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figs, v2: published version, some discussions clarifie

Data-Driven Inference of Representation Invariants

A representation invariant is a property that holds of all values of abstract type produced by a module. Representation invariants play important roles in software engineering and program verification. In this paper, we develop a counterexample-driven algorithm for inferring a representation invariant that is sufficient to imply a desired specification for a module. The key novelty is a type-directed notion of visible inductiveness, which ensures that the algorithm makes progress toward its goal as it alternates between weakening and strengthening candidate invariants. The algorithm is parameterized by an example-based synthesis engine and a verifier, and we prove that it is sound and complete for first-order modules over finite types, assuming that the synthesizer and verifier are as well. We implement these ideas in a tool called Hanoi, which synthesizes representation invariants for recursive data types. Hanoi not only handles invariants for first-order code, but higher-order code as well. In its back end, Hanoi uses an enumerative synthesizer called Myth and an enumerative testing tool as a verifier. Because Hanoi uses testing for verification, it is not sound, though our empirical evaluation shows that it is successful on the benchmarks we investigated.Comment: 18 Pages, Full version of PLDI 2020 pape

Signatures of Baryogenesis in the MSSM

We revisit the electroweak baryogenesis within the context of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), studying its potential collider signatures. We find that this mechanism of baryogenesis does not give a new CP violating signal at the $B$-factories. The first circumstantial evidence may come from enhanced $B_s$ or $B_d$ mixing. If a light right-handed scalar top and Higgs are found as required, a linear collider represents the best possibility for confirming the scenario.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Minor typos fixed. Reference Adde