Supersymmetry Reach of Tevatron Upgrades: The Large tan⁡β\tan\beta Case

The Yukawa couplings of the tau lepton and the bottom quark become comparable to, or even exceed, electroweak gauge couplings for large values of the SUSY parameter $\tan\beta$. As a result, the lightest tau slepton \ttau_1 and bottom squark \tb_1 can be significantly lighter than corresponding sleptons and squarks of the first two generations. Gluino, chargino and neutralino decays to third generation particles are significantly enhanced when $\tan\beta$ is large. This affects projections for collider experiment reach for supersymmetric particles. In this paper, we evaluate the reach of the Fermilab Tevatron $p\bar p$ collider for supersymmetric signals in the framework of the mSUGRA model. We find that the reach via signatures with multiple isolated leptons ($e$ and $\mu$) is considerably reduced. For very large $\tan\beta$, the greatest reach is attained in the multi-jet+\eslt signature. Some significant extra regions may be probed by requiring the presence of an identified $b$-jet in jets+\eslt events, or by requiring one of the identified leptons in clean trilepton events to actually be a hadronic 1 or 3 charged prong tau. In an appendix, we present formulae for chargino, neutralino and gluino three body decays which are valid at large $\tan\beta$.Comment: 31 page Revtex file including 10 PS figure

Reach of the Fermilab Tevatron for minimal supergravity in the region of large scalar masses

The reach of the Fermilab Tevatron for supersymmetric matter has been calculated in the framework of the minimal supergravity model in the clean trilepton channel. Previous analyses of this channel were restricted to scalar masses m_0<= 1 TeV. We extend the analysis to large values of scalar masses m_0\sim 3.5 TeV. This includes the compelling hyperbolic branch/focus point (HB/FP) region, where the superpotential \mu parameter becomes small. In this region, assuming a 5\sigma (3\sigma) signal with 10 (25) fb^{-1} of integrated luminosity, the Tevatron reach in the trilepton channel extends up to m_{1/2}\sim 190 (270) GeV independent of \tan\beta . This corresponds to a reach in terms of the gluino mass of m_{\tg}\sim 575 (750) GeV.Comment: 11 page latex file including 6 EPS figures; several typos corrected and references adde

Mixed Higgsino Dark Matter from a Large SU(2) Gaugino Mass

We observe that in SUSY models with non-universal GUT scale gaugino mass parameters, raising the GUT scale SU(2) gaugino mass |M_2| from its unified value results in a smaller value of -m_{H_u}^2 at the weak scale. By the electroweak symmetry breaking conditions, this implies a reduced value of \mu^2 {\it vis \`a vis} models with gaugino mass unification. The lightest neutralino can then be mixed Higgsino dark matter with a relic density in agreement with the measured abundance of cold dark matter (DM). We explore the phenomenology of this high |M_2| DM model. The spectrum is characterized by a very large wino mass and a concomitantly large splitting between left- and right- sfermion masses. In addition, the lighter chargino and three light neutralinos are relatively light with substantial higgsino components. The higgsino content of the LSP implies large rates for direct detection of neutralino dark matter, and enhanced rates for its indirect detection relative to mSUGRA. We find that experiments at the LHC should be able to discover SUSY over the portion of parameter space where m_{\tg} \alt 2350-2750 ~GeV, depending on the squark mass, while a 1 TeV electron-positron collider has a reach comparable to that of the LHC. The dilepton mass spectrum in multi-jet + \ell^+\ell^- + \eslt events at the LHC will likely show more than one mass edge, while its shape should provide indirect evidence for the large higgsino content of the decaying neutralinos.Comment: 36 pages with 26 eps figure

Probing Minimal Supergravity at the CERN LHC for Large tan⁡β\tan\beta

For large values of the minimal supergravity model parameter $\tan\beta$, the tau lepton and the bottom quark Yukawa couplings become large, leading to reduced masses of $\tau$-sleptons and $b$-squarks relative to their first and second generation counterparts, and to enhanced decays of charginos and neutralinos to $\tau$-leptons and $b$-quarks. We evaluate the reach of the CERN LHC $pp$ collider for supersymmetry in the mSUGRA model parameter space. We find that values of $m_{\tg}\sim 1500-2000$ GeV can be probed with just 10 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity for $\tan\beta$ values as high as 45, so that mSUGRA cannot escape the scrutiny of LHC experiments by virtue of having a large value of $\tan\beta$. We also perform a case study of an mSUGRA model at $\tan\beta =45$ where \tz_2\to \tau\ttau_1 and \tw_1\to \ttau_1\nu_\tau with $\sim 100$ branching fraction. In this case, at least within our simplistic study, we show that a di-tau mass edge, which determines the value of m_{\tz_2}-m_{\tz_1}, can still be reconstructed. This information can be used as a starting point for reconstructing SUSY cascade decays on an event-by-event basis, and can provide a strong constraint in determining the underlying model parameters. Finally, we show that for large $\tan\beta$ there can be an observable excess of $\tau$ leptons, and argue that $\tau$ signals might serve to provide new information about the underlying model framework.Comment: 22 page REVTEX file including 8 figure

Collider and Dark Matter Searches in Models with Mixed Modulus-Anomaly Mediated SUSY Breaking

We investigate the phenomenology of supersymmetric models where moduli fields and the Weyl anomaly make comparable contributions to SUSY breaking effects in the observable sector of fields. This mixed modulus-anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking (MM-AMSB) scenario is inspired by models of string compactification with fluxes, which have been shown to yield a de Sitter vacuum (as in the recent construction by Kachru {\it et al}). The phenomenology depends on the so-called modular weights which, in turn, depend on the location of various fields in the extra dimensions. We find that the model with zero modular weights gives mass spectra characterized by very light top squarks and/or tau sleptons, or where M_1\sim -M_2 so that the bino and wino are approximately degenerate. The top squark mass can be in the range required by successful electroweak baryogenesis. The measured relic density of cold dark matter can be obtained via top squark co-annihilation at low \tan\beta, tau slepton co-annihilation at large \tan\beta or via bino-wino coannihilation. Then, we typically find low rates for direct and indirect detection of neutralino dark matter. However, essentially all the WMAP-allowed parameter space can be probed by experiments at the CERN LHC, while significant portions may also be explored at an e^+e^- collider with \sqrt{s}=0.5--1 TeV. We also investigate a case with non-zero modular weights. In this case, co-annihilation, A-funnel annihilation and bulk annihilation of neutralinos are all allowed. Results for future colliders are qualitatively similar, but prospects for indirect dark matter searches via gamma rays and anti-particles are somewhat better.Comment: 38 pages including 22 EPS figures; latest version posted to conform with published versio

Implications of Compressed Supersymmetry for Collider and Dark Matter Searches

Martin has proposed a scenario dubbed ``compressed supersymmetry'' (SUSY) where the MSSM is the effective field theory between energy scales M_{\rm weak} and M_{\rm GUT}, but with the GUT scale SU(3) gaugino mass M_3<< M_1 or M_2. As a result, squark and gluino masses are suppressed relative to slepton, chargino and neutralino masses, leading to a compressed sparticle mass spectrum, and where the dark matter relic density in the early universe may be dominantly governed by neutralino annihilation into ttbar pairs via exchange of a light top squark. We explore the dark matter and collider signals expected from compressed SUSY for two distinct model lines with differing assumptions about GUT scale gaugino mass parameters. For dark matter signals, the compressed squark spectrum leads to an enhancement in direct detection rates compared to models with unified gaugino masses. Meanwhile, neutralino halo annihilation rates to gamma rays and anti-matter are also enhanced relative to related scenarios with unified gaugino masses but, depending on the halo dark matter distribution, may yet be below the sensitivity of indirect searches underway. In the case of collider signals, we compare the rates for the potentially dominant decay modes of the stop_1 which may be expected to be produced in cascade decay chains at the LHC: \tst_1\to c\tz_1 and \tst_1\to bW\tz_1. We examine the extent to which multilepton signal rates are reduced when the two-body decay mode dominates. For the model lines that we examine here, the multi-lepton signals, though reduced, still remain observable at the LHC.Comment: 22 pages including 24 eps figure

The Reach of the Fermilab Tevatron and CERN LHC for Gaugino Mediated SUSY Breaking Models

In supersymmetric models with gaugino mediated SUSY breaking (inoMSB), it is assumed that SUSY breaking on a hidden brane is communicated to the visible brane via gauge superfields which propagate in the bulk. This leads to GUT models where the common gaugino mass $m_{1/2}$ is the only soft SUSY breaking term to receive contributions at tree level. To obtain a viable phenomenology, it is assumed that the gaugino mass is induced at some scale $M_c$ beyond the GUT scale, and that additional renormalization group running takes place between $M_c$ and $M_{GUT}$ as in a SUSY GUT. We assume an SU(5) SUSY GUT above the GUT scale, and compute the SUSY particle spectrum expected in models with inoMSB. We use the Monte Carlo program ISAJET to simulate signals within the inoMSB model, and compute the SUSY reach including cuts and triggers approriate to Fermilab Tevatron and CERN LHC experiments. We find no reach for SUSY by the Tevatron collider in the trilepton channel. %either with or without %identified tau leptons. At the CERN LHC, values of $m_{1/2}=1000$ (1160) GeV can be probed with 10 (100) fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity, corresponding to a reach in terms of $m_{\tg}$ of 2150 (2500) GeV. The inoMSB model and mSUGRA can likely only be differentiated at a linear $e^+e^-$ collider with sufficient energy to produce sleptons and charginos.Comment: 17 page revtex file with 9 PS figure

Mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter in supersymmetric models

We consider supersymmetric (SUSY) models wherein the strong CP problem is solved by the Peccei-Quinn (PQ) mechanism with a concommitant axion/axino supermultiplet. We examine R-parity conserving models where the neutralino is the lightest SUSY particle, so that a mixture of neutralinos and axions serve as cold dark matter. The mixed axion/neutralino CDM scenario can match the measured dark matter abundance for SUSY models which typically give too low a value of the usual thermal neutralino abundance, such as models with wino-like or higgsino-like dark matter. The usual thermal neutralino abundance can be greatly enhanced by the decay of thermally-produced axinos to neutralinos, followed by neutralino re-annihilation at temperatures much lower than freeze-out. In this case, the relic density is usually neutralino dominated, and goes as \sim (f_a/N)/m_{axino}^{3/2}. If axino decay occurs before neutralino freeze-out, then instead the neutralino abundance can be augmented by relic axions to match the measured abundance. Entropy production from late-time axino decays can diminish the axion abundance, but ultimately not the neutralino abundance. In mixed axion/neutralino CDM models, it may be possible to detect both a WIMP and an axion as dark matter relics. We also discuss possible modifications of our results due to production and decay of saxions. In the appendices, we present expressions for the Hubble expansion rate and the axion and neutralino relic densities in radiation, matter and decaying-particle dominated universes.Comment: 31 pages including 21 figure

Linear Collider Capabilities for Supersymmetry in Dark Matter Allowed Regions of the mSUGRA Model

Recent comparisons of minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model predictions with WMAP measurements of the neutralino relic density point to preferred regions of model parameter space. We investigate the reach of linear colliders (LC) with $\sqrt{s}=0.5$ and 1 TeV for SUSY in the framework of the mSUGRA model. We find that LCs can cover the entire stau co-annihilation region provided \tan\beta \alt 30. In the hyperbolic branch/focus point (HB/FP) region of parameter space, specialized cuts are suggested to increase the reach in this important ``dark matter allowed'' area. In the case of the HB/FP region, the reach of a LC extends well past the reach of the CERN LHC. We examine a case study in the HB/FP region, and show that the MSSM parameters $\mu$ and $M_2$ can be sufficiently well-measured to demonstrate that one would indeed be in the HB/FP region, where the lightest chargino and neutralino have a substantial higgsino component.Comment: 29 pages, 15 EPS figures; updated version slightly modified to conform with published versio

Target dark matter detection rates in models with a well-tempered neutralino

In the post-LEP2 era, and in light of recent measurements of the cosmic abundance of cold dark matter (CDM) in the universe from WMAP, many supersymmetric models tend to predict 1. an overabundance of CDM and 2. pessimistically low rates for direct detection of neutralino dark matter. However, in models with a ``well-tempered neutralino'', where the neutralino composition is adjusted to give the measured abundance of CDM, the neutralino is typically of the mixed bino-wino or mixed bino-higgsino state. Along with the necessary enhancement to neutralino annihilation rates, these models tend to give elevated direct detection scattering rates compared to predictions from SUSY models with universal soft breaking terms. We present neutralino direct detection cross sections from a variety of models containing a well-tempered neutralino, and find cross section asymptotes with detectable scattering rates. These asymptotic rates provide targets that various direct CDM detection experiments should aim for. In contrast, in models where the neutralino mass rather than its composition is varied to give the WMAP relic density via either resonance annihilation or co-annihilation, the neutralino remains essentially bino-like, and direct detection rates may be below the projected reaches of all proposed experiments.Comment: 13 pages including 1 EPS figur