Theoretical Predictions for the Direct Detection of Supersymmetric Dark Matter

We compute the neutralino-nucleon cross section in several supersymmetric scenarios, taking into account all kind of experimental and astrophysical constraints. In addition, the constraints that the absence of dangerous charge and colour breaking minima imposes on the parameter space are also considered. This computation is relevant for the theoretical analysis of the direct detection of dark matter in current experiments. We discuss interesting supergravity and superstring scenarios.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, Proceedings of the International Workshop on Astroparticle and High Energy Physics, AHEP-200

Extra matter at low energy

Assuming that the Standard Model arises from the $E_8\times E_8$ Heterotic Superstring, we try to solve the discrepancy between the unification scale predicted by this theory ($\approx g_{GUT}\times 5.27\cdot 10^{17}$ GeV) and the value deduced from LEP experiments ($\approx 2\cdot 10^{16}$ GeV). This will allow us to predict the presence at low energies of three generations of supersymmetric Higgses and vector-like colour triplets.Comment: Talk given at 1st International Conference on String Phenomenology, Oxford, 6-11 July 2002. 6 pages, 1 figur

Experimental Constraints on the Neutralino-Nucleon Cross Section

In the light of recent experimental results for the direct detection of dark matter, we analyze in the framework of SUGRA the value of the neutralino-nucleon cross section. We study how this value is modified when the usual assumptions of universal soft terms and GUT scale are relaxed. In particular we consider scenarios with non-universal scalar and gaugino masses and scenarios with intermediate unification scale. We also study superstring constructions with D-branes, where a combination of the above two scenarios arises naturally. In the analysis we take into account the most recent experimental constraints, such as the lower bound on the Higgs mass, the $b\to s\gamma$ branching ratio, and the muon $g-2$.Comment: References added, bsgamma upper bound improved, results unchanged, Talk given at Corfu Summer Institute on Elementary Particle Physics, August 31-September 20, 200

Lepton masses and mixings in orbifold models with three Higgs families

We analyse the phenomenological viability of heterotic Z(3) orbifolds with two Wilson lines, which naturally predict three supersymmetric families of matter and Higgs fields. Given that these models can accommodate realistic scenarios for the quark sector avoiding potentially dangerous flavour-changing neutral currents, we now address the leptonic sector, finding that viable orbifold configurations can in principle be obtained. In particular,it is possible to accomodate present data on charged lepton masses, while avoiding conflict with lepton flavour-violating decays. Concerning the generation of neutrino masses and mixings, we find that Z(3) orbifolds offer several interesting possibilities.Comment: 28 pages, 11 figures. References adde

Right-handed sneutrino as thermal dark matter

We study an extension of the MSSM with a singlet S with coupling SH1H2 in order to solve the mu problem as in the NMSSM, and right-handed neutrinos N with couplings SNN in order to generate dynamically electroweak-scale Majorana masses. We show how in this model a purely right-handed sneutrino can be a viable candidate for cold dark matter in the Universe. Through the direct coupling to the singlet, the sneutrino can not only be thermal relic dark matter but also have a large enough scattering cross section with nuclei to detect it directly in near future, in contrast with most of other right-handed sneutrino dark matter models.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. References added and minor changes. Final version to appear in Phys. Rev.