Varying the Universality of Supersymmetry-Breaking Contributions to MSSM Higgs Boson Masses

We consider the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM) with varying amounts of non-universality in the soft supersymmetry-breaking contributions to the Higgs scalar masses. In addition to the constrained MSSM (CMSSM) in which these are universal with the soft supersymmetry-breaking contributions to the squark and slepton masses at the input GUT scale, we consider scenarios in which both the Higgs scalar masses are non-universal by the same amount (NUHM1), and scenarios in which they are independently non-universal (NUHM2). We show how the NUHM1 scenarios generalize the (m_{1/2}, m_0) planes of the CMSSM by allowing either mu or m_A to take different (fixed) values and we also show how the NUHM1 scenarios are embedded as special cases of the more general NUHM2 scenarios. Generalizing from the CMSSM, we find regions of the NUHM1 parameter space that are excluded because the LSP is a selectron. We also find new regions where the neutralino relic density falls within the range preferred by astrophysical and cosmological measurements, thanks to rapid annihilation through direct-channel Higgs poles, or coannihilation with selectrons, or because the LSP composition crosses over from being mainly bino to mainly Higgsino. Generalizing further to the NUHM2, we find regions of its parameter space where a sneutrino is the LSP, and others where neutralino coannihilation with sneutrinos is important for the relic density. In both the NUHM1 and the NUHM2, there are slivers of parameter space where the LHC has fewer prospects for discovering sparticles than in the CMSSM, because either m_{1/2} and/or m_0 may be considerably larger than in the CMSSM.Comment: 39 pages, 16 figure

The Higgs Mass beyond the CMSSM

The apparent discovery of a Higgs boson with mass ~125 GeV has had a significant impact on the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model in which the scalar masses, gaugino masses and tri-linear A-terms are assumed to be universal at the GUT scale (the CMSSM). Much of the low-mass parameter space in the CMSSM has been excluded by supersymmetric particle searches at the LHC as well as by the Higgs mass measurement and the emergent signal for B_s to mu^+ mu^-. Here, we consider the impact of these recent LHC results on several variants of the CMSSM with a primary focus on obtaining a Higgs mass of ~125 GeV. In particular, we consider the one- and two-parameter extensions of the CMSSM with one or both of the Higgs masses set independently of the common sfermion mass, m_0 (the NUHM1,2). We also consider the one-parameter extension of the CMSSM in which the input universality scale M_in is below the GUT scale (the sub-GUT CMSSM). We find that when M_in < M_GUT large regions of parameter space open up where the relic density of neutralinos can successfully account for dark matter with a Higgs boson mass ~125 GeV. In some of these regions essential roles are played by coannihilation processes that are usually less important in the CMSSM with M_in = M_GUT. Finally, we reconsider mSUGRA models with sub-GUT universality, which have the same number of parameters as the CMSSM. Here too, we find phenomenologically viable regions of parameter space, which are essentially non-existent in GUT-scale mSUGRA models. Interestingly, we find that the preferred range of the A-term straddles that predicted by the simplest Polonyi model.Comment: 28 pages, 12 figure

DISTRIBUTION OF ORGANIC CARBON, PHOSPHORUS AND NITROGEN IN THE SEDIMENTS OF MANAKUDY ESTUARY

Estuary is a transition zone between land and sea as well as freshwater and salt water. In the estuary, the water carrying agricultural, industrial and domestic wastes are deposited as sediment. Distribution of organic carbon, total phosphorus and total nitrogen in the sediments of Manakudy estuary has been studied. Based on their nature, five stations have been earmarked for sampling. The C/N ratio of these sediments is very high compared to the sediments from Mandovi estuary goa

That Does Not Compute: Unpacking the Fembot in American Science Fiction.

M.A. Thesis. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2017

No-signaling, entanglement-breaking, and localizability in bipartite channels

A bipartite quantum channel represents the interaction between systems, generally allowing for exchange of information. A special class of bipartite channels are the no-signaling ones, which do not allow communication. In Ref. [1] it has been conjectured that all no-signaling channels are mixtures of entanglement-breaking and localizable channels, which require only local operations and entanglement. Here we provide the general realization scheme, giving a counterexample to the conjecture.Comment: 4 pages, revtex

An Overview of Alternative Medicine: Past, Present, and Future

This thesis will discuss the role of alternative medicine in the United States. It will look at the history of various forms of medicine, the evolution of these practices, as well as their current role in our society. With rising health care costs and the failure of mainstream medicine to cure diseases such as cancer and HIV, it becomes all the more important to look beyond the traditional system. One in three people surveyed, reported using at least one form of unconventional medicine in 1990. This is a significant figure. There are very few studies currently available that focus on the use of alternative therapies. In fact, only one study was found to be significant enough to be used in this discussion. It is obvious that people are experimenting with alternative medicine, yet little is known about some of these therapies, and the extent to which people are using them. More studies are needed, and this has not gone unnoticed by the federal government who recently funded the Office for the Study of Alternative Practices. This paper will discuss the mainstreaming of alternative medicine in the United States. Will these therapies become mainstream medical practices, remain on the fringe of medicine, or be incorporated into orthodox practices? The obstacles and opportunities will also be discussed, as well as the shifting paradigm of the overall health care system. It would be very difficult to look at all of the alternative therapies currently available so only a handful of them were chosen for this paper. The ones selected are perhaps more accessible and currently popular. They are either close to becoming mainstream medical practices or are growing very quickly and significantly

The acquisition of concepts of light and sound in the intermediate grades

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Boston University