Coannihilation Scenarios and Particle Spectroscopy in SU(4)_c x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R

We identify a variety of coannihilation scenarios in a supersymmetric SU(4)_c x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R model with discrete left-right symmetry. Non-universal gaugino masses, compatible with the gauge symmetry, play an essential role in realizing gluino and bino-wino coannihilation regions that are consistent with the WMAP dark matter constraints. We also explore regions of the parameter space in which the little hierarchy problem is partially resolved. We present several phenomenologically interesting benchmark points and the associated sparticle and Higgs mass spectra.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures and 1 tabl

From New to Large Field Inflation: Comparison with WMAP3

We briefly summarize and update a class of inflationary models from the early eighties based on a quartic (Coleman-Weinberg) potential for a gauge singlet scalar (inflaton) field. For vacuum energy scales comparable to the grand unification scale, the scalar spectral index n_s=0.94-0.97, in very good agreement with the WMAP three year results. The tensor to scalar ratio r<~0.14 while alpha=dn_s/d ln k=~-10^-3. For vacuum energy scales >~10^16 GeV, the inflationary scenario switches from `new' to `large-field' (V\propto\phi^2) inflation. An SO(10) version naturally explains the observed baryon asymmetry via non-thermal leptogenesis.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Based on a talk given by Q. Shafi at the 2nd International Conference on The Dark Side of the Universe (DSU 2006), Madrid (Spain), 20-24 June 200