Relic Neutralino Density in Scenarios with Intermediate Unification Scale

We analyse the relic neutralino density in supersymmetric models with an intermediate unification scale. In particular, we present concrete cosmological scenarios where the reheating temperature is as small as $\cal{O}$ $1 - 1000$ MeV). When this temperature is associated to the decay of moduli fields producing neutralinos, we show that the relic abundance increases considerably with respect to the standard thermal production. Thus the neutralino becomes a good dark matter candidate with 0.1\lsim \Omega h^2 \lsim 0.3, even for regions of the parameter space where large neutralino-nucleon cross sections, compatible with current dark matter experiments, are present. This is obtained for intermediate scales $M_I\sim 10^{11}-10^{14}$ GeV, and moduli masses $m_\phi\sim 100-1000$ GeV. On the other hand, when the above temperature is associated to the decay of an inflaton field, the relic abundance is too small.Comment: Latex, 11 pages, 2 figure

SUSY breaking based on Abelian gaugino kinetic term mixings

We present a SUSY breaking scenario based on Abelian gaugino kinetic term mixings between hidden and observable sectors. If an extra U(1) gaugino in the observable sector obtains a large mass through this mixing effect based on SUSY breaking in the hidden sector, soft SUSY breaking parameters in the MSSM may be affected by radiative effects due to this gaugino mass. New phenomenological aspects are discussed in such a SUSY breaking scenario.Comment: latex, 12pages, 2figures, published versio

Direct detection of neutralino dark matter in supergravity

The direct detection of neutralino dark matter is analysed in general supergravity scenarios, where non-universal soft scalar and gaugino masses can be present. In particular, the theoretical predictions for the neutralino-nucleon cross section are studied and compared with the sensitivity of dark matter detectors. We take into account the most recent astrophysical and experimental constraints on the parameter space, including the current limit on B(Bs-> mu+ mu-). The latter puts severe limitations on the dark matter scattering cross section, ruling out most of the regions that would be within the reach of present experiments. We show how this constraint can be softened with the help of appropriate choices of non-universal parameters which increase the Higgsino composition of the lightest neutralino and minimise the chargino contribution to the b->s transition.Comment: 27 pages, 22 figure

No habitat preference in mixed meadows and rocky bottoms for Mediterranean Labridae and Sparidae fish species

Fish species composition, abundance, diversity and niche breadth of Mediterranean littoral communities have been assessed for two types of habitat: rocky bottoms and mixed meadows of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 and rocks. Labridae and Sparidae species have been considered to test differences in abundances between both habitats by means of underwater visual census. Data obtained suggests that these fish assemblages are very similar, and there are no significant differences in the niche breadth of both habitats. Differences in physical structure of the habitats are not enough to produce differences in the fish assemblages observed. A high fishing pressure in the study area may be removing the predator fish species, and consequently determining the species composition and abundance for rocky bottoms.Se ha estudiado la composición específica, la abundancia, la diversidad y la amplitud de nicho de dos comunidades ícticas mediterráneas mediante censos visuales en dos tipos de hábitat: fondos rocosos y fondos mixtos de Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, 1813 y roca. Se han observado especies de lábridos y espáridos y no se han encontrado diferencias significativas en las variables analizadas de estas comunidades en ambos hábitats. Las diferencias en la estructura física de los dos tipos de hábitat no son suficientes para justificar la aparición de variaciones significativas en las comunidades ícticas estudiadas. Un factor condicionante puede ser la elevada tasa de presión pesquera, que elimina las especies depredadoras y determinaría la composición específica y la abundancia de peces en los fondos rocosos.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Prospects for the direct detection of neutralino dark matter in orbifold scenarios

We analyse the phenomenology of orbifold scenarios from the heterotic superstring, and the resulting theoretical predictions for the direct detection of neutralino dark matter. In particular, we study the parameter space of these constructions, computing the low-energy spectrum and taking into account the most recent experimental and astrophysical constraints, as well as imposing the absence of dangerous charge and colour breaking minima. In the remaining allowed regions the spin-independent part of the neutralino-proton cross section is calculated and compared with the sensitivity of dark matter detectors. In addition to the usual non universalities of the soft terms in orbifold scenarios due to the modular weight dependence, we also consider D-term contributions to scalar masses. These are generated by the presence of an anomalous U(1), providing more flexibility in the resulting soft terms, and are crucial in order to avoid charge and colour breaking minima. Thanks to the D-term contribution, large neutralino detection cross sections can be found, within the reach of projected dark matter detectors.Comment: 51 pages, 25 figure

Stau detection at neutrino telescopes in scenarios with supersymmetric dark matter

We have studied the detection of long-lived staus at the IceCube neutrino telescope, after their production inside the Earth through the inelastic scattering of high energy neutrinos. The theoretical predictions for the stau flux are calculated in two scenarios in which the presence of long-lived staus is naturally associated to viable supersymmetric dark matter. Namely, we consider the cases with superWIMP (gravitino or axino) and neutralino dark matter (along the coannihilation region). In both scenarios the maximum value of the stau flux turns out to be about 1 event/yr in regions with a light stau. This is consistent with light gravitinos, with masses constrained by an upper limit which ranges from 0.2 to 15 GeV, depending on the stau mass. Likewise, it is compatible with axinos with a mass of about 1 GeV and a very low reheating temperature of order 100 GeV. In the case of the neutralino dark matter this favours regions with a low value of tan(beta), for which the neutralino-stau coannihilation region occurs for smaller values of the stau mass. Finally, we study the case of a general supergravity theory and show how for specific choices of non-universal soft parameters the predicted stau flux can increase moderately.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figures. References added and minor changes. Final version to appear in JCA

Neutralino-Nucleon Cross Section and Charge and Colour Breaking Constraints

We compute the neutralino-nucleon cross section in several supersymmetric scenarios, taking into account all kind of constraints. In particular, the constraints that the absence of dangerous charge and colour breaking minima imposes on the parameter space are studied in detail. In addition, the most recent experimental constraints, such as the lower bound on the Higgs mass, the $b\to s\gamma$ branching ratio, and the muon $g-2$ are considered. The astrophysical bounds on the dark matter density are also imposed on the theoretical computation of the relic neutralino density, assuming thermal production. This computation is relevant for the theoretical analysis of the direct detection of dark matter in current experiments. We consider first the supergravity scenario with universal soft terms and GUT scale. In this scenario the charge and colour breaking constraints turn out to be quite important, and \tan\beta\lsim 20 is forbidden. Larger values of $\tan\beta$ can also be forbidden, depending on the value of the trilinear parameter $A$. Finally, we study supergravity scenarios with an intermediate scale, and also with non-universal scalar and gaugino masses where the cross section can be very large.Comment: Final version to appear in JHE

Entropy production by Q-ball decay for diluting long-lived charged particles

The cosmic abundance of a long-lived charged particle such as a stau is tightly constrained by the catalyzed big bang nucleosynthesis. One of the ways to evade the constraints is to dilute those particles by a huge entropy production. We evaluate the dilution factor in a case that non-relativistic matter dominates the energy density of the universe and decays with large entropy production. We find that large Q balls can do the job, which is naturally produced in the gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking scenario.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

On the fraction of dark matter in charged massive particles (CHAMPs)

From various cosmological, astrophysical and terrestrial requirements, we derive conservative upper bounds on the present-day fraction of the mass of the Galactic dark matter (DM) halo in charged massive particles (CHAMPs). If dark matter particles are neutral but decay lately into CHAMPs, the lack of detection of heavy hydrogen in sea water and the vertical pressure equilibrium in the Galactic disc turn out to put the most stringent bounds. Adopting very conservative assumptions about the recoiling velocity of CHAMPs in the decay and on the decay energy deposited in baryonic gas, we find that the lifetime for decaying neutral DM must be > (0.9-3.4)x 10^3 Gyr. Even assuming the gyroradii of CHAMPs in the Galactic magnetic field are too small for halo CHAMPs to reach Earth, the present-day fraction of the mass of the Galactic halo in CHAMPs should be < (0.4-1.4)x 10^{-2}. We show that redistributing the DM through the coupling between CHAMPs and the ubiquitous magnetic fields cannot be a solution to the cuspy halo problem in dwarf galaxies.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures. To appear in JCA

Cold Dark Matter and b --> s gamma in the Horava-Witten Theory

The minimal supersymmetric standard model with complete, partial or no Yukawa unification and radiative electroweak breaking with boundary conditions from the Horava-Witten theory is considered. The parameters are restricted by constraining the lightest sparticle relic abundance by cold dark matter considerations and requiring the b-quark mass after supersymmetric corrections and the branching ratio of b --> s gamma to be compatible with data. Complete Yukawa unification can be excluded. Also, t-b Yukawa unification is strongly disfavored since it requires almost degenerate lightest and next-to-lightest sparticle masses. However, the b-tau or no Yukawa unification cases avoid this degeneracy. The latter with mu<0 is the most natural case. The lightest sparticle mass, in this case, can be as low as about 77 GeV.Comment: 16 pages including 4 figures, Revtex, version to appear in Phys. Lett.