1968264
Production of two photons and a jet through gluon fusion
We have computed the cross-section and distributions for the production of two photons and a jet via the process gg ! g. In the Standard Model, this process occurs at the one-loop level through pentagon and box diagrams. We show that at the LHC this is a signicant mechanism for the production of the two photons and a jet. This process is also an important background to the Higgs boson production, when the Higgs boson decays into two photons. We also explore this process at the Tevatron.
40668268
Fermionic zero modes in two-dimensional field theories.
13279222
Optimized top quark analysis with the decision tree.
We present an optimized and physically motivated method for separating top quark signal events from background events at the Fermilab Tevatron. For the top quark signal {ital t{bar t}}{r_arrow}{ital e}/{mu}+4 jets, we show how to reject all but 25% of the background in a data sample while retaining 83% of the signal, without introducing bias into the subsequent mass measurement. The technique used is the binary decision tree. Combining this highly efficient procedure for signal identification with a novel algorithm for top quark reconstruction, we propose a powerful new way to measure the top quark mass.
16369969
Signature of the intermediate mass Higgs boson at the CERN LHC with flavor tagging.
We examine the exclusive signature {ital e}{sup {plus_minus}}({mu}{sup {plus_minus}})+{ital b{bar b}} in the associated production of the intermediate mass Higgs boson with a {ital W} boson. We show that it is feasible to use this signature to identify the Higgs boson in the lower intermediate mass region (90 to 130 GeV) at the CERN LHC with reasonable acceptance cuts by assuming effective bottom-jet identification. We further demonstrate that the background can be reduced with judicious cuts down to the level of the signal.
55183340
Production of a KK-graviton in association with a boson via gluon fusion at the LHC
We discuss the processes where a KK-graviton ($G$) of the extra-dimensional models is produced in association with a color singlet boson via gluon fusion at the LHC. In particular, we consider the processes $gg \to h G$, $\gamma G$, $Z G$. These processes occur at one-loop through box and triangle diagrams. The cross-section for the process $gg \to \gamma G$ vanishes at the one-loop level. It can be understood by introducing the charge conjugation transformations of the KK-graviton. The processes $gg \to h G$, $Z G$ can be observed at the LHC if the KK-graviton and the Higgs boson exist with appropriate properties.
117007207
A Classification of Dark Matter Candidates with Primarily Spin-Dependent Interactions with Matter
We perform a model-independent classification of Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) dark matter candidates that have the property that their scattering off nucleons is dominated by spin-dependent interactions. We study renormalizable theories where the scattering of dark matter is elastic and arises at tree-level. We show that if the WIMP-nucleon cross section is dominated by spin-dependent interactions the natural dark matter candidates are either Majorana fermions or real vector bosons, so that the dark matter particle is its own anti-particle. In such a scenario, scalar dark matter is disfavored. Dirac fermion and complex vector boson dark matter are also disfavored, except for very specific choices of quantum numbers. We further establish that any such theory must contain either new particles close to the weak scale with Standard Model quantum numbers, or alternatively, a $Z'$ gauge boson with mass at or below the TeV scale. In the region of parameter space that is of interest to current direct detection experiments, these particles naturally lie in a mass range that is kinematically accessible to the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
55172248
Flavored dark matter beyond Minimal Flavor Violation
A bstractWe study the interplay of flavor and dark matter phenomenology for models of flavored dark matter interacting with quarks. We allow an arbitrary flavor structure in the coupling of dark matter with quarks. This coupling is assumed to be the only new source of violation of the Standard Model flavor symmetry extended by a U(3)χ associated with the dark matter. We call this ansatz Dark Minimal Flavor Violation (DMFV) and highlight its various implications, including an unbroken discrete symmetry that can stabilize the dark matter. As an illustration we study a Dirac fermionic dark matter χ which transforms as triplet under U(3)χ, and is a singlet under the Standard Model. The dark matter couples to right-handed down-type quarks via a colored scalar mediator ϕ with a coupling λ. We identify a number of “flavor-safe” scenarios for the structure of λ which are beyond Minimal Flavor Violation. For dark matter and collider phenomenology we focus on the well-motivated case of b-flavored dark matter. The combined flavor and dark matter constraints on the parameter space of λ turn out to be interesting intersections of the individual ones. LHC constraints on simplified models of squarks and sbottoms can be adapted to our case, and monojet searches can be relevant if the spectrum is compressed.
120513086
Flavored Dark Matter
Title of dissertation: FLAVORED DARK MATTER Prateek Agrawal, Doctor of Philosophy, 2012 Dissertation directed by: Professor Zackaria Chacko Department of Physics Astrophysical observations point to the fact that most of the matter density in the universe is in the form of a non-luminous “dark matter”. No particles detected so far satisfy the criteria to be dark matter candidates. If the present day dark matter density is set by thermal freeze out due to the expansion of the universe, then the dark matter particles likely have weak-scale interactions with ordinary matter. This opens up the possibility of detecting them in current experiments. We focus on a novel class of models – flavored dark matter – which contains multiple copies, or flavors, of dark matter particles, in analogy with the three copies of matter particles observed in nature. We classify such models and consider their implications for various dark matter searches. As an example, we choose one specific model with tau flavored dark matter, and consider its prospects for detection at the Large Hadron Collider. FLAVORED DARK MATTER
54542403
Flavored dark matter and the Galactic Center gamma-ray excess
avor-safe manner. We propose a phenomenologically viable model of bottom avored dark matter that can account for the spectral shape and normalization of the gamma-ray excess while naturally suppressing the elastic scattering cross sections probed by direct detection experiments. This model will be denitively tested with increased exposure at LUX and with data from the upcoming high-energy run of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
85504800
WIMPs at the galactic center
Simple models of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) predict dark matter annihilations into pairs of electroweak gauge bosons, Higgses or tops, which through their subsequent cascade decays produce a spectrum of gamma rays. Intriguingly, an excess in gamma rays coming from near the Galactic center has been consistently observed in Fermi data. A recent analysis by the Fermi collaboration confirms these earlier results. Taking into account the systematic uncertainties in the modelling of the gamma ray backgrounds, we show for the first time that this excess can be well fit by these final states. In particular, for annihilations to (WW, ZZ, hh, tt{sup -bar}), dark matter with mass between threshold and approximately (165, 190, 280, 310) GeV gives an acceptable fit. The fit range for bb{sup -bar} is also enlarged to 35 GeV≲m{sub χ}≲165 GeV. These are to be compared to previous fits that concluded only much lighter dark matter annihilating into b, τ, and light quark final states could describe the excess. We demonstrate that simple, well-motivated models of WIMP dark matter including a thermal-relic neutralino of the MSSM, Higgs portal models, as well as other simplified models can explain the excess.