Search

This work considers an extension of the Standard Model (SM) Higgs sector by a real, scalar singlet field, including applicability to a dark matter (DM) model with the addition of a Yukawa coupling to a Dirac fermion. The collider signatures and constraints on the mixed two-Higgs scenario are determined, including limits from Higgs production signals and exclusion searches, as well as constraints arising from the Higgs total and invisible widths. As there is overwhelming Higgs data which is consistent with a SM scenario, the case in which an additional scalar has evaded detection is further explored in the context of Higgs precision measurement. The discovery reach and prospective signatures of the model at a proposed linear collider are investigated, with particular focus on the Higgs triple coupling, and di-Higgs production processes., Comment: v2: Added references, revised description in Section 2, and small revisions to select figures; v3: Minor typographical corrections, published version

It is an intriguing possibility that dark matter (DM) could have flavor quantum numbers like the quarks. We propose and investigate a class of UV-complete models of this kind, in which the dark matter is in a scalar triplet of an SU(3) flavor symmetry, and interacts with quarks via a colored flavor-singlet fermionic mediator. Such mediators could be discovered at the LHC if their masses are $\sim 1$ TeV. We constrain the DM-mediator couplings using relic abundance, direct detection, and flavor-changing neutral-current considerations. We find that, for reasonable values of its couplings, scalar flavored DM can contribute significantly to the real and imaginary parts of the $B_s$-$\bar B_s$ mixing amplitude. We further assess the potential for such models to explain the galactic center GeV gamma-ray excess., Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures; added section on benchmark models and typographical errors corrected

Tentative evidence for excess GeV-scale gamma rays from the galactic center has been corroborated by several groups, including the Fermi collaboration, on whose data the observation is based. Dark matter annihilation into standard model particles has been shown to give a good fit to the signal for a variety of final state particles, but generic models are inconsistent with constraints from direct detection. Models where the dark matter annihilates to mediators that subsequently decay are less constrained. We perform global fits of such models to recent data, allowing branching fractions to all possible fermionic final states to vary. The best fit models, including constraints from the AMS-02 experiment (and also antiproton ratio), require branching primarily to muons, with a $\sim 10-20\%$ admixture of $b$ quarks, and no other species. This suggests models in which there are two scalar mediators that mix with the Higgs, and have masses consistent with such a decay pattern. The scalar that decays to $\mu^+\mu^-$ must therefore be lighter than $2m_\tau \cong 3.6$ GeV. Such a small mass can cause Sommerfeld enhancement, which is useful to explain why the best-fit annihilation cross section is larger than the value needed for a thermal relic density. For light mediator masses $\sim (0.2-2)$ GeV, it can also naturally lead to elastic DM self-interactions at the right level for addressing discrepancies in small structure formation as predicted by collisionless cold dark matter., Comment: 18 pages, 14 figures; v2: updated CMB constraint and added references; v3 corrected direct detection cross section

One of the simplest hidden sectors with signatures in the visible sector is fermionic dark matter $\chi$ coupled to a $Z'$ gauge boson that has purely kinetic mixing with the standard model hypercharge. We consider the combined constraints from relic density, direct detection and collider experiments on such models in which the dark matter is either a Dirac or a Majorana fermion. We point out sensitivity to details of the UV completion for the Majorana model. For kinetic mixing parameter $\epsilon \le 0.01$, only relic density and direct detection are relevant, while for larger $\epsilon$, electroweak precision, LHC dilepton, and missing energy constraints become important. We identify regions of the parameter space of $m_\chi$, $m_{Z'}$, dark gauge coupling and $\epsilon$ that are most promising for discovery through these experimental probes. We study the compatibility of the models with the galactic center gamma ray excess, finding agreement at the 2-3$\sigma$ level for the Dirac model., Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures; v.2 added reference; v.3 minor clarifications, published version

Dark matter annihilation into photons in our galaxy would constitute an exciting indirect signal of its existence, as underscored by tentative evidence for 130 GeV dark matter in Fermi/LAT data. Models that give a large annihilation cross section into photons typically require the dark matter to couple to, or be composed of, new charged particles, that can be produced in colliders. We consider the LHC constraints on some representative models of these types, including the signals of same-sign dileptons, opposite-sign dileptons, events mimicking the production and decay of excited leptons, four-photon events, resonant production of composite vectors decaying into two photons, and monophoton events., Comment: 28 pages, 22 figures. v2: Expanded discussions with four new figures, updated references, published version; v3: changed title

The interaction of bottom squark-mediated top quark pair production, occurring in the R-parity violating minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM), is proposed as an explanation of the anomalously large $t\bar{t}$ forward-backward asymmetry (FBA) observed at the Tevatron. We find that this model can give a good fit to top quark data, both the inclusive and invariant mass-dependent asymmetries, while remaining consistent (at the 2-$\sigma$ level) with the total and differential production cross-sections. The scenario is challenged by strong constraints from atomic parity violation (APV), but we point out an extra diagram for the effective down quark-Z vertex, involving the same coupling constant as required for the FBA, which tends to weaken the APV constraint, and which can nullify it for reasonable values of the top squark masses and mixing angle. Large contributions to flavor-changing neutral currents can be avoided if only the third generation of sparticles is light., Comment: 24 pages, 7 figures. v3: included LHC top production cross section data; model still consistent at 2 sigma level

A significant and growing portion of systematic error on a number of fundamental parameters in astrophysics and cosmology is due to uncertainties from absolute photometric and flux standards. A path toward achieving major reduction in such uncertainties may be provided by satellite-mounted light sources, resulting in improvement in the ability to precisely characterize atmospheric extinction, and thus helping to usher in the coming generation of precision results in astronomy. Toward this end, we have performed a campaign of observations of the 532 nm pulsed laser aboard the CALIPSO satellite, using a portable network of cameras and photodiodes, to precisely measure atmospheric extinction., Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, technology development white paper for the NAS Astro2010 Decadal Survey, and conference paper for the CALCON 2009 & AMOS 2009 conferences