Search

Axion-like particles are a well-motivated candidate for ultralight dark matter. Because dark matter must be non-relativistic, the effects of its scattering with Standard Model particles are negligible and generally go unnoticed. However, due to the large occupation number of ultralight dark matter, the sum of all scatterings leads to a classical field-like interaction with Standard Model particles. In the case of an axion-like particle, this scattering imparts a parity violating effect. If this collective scattering with axion-like particles is inserted into the one-loop quantum electrodynamics diagram, the parity violation imparted by this scattering will convert the anomalous magnetic moment contribution into an electric dipole moment. This contribution is quite large and leads to a prediction inconsistent with precision measurements of the proton and electron electric dipole moments, unless their couplings to the axion-like particles are very weak. As a result, the constraints on the couplings of axion-like particle dark matter to the electron and proton are improved by as much as eleven and six orders of magnitude, respectively., Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures

Recent work has shown the utility of examining background effects from ultralight dark matter on precision measurements. This effect enhances seemingly benign contributions to the level that experiments are sensitive to them. In this work, we examine the consequences of the effective axion-like particles coupling to photons in a background of axion-like particle dark matter. This analysis leads to new constraints on the product of the axion electron and axion photon coupling. Furthermore, since the axion photon coupling is generated, at one loop, by a pseudoscalar Yukawa coupling, this calculation can also be applied to constraining the axion-like particles coupling to the electron at the two-loop level. This contribution often dominates due to the fact that the one-loop contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the electron from a pseudoscalar is momentum suppressed.

In this paper, we discuss the predicted proton lifetimes in minimal supersymmetric (SUSY) $SU(5)$ grand unified theory (GUT) with gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking (GMSB). We focus on the case of $\mathbf{5} + \mathbf{\bar{5}}$ messengers and determine the low-scale mass spectrum of the scalar particles and gauginos using the renormalization group equations. With the obtained mass spectrum, we calculate the dominant proton decay mode for SUSY $SU(5)$ GUT, $p \to K^+ \bar{\nu}$. In our setup, we assume the messenger scale to be $\mathcal{O}(10^3)$ TeV in order to obtain a proper Higgs mass in GMSB scenario. For this messenger scale, we find the proton lifetime is consistent with current experimental limits and can be tested by future proton decay experiments., Comment: 7 pages, 1 figure

If dark matter is ultralight, the number density of dark matter is very high and the techniques of zero-temperature field theory are no longer valid. The dark matter number density modifies the vacuum giving it a non-negligible particle occupation number. For fermionic dark matter, this occupation number can be no larger than one. However, in the case of bosons the occupation number is unbounded. If there is a large occupation number, the Bose enhancement needs to be taken into consideration for any process involving particles which interact with the dark matter. Because the occupation number scales inversely with the dark matter mass, this effect is most prominent for ultralight dark matter. In fact, the Bose enhancement effect from the background is so significant for ultralight dark matter that, if dark matter is a dark photon, the correction to the anomalous magnetic moment is larger than experimental uncertainties for a mixing parameter of order $10^{-16}$ and a dark photon mass of order $10^{-20}$ eV. Furthermore, the constraint on the mixing parameter scales linearly with the dark photon mass and so new significant constraints can be placed on the dark matter mass all the way up to $10^{-14}$ eV. Future experiments measuring $g-2$ will probe even smaller gauge mixing parameters., Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures

Supersymmetry is still a viable explanation for the muon $g-2$ anomaly, if the sleptons and electroweak gauginos are $\mathcal{O}(100)$ GeV. However, for supersymmetry breaking masses this light, the SUSY flavor and CP-problem are exacerbated. To address this issue, we consider a flavor-safe gauge mediated explanation of the muon $g-2$ with additional Higgs soft supersymmetry breaking mass parameters. The setup provides a generic parameter space within minimal gauge mediation. Furthermore, we show that the problematic CP violating phase can be dynamically suppressed. We find that gauge mediation models have large portions of parameter space where the muon $g-2$ can be explained at 1 $\sigma$ level. The interplay between the slepton and the CP-odd Higgs masses also makes the majority of this model's parameter space testable at the LHC through searches for sleptons or additional Higgs bosons., Comment: 31 pages, 3 figures, version to appear in JHEP

It is known that the recently reported shift of the W boson mass can be easily explained by an $SU(2)_L$ triplet Higgs boson with a zero hypercharge if it obtains a vacuum expectation value (VEV) of $O(1)$ GeV. Surprisingly, the addition of a TeV scale complex triplet Higgs boson to the standard model (SM) leads to a precise unification of the gauge couplings at around $10^{14}$ GeV. We consider that it is a consequence of $SU(5)$ grand unification and show a possible potential for the Higgs fields yielding a weak scale complex $SU(2)$ triplet scalar boson. Although it seems the proton decay constraint would doom such a low-scale unification, we show that the constraint can be avoided by introducing vector-like fermions which mix with the SM fermions through mass terms involving the VEV of GUT breaking Higgs field. Importantly, the simplest viable model only requires the addition of one pair of vector-like fermions transforming ${\bf 10}$ and $\overline{\bf 10}$., Comment: 19 pages, 1 figure; references added

We consider the prospects for the direct detection of dark matter in pure gravity meditation (PGM) models of supersymmetry breaking. Minimal PGM models require only two parameters, the gravitino mass, $m_{3/2}$, which sets the UV mass for all scalar masses, and $\tan\beta$. Gaugino masses are generated through anomaly mediation. Typically the lightest supersymmetric state (the dark matter candidate) is a wino. Here, we consider a one-parameter extension of the minimal model by allowing the Higgs soft masses to deviate from universality. For simplicity, we take these to be equal and use the $\mu$-term as a surrogate. We also consider non-universal stop masses. When $|\mu| \sim 1$ TeV, the Higgsino is a viable dark matter candidate when the gravitino mass is of order $\sim 1$ PeV and $\tan\beta \simeq 2$. We calculate the spin-dependent and spin-independent cross sections for dark matter scattering on protons. For spin-independent scattering, existing experimental limits place constraints on the PGM parameter space. Much of the currently allowed parameter space lies above the irreducible neutrino background. Thus, future direct detection experiments will be able to probe much of the remaining PGM parameter space., Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures

We consider proton decay and $g_\mu - 2$ in flipped SU(5) GUT models. We first study scenarios in which the soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters are constrained to be universal at some high scale $M_{in}$ above the standard GUT scale where the QCD and electroweak SU(2) couplings unify. In this case the proton lifetime is typically $\gtrsim 10^{36}$~yrs, too long to be detected in the foreseeable future, and the supersymmetric contribution to $g_\mu - 2$ is too small to contribute significantly to resolving the discrepancy between the experimental measurement and data-driven calculations within the Standard Model. However, we identify a region of the constrained flipped SU(5) parameter space with large couplings between the 10- and 5-dimensional GUT Higgs representations where $p \to e^+ \pi^0$ decay may be detectable in the Hyper-Kamiokande experiment now under construction, though the contribution to $g_\mu -2$ is still small. A substantial contribution to $g_\mu - 2$ is possible, however, if the universality constraints on the soft supersymmetry-breaking masses are relaxed. We find a `quadrifecta' region where observable proton decay co-exists with a (partial) supersymmetric resolution of the $g_\mu - 2$ discrepancy and acceptable values of $m_h$ and the relic LSP density., Comment: 25 pages, 23 figures

In minimal supersymmetric SU(5) models, the proton can decay through dimension 5 operators. Since this decay depends directly on the supersymmetric soft masses, it will be constrained by other observables which depend on the soft masses, such as the Higgs mass and the dark matter relic density. In this work, we will examine the upper limit on the proton lifetime in minimal supersymmetric SU(5) with constrained minimal supersymmetric (CMSSM) boundary conditions set at the grand unification scale. We perform a random scan over the variables of the (CMSSM), with of order $10^{6}$ points, and find that the proton lifetime is within reach of JUNO and Hyper-Kamiokande's experiment., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures

We analyze the possible magnitude of the supersymmetric contribution to $g_\mu - 2$ in a flipped SU(5) GUT model. Unlike other GUT models which are severely constrained by universality relations, in flipped SU(5) the U(1) gaugino mass and the soft supersymmetry-breaking masses of right-handed sleptons are unrelated to the other gaugino, slepton and squark masses. Consequently, the lightest neutralino and the right-handed smuon may be light enough to mitigate the discrepancy between the experimental measurement of $g_\mu - 2$ and the Standard Model calculation, in which case they may be detectable at the LHC and/or a 250 GeV $e^+ e^-$ collider, whereas the other gauginos and sfermions are heavy enough to escape detection at the LHC., Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures

We explore a missing-partner model based on the minimal SU(5) gauge group with $\bf{75}$, $\bf{50}$ and $\bf{\overline{50}}$ Higgs representations, assuming a super-GUT CMSSM scenario in which soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters are universal at some high scale $M_{\rm in}$ above the GUT scale $M_{\rm GUT}$. We identify regions of parameter space that are consistent with the cosmological dark matter density, the measured Higgs mass and the experimental lower limit on $\tau(p \to K^+ \nu)$. These constraints can be satisfied simultaneously along stop coannihilation strips in the super-GUT CMSSM with $\tan \beta \sim 3.5 - 5$ where the input gaugino mass $m_{1/2} \sim 15 - 25$~TeV, corresponding after strong renormalization by the large GUT Higgs representations between $M_{\rm in}$ and $M_{\rm GUT}$ to $m_{\rm LSP}, m_{\tilde t_1} \sim 2.5 - 5$~TeV and $m_{\tilde g} \sim 13 - 20$~TeV, with the light-flavor squarks significantly heavier. We find that $\tau(p \to K^+ \nu) \lesssim 3 \times 10^{34}$~yrs throughout the allowed range of parameter space, within the range of the next generation of searches with the JUNO, DUNE and Hyper-Kamiokande experiments., Comment: 30 pages, 13 figures

We explore the possible values of the $\mu \to e \gamma$ branching ratio, $\text{BR}(\mu\rightarrow e\gamma)$, and the electron dipole moment (eEDM), $d_e$, in no-scale SU(5) super-GUT models with the boundary conditions that soft supersymmetry-breaking matter scalar masses vanish at some high input scale, $M_{\rm in}$, above the GUT scale, $M_{\rm GUT}$. We take into account the constraints from the cosmological cold dark matter density, $\Omega_{CDM} h^2$, the Higgs mass, $M_h$, and the experimental lower limit on the lifetime for $p \to K^+ \bar \nu$, the dominant proton decay mode in these super-GUT models. Reconciling this limit with $\Omega_{CDM} h^2$ and $M_h$ requires the Higgs field responsible for the charge-2/3 quark masses to be twisted, and possibly also that responsible for the charge-1/3 and charged-lepton masses, with model-dependent soft supersymmetry-breaking masses. We consider six possible models for the super-GUT initial conditions, and two possible choices for quark flavor mixing, contrasting their predictions for proton decay with versions of the models in which mixing effects are neglected. We find that $\tau\left(p\rightarrow K^+ \bar{\nu}\right)$ may be accessible to the upcoming Hyper-Kamiokande experiment, whereas all the models predict $\text{BR}(\mu\rightarrow e\gamma)$ and $d_e$ below the current and prospective future experimental sensitivities or both flavor choices, when the dark matter density, Higgs mass and current proton decay constraints are taken into account. However, there are limited regions with one of the flavor choices in two of the models where $\mu \to e$ conversion on a heavy nucleus may be observable in the future. Our results indicate that there is no supersymmetric flavor problem in the class of no-scale models we consider., Comment: 45 pages, 38 figures

Product group unification is an attractive alternative to simple grand unification. It solves the infamous doublet-triplet splitting problem and the dimension-5 proton decay problems without introducing any fine-tuning. Furthermore, the matter multiplets are still embedded into unified SU(5) representations. In this paper, we discuss proton decay of the simplest product group unification model based on SU(5)XU(2)_H . We find that the minimal setup of the model has already been excluded by dimension-6 proton decay. We also show that a simple extension of the model, with naturally generated SU(5) incomplete multiplets, can rectify this problem. We find that the proton lifetime will be in reach of coming experiments like DUNE and Hyper-K, when the mass of the incomplete multiplet is associated with the Peccei-Quinn symmetry breaking. In this case, the dark matter may be an admixture of the Wino LSP and the axion., Comment: 23 pages, 15 figures

Encouraged by the advent of a new generation of underground detectors---JUNO, DUNE and Hyper-Kamiokande---that are projected to improve significantly on the present sensitivities to various baryon decay modes, we revisit baryon decay in the minimal supersymmetric SU(5) GUT. We discuss the phenomenological uncertainties associated with hadronic matrix elements and the value of the strong coupling $\alpha_s$---which are the most important---the weak mixing angle $\theta_W$, quark masses including one-loop renormalization effects, quark mixing and novel GUT phases that are not visible in electroweak interaction processes. We apply our analysis to a variety of CMSSM, super- and sub-GUT scenarios in which soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters are assumed to be universal at, above and below the GUT scale, respectively. In many cases, we find that the next generation of underground detectors should be able to probe models with sparticle masses that are ${\cal O}(10)$~TeV, beyond the reach of the LHC., Comment: 53 pages, 17 figures

The lack of evidence for low-scale supersymmetry suggests that the scale of supersymmetry breaking may be higher than originally anticipated. However, there remain many motivations for supersymmetry including gauge coupling unification and a stable dark matter candidate. Models like pure gravity mediation (PGM) evade LHC searches while still providing a good dark matter candidate and gauge coupling unification. Here, we study the effects of PGM if the input boundary conditions for soft supersymmetry breaking masses are pushed beyond the unification scale and higher dimensional operators are included. The added running beyond the unification scale opens up the parameter space by relaxing the constraints on $\tan\beta$. If higher dimensional operators involving the SU(5) adjoint Higgs are included, the mass of the heavy gauge bosons of SU(5) can be suppressed leading to proton decay, $p\to \pi^0 e^+$, that is within reach of future experiments. Higher dimensional operators involving the supersymmetry breaking field can generate additional contributions to the A- and B-terms of order $m_{3/2}$. The threshold effects involving these A- and B-terms significantly impact the masses of the gauginos and can lead to a bino LSP. In some regions of parameter space the bino can be degenerate with the wino or gluino and give an acceptable dark matter relic density., Comment: 37 pages, 27 figures

We revisit the minimal supersymmetric SU(5) grand unified theory with three right-handed neutrinos in which universality conditions for soft-supersymmetry breaking parameters are imposed at an input scale above the unification scale. If the Majorana masses for the neutrinos are around $10^{15}$ GeV, large mixing angles and phases in the neutrino sector lead to flavor-violation and CP-violation in the right-handed down squark and left-handed slepton sectors. Since the observed Higgs boson mass and the proton decay constraints indicate sfermions have masses larger than a few TeV, flavor and CP constraints are less restrictive. We explore the constraints on models with a universal soft-supersymmetry breaking input parameters coming from proton stability, electric dipole moments, $\mu\to e\gamma$ decays, and the Higgs mass observed at the LHC. Regions compatible with all constraints can be found if non-zero A-terms are taken., Comment: 28 pages, 4 figures, version accepted PRD

We examine the theoretical motivations for long-lived particle (LLP) signals at the LHC in a comprehensive survey of Standard Model (SM) extensions. LLPs are a common prediction of a wide range of theories that address unsolved fundamental mysteries such as naturalness, dark matter, baryogenesis and neutrino masses, and represent a natural and generic possibility for physics beyond the SM (BSM). In most cases the LLP lifetime can be treated as a free parameter from the $\mu$m scale up to the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis limit of $\sim 10^7$m. Neutral LLPs with lifetimes above $\sim$ 100m are particularly difficult to probe, as the sensitivity of the LHC main detectors is limited by challenging backgrounds, triggers, and small acceptances. MATHUSLA is a proposal for a minimally instrumented, large-volume surface detector near ATLAS or CMS. It would search for neutral LLPs produced in HL-LHC collisions by reconstructing displaced vertices (DVs) in a low-background environment, extending the sensitivity of the main detectors by orders of magnitude in the long-lifetime regime. In this white paper we study the LLP physics opportunities afforded by a MATHUSLA-like detector at the HL-LHC. We develop a model-independent approach to describe the sensitivity of MATHUSLA to BSM LLP signals, and compare it to DV and missing energy searches at ATLAS or CMS. We then explore the BSM motivations for LLPs in considerable detail, presenting a large number of new sensitivity studies. While our discussion is especially oriented towards the long-lifetime regime at MATHUSLA, this survey underlines the importance of a varied LLP search program at the LHC in general. By synthesizing these results into a general discussion of the top-down and bottom-up motivations for LLP searches, it is our aim to demonstrate the exceptional strength and breadth of the physics case for the construction of the MATHUSLA detector., Comment: 213 pages, 73 figures. Extended Section 2 to add more detailed discussion of LLP reconstruction and analysis, and background rejection. Updated comparison of MATHUSLA RH neutrino sensitivity to other experiments. Updated analysis of long-lived ALPs produced in weak-scale processes and decaying to jets. Various clarifications, fixed typos, and added references. Results and conclusions unchanged

Stop coannihilation may bring the relic density of heavy supersymmetric dark matter particles into the range allowed by cosmology. The efficiency of this process is enhanced by stop-antistop annihilations into the longitudinal (Goldstone) modes of the $W$ and $Z$ bosons, as well as by Sommerfeld enhancement of stop annihilations and the effects of bound states. Since the couplings of the stops to the Goldstone modes are proportional to the trilinear soft supersymmetry-breaking $A$-terms, these annihilations are enhanced when the $A$-terms are large. However, the Higgs mass may be reduced below the measured value if the $A$-terms are too large. Unfortunately, the interpretation of this constraint on the stop coannihilation strip is clouded by differences between the available Higgs mass calculators. For our study, we use as our default calculator FeynHiggs 2.13.0, the most recent publicly available version of this code. Exploring the CMSSM parameter space, we find that along the stop coannihilation strip the masses of the stops are severely split by the large $A$-terms. This suppresses the Higgs mass drastically for $\mu$ and $A_0 > 0$, whilst the extent of the stop coannihilation strip is limited for $A_0 < 0$ and either sign of $\mu$. However, in sub-GUT models, reduced renormalization-group running mitigates the effect of the large $A$-terms, allowing larger LSP masses to be consistent with the Higgs mass calculation. We give examples where the dark matter particle mass may reach $\gtrsim 8$ TeV., Comment: 26 pages, 28 figures

We present a dynamical cosmological solution that simultaneously accounts for the early inflationary stage of the Universe and solves the supersymmetric little hierarchy problem via the relaxion mechanism. First, we consider an inflationary potential arising from the $D$-term of a new $U(1)$ gauge symmetry with a Fayet--Iliopolous term, that is independent of the relaxion. A technically natural, small $U(1)$ gauge coupling, $g\lesssim 10^{-8}$, allows for a low Hubble scale of inflation, $H_I\lesssim 10^5$ GeV, which is shown to be consistent with Planck data. This feature is then used to realize a supersymmetric two-field relaxion mechanism, where the second field is identified as the inflaton provided that $H_I\lesssim 10$ GeV. The inflaton controls the relaxion barrier height allowing the relaxion to evolve in the early Universe and scan the supersymmetric soft masses. After electroweak symmetry is broken, the relaxion settles at a local supersymmetry-breaking minimum with a range of $F$-term values that can naturally explain supersymmetric soft mass scales up to $10^6$ GeV., Comment: 37 pages, 4 figures

We reconsider the minimal SU(5) Grand Unified Theory (GUT) in the context of no-scale supergravity, assuming that the soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters satisfy universality conditions at some input scale M_in above the GUT scale M_GUT. When setting up such a no-scale super-GUT model, special attention must be paid to avoiding the Scylla of rapid proton decay and the Charybdis of an excessive density of cold dark matter, while also having an acceptable mass for the Higgs boson. We do not find consistent solutions if none of the matter and Higgs fields are assigned to twisted chiral supermultiplets, even in the presence of Giudice-Masiero terms. However, consistent solutions may be found if at least one fiveplet of GUT Higgs fields is assigned to a twisted chiral supermultiplet, with a suitable choice of modular weights. Spin-independent dark matter scattering may be detectable in some of these consistent solutions., Comment: 24 pages, 14 figures

We revisit minimal supersymmetric SU(5) grand unification (GUT) models in which the soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters of the minimal supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) are universal at some input scale, $M_{in}$, above the supersymmetric gauge coupling unification scale, $M_{GUT}$. As in the constrained MSSM (CMSSM), we assume that the scalar masses and gaugino masses have common values, $m_0$ and $m_{1/2}$ respectively, at $M_{in}$, as do the trilinear soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters $A_0$. Going beyond previous studies of such a super-GUT CMSSM scenario, we explore the constraints imposed by the lower limit on the proton lifetime and the LHC measurement of the Higgs mass, $m_h$. We find regions of $m_0$, $m_{1/2}$, $A_0$ and the parameters of the SU(5) superpotential that are compatible with these and other phenomenological constraints such as the density of cold dark matter, which we assume to be provided by the lightest neutralino. Typically, these allowed regions appear for $m_0$ and $m_{1/2}$ in the multi-TeV region, for suitable values of the unknown SU(5) GUT-scale phases and superpotential couplings, and with the ratio of supersymmetric Higgs vacuum expectation values $\tan \beta \lesssim 6$., Comment: 30 pages, 6 figures; version published in EPJC

We present a supersymmetric version of a two-field relaxion model that naturalizes tuned versions of supersymmetry. This arises from a relaxion mechanism that does not depend on QCD dynamics and where the relaxion potential barrier height is controlled by a second axion-like field. During the cosmological evolution, the relaxion rolls with a nonzero value that breaks supersymmetry and scans the soft supersymmetric mass terms. Electroweak symmetry is broken after the soft masses become of order the supersymmetric Higgs mass term and causes the relaxion to stop rolling for superpartner masses up to $\sim 10^9$ GeV. This can explain the tuning in supersymmetric models, including split-SUSY models, while preserving the QCD axion solution to the strong CP problem. Besides predicting two very weakly-coupled axion-like particles, the supersymmetric spectrum may contain an extra Goldstino, which could be a viable dark matter candidate., Comment: 33 pages, 3 figures; v2: bounds and figures corrected

SO(10) grand unification accommodates intermediate gauge symmetries with which gauge coupling unification can be realized without supersymmetry. In this paper, we discuss the possibility that a new massive gauge boson associated with an intermediate gauge symmetry explains the excess observed in the diboson resonance search recently reported by the ATLAS experiment. The model we find has two intermediate symmetries, $SU(4)_C \otimes SU(2)_L \otimes SU(2)_R$ and $SU(3)_C \otimes SU(2)_L \otimes SU(2)_R \otimes U(1)_{B-L}$, where the latter gauge group is broken at the TeV scale. This model achieves gauge coupling unification with a unification scale sufficiently high to avoid proton decay. In addition, this model provides a good dark matter candidates, whose stability is guaranteed by a $Z_2$ symmetry present after the spontaneous breaking of the intermediate gauge symmetries. We also discuss prospects for testing these models in the forthcoming LHC experiments and dark matter detection experiments., Comment: 22 pages, 2 figures

We study supersymmetric scenarios in which the gluino is the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle (NLSP), with a mass sufficiently close to that of the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) that gluino coannihilation becomes important. One of these scenarios is the MSSM with soft supersymmetry-breaking squark and slepton masses that are universal at an input GUT renormalization scale, but with non-universal gaugino masses. The other scenario is an extension of the MSSM to include vector-like supermultiplets. In both scenarios, we identify the regions of parameter space where gluino coannihilation is important, and discuss their relations to other regions of parameter space where other mechanisms bring the dark matter density into the range allowed by cosmology. In the case of the non-universal MSSM scenario, we find that the allowed range of parameter space is constrained by the requirement of electroweak symmetry breaking, the avoidance of a charged LSP and the measured mass of the Higgs boson, in particular, as well as the appearance of other dark matter (co)annihilation processes. Nevertheless, LSP masses $m_\chi \lesssim 8$~TeV with the correct dark matter density are quite possible. In the case of pure gravity mediation with additional vector-like supermultiplets, changes to the anomaly-mediated gluino mass and the threshold effects associated with these states can make the gluino almost degenerate with the LSP, and we find a similar upper bound., Comment: 25 pages, 22 figures

We consider two potential non-accelerator signatures of generalizations of the well-studied constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (CMSSM). In one generalization, the universality constraints on soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters are applied at some input scale $M_{in}$ below the grand unification (GUT) scale $M_{GUT}$, a scenario referred to as `sub-GUT'. The other generalization we consider is to retain GUT-scale universality for the squark and slepton masses, but to relax universality for the soft supersymmetry-breaking contributions to the masses of the Higgs doublets. As with other CMSSM-like models, the measured Higgs mass requires supersymmetric particle masses near or beyond the TeV scale. Because of these rather heavy sparticle masses, the embedding of these CMSSM-like models in a minimal SU(5) model of grand unification can yield a proton lifetime consistent with current experimental limits, and may be accessible in existing and future proton decay experiments. Another possible signature of these CMSSM-like models is direct detection of supersymmetric dark matter. The direct dark matter scattering rate is typically below the reach of the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment if $M_{in}$ is close to $M_{GUT}$, but may lie within its reach if $M_{in} \lesssim 10^{11}$ GeV. Likewise, generalizing the CMSSM to allow non-universal supersymmetry-breaking contributions to the Higgs offers extensive possibilities for models within reach of the LZ experiment that have long proton lifetimes., Comment: 42 pages, 15 figures

In this paper, we argue that an extension of the Standard Model with a single leptoquark and three right-handed neutrinos can explain the excess in the first-generation leptoquark search at the LHC. We also find that when the leptoquark has similarly sized couplings to all three generations, it produces additional signals which will soon be tested in the second- and third-generation leptoquark searches, as well as in decay channels consisting of two mixed flavor leptons and two jets. If the leptoquark only couples to the first generation, on the other hand, two of the right-handed neutrinos need to be fairly degenerate in mass with the leptoquark while the other right-handed neutrinos mass should be much lighter. This hierarchical structure could explain dark matter and the baryon asymmetry of the Universe. These simple models may be regarded as benchmark models for explaining the excess, which can be tested in the next stage of the LHC running., Comment: 25 pages, 2 figures

We discuss the proton lifetime in pure gravity mediation models with non-universal Higgs soft masses. Pure gravity mediation offers a simple framework for studying SU(5) grand unified theories with a split supersymmetry like spectra. We find that for much of the parameter space gauge coupling unification is quite good leading to rather long lifetimes for the proton. However, for $m_{3/2}\sim 60$ TeV and $\tan\beta\sim 4$, for which gauge coupling unification is also good, the proton lifetime is short enough that it could be in reach of future experiments., Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures. Version accepted for publication in Physical Review D

Motivated by the coincidence between the Hubble scale during inflation and the typical see-saw neutrino mass scale, we present a supergravity model where the inflaton is identified with a linear combination of right-handed sneutrino fields. The model accommodates an inflaton potential that is flatter than quadratic chaotic inflation, resulting in a measurable but not yet ruled out tensor-to-scalar ratio. Small CP-violation in the neutrino mass matrix and supersymmetry breaking yield an evolution in the complex plane for the sneutrino fields. This induces a net lepton charge that, via the Affleck-Dine mechanism, can be the origin of the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe., Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure

Pure gravity mediation (PGM), with two free parameters, is a minimalistic approach to supergravity models, yet is capable of incorporating radiative electroweak symmetry breaking, a Higgs mass in agreement with the experimental measurement, without violating any phenomenological constraints. The model may also contain a viable dark matter candidate in the form of a wino. Here, we extend the minimal model by allowing the $\mu$-term to be a free parameter (equivalent to allowing the two Higgs soft masses, $m_1$ and $m_2$, to differ from other scalar masses) which are set by the gravitino mass. In particular, we examine the region of parameter space where $\mu \ll m_{3/2}$ in which case, the Higgsino becomes the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) and a dark matter candidate. We also consider a generalization of PGM which incorporates a Peccei-Quinn symmetry which determines the $\mu$-term dynamically. In this case, we show that the dark matter may either be in the form of an axion and/or a neutralino, and that the LSP may be either a wino, bino, or Higgsino., Comment: 24 pages, 13 Figures

We consider models of Pure Gravity Mediation in which scalar mass universality is imposed at the grand unified scale and gaugino masses are generated through loops. The minimal model requires a very restricted range for $\tan \beta \approx 2-3$ and scalar masses (set by the gravitino mass) of order 300 TeV - 1.5 PeV in order to obtain a Higgs mass near 126 GeV. Here we augment the minimal model with one or more sets of vector multiplets (either a ${10}$ and $\bar {10}$ pair or one or more $5$ and $\bar 5$ pairs). If coupled to the MSSM Higgs, these allow for radiative electroweak symmetry breaking over a significantly larger range of $\tan \beta \approx 2-40$ and can fit the Higgs mass with much smaller values of the gravitino mass. In these models, the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) is often the bino, and in order to satisfy the relic density constraint, the bino must be nearly degenerate with either the wino or gluino. In the models considered here, bino gluino coannihilations determine the relic density and since the two are nearly degenerate, LHC limits on the gluino mass are greatly relaxed allowing light relatively gravitinos and gluino masses well within the reach of the LHC.

Successful models of Pure Gravity Mediation (PGM) with radiative electroweak symmetry breaking can be expressed with as few as two free parameters which can be taken as the gravitino mass and $\tan \beta$. These models easily support a 125-126 GeV Higgs mass at the expense of a scalar spectrum in the multi-TeV range and a much lighter wino as the lightest supersymmetric particle. In these models, it is also quite generic that the Higgs mixing mass parameter, $\mu$, which is determined by the minimization of the Higgs potential is also in the multi-TeV range. For $\mu > 0$, the thermal relic density of winos is too small to account for the dark matter. The same is true for $\mu < 0$ unless the gravitino mass is of order 500 TeV. Here, we consider the origin of a multi-TeV $\mu$ parameter arising from the breakdown of a Peccei-Quinn (PQ) symmetry. A coupling of the PQ-symmetry breaking field, $P$, to the MSSM Higgs doublets, naturally leads to a value of $\mu \sim \langle P \rangle^2 /M_P \sim \mathcal{O}(100)$ TeV and of order that is required in PGM models. In this case, axions make up the dark matter or some fraction of the dark matter with the remainder made up from thermal or non-thermal winos. We also provide solutions to the problem of isocurvature fluctuations with axion dark matter in this context., Comment: 17 pages, 7 figures

We consider the effects of non-universalities among sfermion generations in models of Pure Gravity Mediation (PGM). In PGM models and in many models with strongly stabilized moduli, the gravitino mass may be O(100) TeV, whereas gaugino masses, generated through anomalies at 1-loop, remain relatively light O(1) TeV. In models with scalar mass universality, input scalar masses are generally very heavy (m_0 \simeq m_{3/2}) resulting in a mass spectrum resembling that in split supersymmetry. However, if one adopts a no-scale or partial no-scale structure for the K\"ahler manifold, sfermion masses may vanish at the tree level. It is usually assumed that the leading order anomaly mediated contribution to scalar masses appears at 2-loops. However, there are at least two possible sources for 1-loop scalar masses. These may arise if Pauli-Villars fields are introduced as messengers of supersymmetry breaking. We consider the consequences of a spectrum in which the scalar masses associated with the third generation are heavy (order m_{3/2}) with 1-loop scalar masses for the first two generations. A similar spectrum is expected to arise in GUT models based on E_7/SO(10) where the first two generations of scalars act as pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone bosons. Explicit breaking of this symmetry by the gauge couplings then generates one-loop masses for the first two generations. In particular, we show that it may be possible to reconcile the g_mu - 2 discrepancy with potentially observable scalars and gauginos at the LHC., Comment: 30 pages, 30 figures

In gravity mediated models and in particular in models with strongly stabilized moduli, there is a natural hierarchy between gaugino masses, the gravitino mass and moduli masses: $m_{1/2} \ll m_{3/2} \ll m_{\phi}$. Given this hierarchy, we show that 1) moduli problems associated with excess entropy production from moduli decay and 2) problems associated with moduli/gravitino decays to neutralinos are non-existent. Placed in an inflationary context, we show that the amplitude of moduli oscillations are severely limited by strong stabilization. Moduli oscillations may then never come to dominate the energy density of the Universe. As a consequence, moduli decay to gravitinos and their subsequent decay to neutralinos need not overpopulate the cold dark matter density., Comment: 29 pages, 2 figures

The simplest model of pure gravity mediation contains only two free parameters: the gravitino mass and \tan\beta. Scalar masses are universal at some high energy renormalization scale and gaugino masses are determined through anomalies and depend on the gravitino mass and the gauge couplings. This theory requires a relatively large gravitino mass (m_{3/2}\gtrsim 300\,TeV) and a limited range in \tan \beta \simeq 1.7--2.5. Here we generalize the theory to allow for non-universality in the Higgs soft masses. This introduces zero, one or two new free parameters associated with Higgs soft masses. This generalization allows us to greatly increase the allowed range in \tan \beta and it allows one to find viable solutions with lower m_{3/2}. The latter is important if we hope to find a low energy signal from gluinos. Some special cases of these non-universalities are suggestive of Higgs bosons as Nambu-Goldstone bosons or a partial no-scale structure for the Higgs doublets. Thus, we probe signatures at the weak scale and structures at the GUT and/or Planck scale., Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures

If low energy supersymmetry is realized in nature, the apparent discovery of a Higgs boson with mass around 125 GeV points to a supersymmetric mass spectrum in the TeV or multi-TeV range. Multi-TeV scalar masses are a necessary component of supersymmetric models with pure gravity mediation or in any model with strong moduli stabilization. Here, we show that full scalar mass universality remains viable as long as the ratio of Higgs vevs, tan beta is relatively small (\lesssim 2.5). We discuss in detail the low energy (observable) consequences of these models., Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures

Here, we give a broad overview of the more natural spectra allowed by the LHC when UDD R-parity violation is allowed. Because R-parity violation removes the missing energy signals in colliders, the experimental constraints on the gluino, stops, sbottoms and higgsinos are relatively mild. We also show that UDD R-parity violation and lepton number conservation can be made consistent with grand unification. This feat is achieved through the product unification, SU(5) X U(3). In this model, mixing of the SM quarks with additional quark like particles charged under the U(3) generate a UDD R-parity violating operator. Furthermore, these models are also capable of generating a "natural" spectra. The emergence of these more natural low-scale spectra relies heavily on the fact that the gaugino masses are non-universal, a natural consequence of product unification.

We propose a new mechanism for producing a Higgs boson mass near 125 GeV within the MSSM. By coupling the MSSM Higgs boson to a set of strongly interacting fields, large corrections to the Higgs quartic coupling are induced. Although the Higgs doublets do not participate in the strong dynamics, they feel the effects of the strongly coupled sector via (semi-)perturbative interactions. These same strong dynamics are also capable of generating the $\mu$-term. Additionally, this strong sector is in the conformal window, which drives the couplings to an infrared fixed point and naturally generates model parameters of the appropriate size., Comment: 31 pages, 13 figures

Recently, the ATLAS and CMS collaborations reported exciting hints of a Standard Model-like Higgs boson with a mass around 125GeV. A Higgs boson this heavy is difficult to realize in conventional models of gauge mediation. Here we revisit the lightest Higgs boson mass in "more generic gauge mediation," where the Higgs doublets mix with the messenger doublets. We show that a Higgs boson mass around 125GeV can be realized in more generic gauge mediation models, even for a relatively light gluino mass ~1TeV. We also show that the muon anomalous magnetic moment can be within 1sigma of the experimental value for these models, even when the Higgs boson is relatively heavy. We also discuss the LHC constraints and the prospects of discovery., Comment: 28 pages, 7 figures. Corrections and references are added

We show that more than two generations of quarks and leptons are required to have an anomaly free discrete R-symmetry larger than R-parity, provided that the supersymmetric Standard Model can be minimally embedded into a grand unified theory. This connects an explanation for the number of generations with seemingly unrelated problems like supersymmetry breaking, proton decay, the mu problem, and the cosmological constant through a discrete R-symmetry. We also show that three generations is uniquely required by a non-anomalous discrete R-symmetry in classes of grand unified theories such as the ones based on (semi-)simple gauge groups., Comment: 4 pages

We discuss the implications of the excesses in LHC Higgs boson searches on the gauge mediated supersymmetric standard model, for the mass range 120-140\,GeV. We find that a relatively heavy lightest Higgs boson mass in this range can be reconciled with light SUSY particles, $m_{\rm gluino}<2$\,TeV, if there are additional fields which couple directly to the Higgs boson. We also find that the mass of this extra matter can be predicted rather precisely in gauge mediation for a given Higgs boson and gluino mass., Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures

We discuss gauge mediation models where the doublet messengers and Higgs doublets are allowed to mix through a "charged" coupling. The charged coupling replaces messenger parity as a means of suppressing flavor changing neutral currents without introducing any unwanted CP violation. As a result of this mixing between the Higgs doublets and the messengers, relatively large A-terms are generated at the messenger scale. These large A-terms produce a distinct weak scale mass spectrum. Particularly, we show that the lightest Higgs boson mass is enhanced and can be as heavy as 125GeV for a gluino mass as light as 2TeV. We also show that the stops are heavier than that predicted by conventional gauge mediation models. It is also shown that these models have a peculiar slepton mass spectrum., Comment: 17pages, 5 figures, revised version

We argue that some of the difficulties in constructing realistic models of low-scale gauge mediation are artifacts of the narrow set of models that have been studied. In particular, much attention has been payed to the scenario in which the Goldstino superfield in an O'Raifeartaigh model is responsible for both supersymmetry breaking and R-symmetry breaking. In such models, the competing problems of generating sufficiently massive gauginos while preserving an acceptably light gravitino can be quite challenging. We show that by sharing the burdens of breaking supersymmetry and R-symmetry with a second field, these problems are easily solved even within the O'Raifeartaigh framework. We present explicit models realizing minimal gauge mediation with a gravitino mass in the eV range that are both calculable and falsifiable., Comment: 31 pages, 4 figures, references added, minor changes

We explore the consequences of the Higgs fields acting as messengers of supersymmetry breaking. The hidden-sector paradigm in the gauge mediation framework is relaxed by allowing two types of gauge-invariant, renormalizable operators that are typically discarded: direct coupling between the Higgses and supersymmetry breaking singlets, and Higgs-messenger mixing terms. The most important phenomenological consequence is a flavor-dependent shift in sfermion masses. This is from a one-loop contribution, which we compute for a general set of weak doublet messengers. We also study a couple of explicit models in detail, finding that precision electroweak constraints can be satisfied with a spectrum significantly different from that of gauge mediation., Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures

We construct a model that naturally generates mu and B of the same order without producing large CP violating phases. This is easily accomplished once one permits these mass scales to be determined independently of the ordinary gauge-mediated soft masses. The alignment of phases is shown to emerge dynamically upon coupling to supergravity and is not unique to the model presented here., Comment: 10 pages

No-scale supersymmetry or gaugino mediation augmented with large negative Higgs soft masses at the input scale provides a simple solution to the supersymmetric flavor problem while giving rise to a neutralino LSP. However, to obtain a neutralino LSP it is often necessary to have tachyonic input Higgs soft masses that can give rise to charge-and-color-breaking (CCB) minima and unbounded-from-below (UFB) directions in the low energy theory. We investigate the vacuum structure in these theories to determine when such problematic features are present. When the standard electroweak vacuum is only metastable, we compute its lifetime under vacuum tunneling. We find that vacuum metastability leads to severe restrictions on the parameter space for larger $\tan\beta \sim 30$, while for smaller $\tan\beta\sim 10$, only minor restrictions are found. Along the way, we derive an exact bounce solution for tunneling through an inverted parabolic potential., Comment: 18 Pages, 5 Figures

Motivated by the observation of neutrino oscillations, we extend the Higgs boson exempt no-scale supersymmetry model (HENS) by adding three heavy right-handed neutrino chiral supermultiplets to generate the light neutrino masses and mixings. The neutrino Yukawa couplings can induce new lepton flavor violating couplings among the soft terms in the course of renormalization group running down from the boundary scale. We study the effects this has on the predictions for low-energy probes of lepton flavor violation(LFV). Heavy right-handed neutrinos also provide a way to generate the baryon asymmetry through leptogenesis. We find that consistency with LFV and leptogenesis puts strong requirements on either the form of the Yukawa mass matrix or the smallness of the Higgs up soft mass. In all cases, we generically expect that new physics LFV is non-zero and can be found in a future experiment., Comment: 25 pages, 11 figures; Added a reference

One of the most straightforward ways to address the flavor problem of low-energy supersymmetry is to arrange for the scalar soft terms to vanish simultaneously at a scale $M_{c}$ much larger than the electroweak scale. This occurs naturally in a number of scenarios, such as no-scale models, gaugino mediation, and several models with strong conformal dynamics. Unfortunately, the most basic version of this approach that incorporates gaugino mass unification and zero scalar masses at the grand unification scale is not compatible with collider and dark matter constraints. However, experimental constraints can be satisfied if we exempt the Higgs bosons from flowing to zero mass value at the high scale. We survey the theoretical constructions that allow this, and investigate the collider and dark matter consequences. A generic feature is that the sleptons are relatively light. Because of this, these models frequently give a significant contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, and neutralino-slepton coannihilation can play an important role in obtaining an acceptable dark matter relic density. Furthermore, the light sleptons give rise to a large multiplicity of lepton events at colliders, including a potentially suggestive clean trilepton signal at the Tevatron, and a substantial four lepton signature at the LHC., Comment: 36 pages, 16 figures