Abstract: We present a one-loop calculation of the oblique S parameter within Higgsless models of electroweak symmetry breaking and analyze the phenomenological implications of the available electroweak precision data. We use the most general effective Lagrangian with at most two derivatives, implementing the chiral symmetry breaking SU(2)(L) circle times SU(2)(R) -> SU(2)(L+R) with Goldstones, gauge bosons and one multiplet of vector and axial-vector massive resonance states. Using the dispersive representation of Peskin and Takeuchi and imposing the short-distance constraints dictated by the operator product expansion, we obtain S at the NLO in terms of a few resonance parameters. In asymptotically-free gauge theories, the final result only depends on the vector-resonance mass and requires M-V > 1.8TeV (3.8TeV) to satisfy the experimental limits at the 3 sigma (1 sigma) level; the axial state is always heavier, we obtain M-A > 2.5TeV (6.6TeV) at 3 sigma (1 sigma). In strongly-coupled models, such as walking or conformal technicolour, where the second Weinberg sum rule does not apply, the vector and axial couplings are not determined by the short-distance constraints; but one can still derive a lower bound on S, provided the hierarchy M-V < M-A remains valid. Even in this less constrained situation, we find that in order to satisfy the experimental limits at 3 sigma one needs M-V,M-A > 1.8TeV.

Abstract: Motivated by the ATLAS and CMS discovery of a Higgs-like boson with a mass around 125 GeV, and by the need of explaining neutrino masses, we analyse the three canonical SUSY versions of the seesaw mechanism (type I, II and III) with CMSSM boundary conditions. In type II and III cases, SUSY particles are lighter than in the CMSSM (or the constrained type I seesaw), for the same set of input parameters at the universality scale. Thus, to explain m(h0) similar or equal to 125 GeV at low energies, one is forced into regions of parameter space with very large values of m(0), M-1/2 or A(0). We compare the squark and gluino masses allowed by the ATLAS and CMS ranges for m(h0) (extracted from the 2011-2012 data), and discuss the possibility of distinguishing seesaw models in view of future results on SUSY searches. In particular, we briefly comment on the discovery potential of LHC upgrades, for squark/gluino mass ranges required by present Higgs mass constraints. A discrimination between different seesaw models cannot rely on the Higgs mass data alone, therefore we also take into account the MEG upper limit on BR(mu -> e gamma) and show that, in some cases, this may help to restrict the SUSY parameter space, as well as to set complementary limits on the seesaw scale.

Abstract: A new Higgs-like boson with mass around 126 GeV has recently been discovered at the LHC. The available data on this new particle is analyzed within the context of two-Higgs doublet models without tree-level flavour-changing neutral currents. Keeping the generic Yukawa structure of the Aligned Two-Higgs Doublet Model framework, we study the implications of the LHC data on the allowed scalar spectrum. We analyze both the CP-violating and CP-conserving cases, and a few particular limits with a reduced number of free parameters, such as the usual models based on discrete Z(2) symmetries.