Mavromatos, N. E., Mitsou, V. A., Sarkar, S., & Vergou, A. (2012). Implications of a stochastic microscopic Finsler cosmology. Eur. Phys. J. C, 72(3), 1956–38pp.
Abstract: Within the context of supersymmetric space-time (D-particle) foam in string/brane-theory, we discuss a Finsler-induced cosmology and its implications for (thermal) dark matter abundances. This constitutes a truly microscopic model of dynamical space-time, where Finsler geometries arise naturally. The D-particle foam model involves point-like brane defects (D-particles), which provide the topologically non-trivial foamy structures of space-time. The D-particles can capture and emit stringy matter and this leads to a recoil of D-particles. It is indicated how one effect of such a recoil of D-particles is a back-reaction on the space-time metric of Finsler type which is stochastic. We show that such a type of stochastic space-time foam can lead to acceptable cosmologies at late epochs of the Universe, due to the non-trivial properties of the supersymmetric (BPS like) D-particle defects, which are such so as not to affect significantly the Hubble expansion. The restrictions placed on the free parameters of the Finsler type metric are obtained from solving the Boltzmann equation in this background for relic abundances of a Lightest Supersymmetric Particle (LSP) dark matter candidate. It is demonstrated that the D-foam acts as a source for particle production in the Boltzmann equation, thereby leading to enhanced thermal LSP relic abundances relative to those in the Standard Lambda CDM cosmology. For D-particle masses of order TeV, such effects may be relevant for dark matter searches at colliders. The latter constraints complement those coming from high-energy gamma-ray astronomy on the induced vacuum refractive index that D-foam models entail. We also comment briefly on the production mechanisms of such TeV-mass stringy defects at colliders, which, in view of the current LHC experimental searches, will impose further constraints on their couplings.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Amoros, G., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Costa, M. J., Ferrer, A., et al. (2012). Search for anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking with the ATLAS detector based on a disappearing-track signature in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV. Eur. Phys. J. C, 72(4), 1993–20pp.
Abstract: In models of anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking (AMSB), the lightest chargino is predicted to have a lifetime long enough to be detected in collider experiments. This letter explores AMSB scenarios in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV by attempting to identify decaying charginos which result in tracks that appear to have few associated hits in the outer region of the tracking system. The search was based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.02 fb(-1) collected with the ATLAS detector in 2011. The p(T) spectrum of candidate tracks is found to be consistent with the expectation from Standard Model background processes and constraints on the lifetime and the production cross section were obtained. In the minimal AMSB framework with m(3/2) < 32 TeV, m(0) < 1.5 TeV, tan beta = 5 and μ> 0, a chargino having mass below 92 GeV and a lifetime between 0.5 ns and 2 ns is excluded at 95 % confidence level.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Amoros, G., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Costa, M. J., Ferrer, A., et al. (2012). Search for decays of stopped, long-lived particles from 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector. Eur. Phys. J. C, 72(4), 1965–21pp.
Abstract: New metastable massive particles with electric and colour charge are features of many theories beyond the Standard Model. A search is performed for long-lived gluino-based R-hadrons with the ATLAS detector at the LHC using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 31 pb(-1). We search for evidence of particles that have come to rest in the ATLAS detector and decay at some later time during the periods in the LHC bunch structure without proton-proton collisions. No significant deviations from the expected backgrounds are observed, and a cross-section limit is set. It can be interpreted as excluding gluino-based R-hadrons with masses less than 341 GeV at the 95 % C.L., for lifetimes from 10(-5) to 10(3) seconds and a neutralino mass of 100 GeV.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Amoros, G., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Costa, M. J., Ferrer, A., et al. (2012). Measurement of the polarisation of W bosons produced with large transverse momentum in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV with the ATLAS experiment. Eur. Phys. J. C, 72(5), 2001–30pp.
Abstract: This paper describes an analysis of the angular distribution of W -> e nu and W -> μnu decays, using data from pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2010, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 35 pb(-1). Using the decay lepton transverse momentum and the missing transverse momentum, the W decay angular distribution projected onto the transverse plane is obtained and analysed in terms of helicity fractions f(0), f(L) and f(R) over two ranges of W transverse momentum (p(T)(W)) : 35 < p(T)(W) < 50 GeV and p(T)(W) > 50 GeV. Good agreement is found with theoretical predictions. For p(T)(W) > 50 GeV, the values of f(0) and f(L) – f(R), averaged over charge and lepton flavour, are measured to be: f(0) = 0.127 +/- 0.030 +/- 0.108 and f(L) – f(R) = 0.252 +/- 0.017 +/- 0.030, where the first uncertainties are statistical, and the second include all systematic effects.
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Barry, J., Dorame, L., & Rodejohann, W. (2012). Linear collider test of a neutrinoless double beta decay mechanism in left-right symmetric theories. Eur. Phys. J. C, 72(5), 2023–11pp.
Abstract: There are various diagrams leading to neutrinoless double beta decay in left-right symmetric theories based on the gauge group SU(2)(L) x SU(2)(R). All can in principle be tested at a linear collider running in electron-electron mode. We argue that the so-called lambda-diagram is the most promising one. Taking the current limit on this diagram from double beta decay experiments, we evaluate the relevant cross section e(-)e(-) -> WL-WR-, where W-L(-) is the Standard Model W-boson and W-R(-) the one from SU(2)(R). It is observable if the life-time of double beta decay and the mass of the W-R are close to current limits. Beam polarization effects and the high-energy behaviour of the cross section are also analyzed.
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