Abstract: We present an efficient method of reconstructing the parameters of the constrained MSSM from assumed future LHC data, applied both on their own right and in combination with the cosmological determination of the relic dark matter abundance. Focusing on the ATLAS SU3 benchmark point, we demonstrate that our simple Gaussian approximation can recover the values of its parameters remarkably well. We examine two popular noninformative priors and obtain very similar results, although when we use an informative, naturalness-motivated prior, we find some sizeable differences. We show that a further strong improvement in reconstructing the SU3 parameters can by achieved by applying additional information about the relic abundance at the level of WMAP accuracy, although the expected data from Planck will have only a very limited additional impact. Further external data may be required to break some remaining degeneracies. We argue that the method presented here is applicable to a wide class of low-energy effective supersymmetric models, as it does not require one to deal with purely experimental issues, e.g., detector performance, and has the additional advantages of computational efficiency. Furthermore, our approach allows one to distinguish the effect of the model's internal structure and of the external data on the final parameters constraints.

Abstract: We use a theoretical model of the gamma d --> K+K- np reaction adapted to the experiment done at LEPS where a peak was observed and associated with the Theta(+)(1540) pentaquark. The study shows that the method used in the experiment to assign momenta to the undetected proton and neutron, together with the chosen cuts, necessarily creates an artificial broad peak in the assumed K(+)n invariant mass in the region of the claimed Theta(+)(1540), such that the remaining strength seen for the experimental peak is compatible with a fluctuation of 2 sigma significance.