The windows for kinetically mixed Z′-mediated dark matter and the galactic center gamma ray excess
A bstractOne of the simplest hidden sectors with signatures in the visible sector is fermionic dark matter χ 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 ϵ ≤ 0.01, only relic density and direct detection are relevant, while for larger ϵ, electroweak precision, LHC dilepton, and missing energy constraints become important. We identify regions of the parameter space of mχ, mZ ′ , dark gauge coupling and ϵ 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 2-3σ level for the Dirac model.

title: LHC constraints on dark matter with (130 GeV) gamma ray lines
abstract: 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.

title: Light Higgses at the Tevatron and at the LHC and Observable Dark Matter in SUGRA and D Branes
abstract: Sparticle landscapes in mSUGRA, in SUGRA models with nonuniversalities (NUSUGRA), and in D-brane models are analyzed. The analysis exhibits the existence of Higgs Mass Patterns (HPs) (for μ > 0 ) where the CP odd Higgs could be the next heavier particle beyond the LSP and sometimes even lighter than the LSP. It is shown that the Higgs production cross sections from the HPs are typically the largest enhancing the prospects for their detection at the LHC. Indeed it is seen that the recent Higgs production limits from CDF/DO are beginning to put constraints on the HPs. It is also seen that the B s → μ + μ − limits constrain the HPs more stringently. Predictions of the Higgs production cross sections for these patterns at the LHC are made. We compute the neutralino–proton cross sections σ ( χ ˜ 1 0 p ) for dark matter experiments and show that the largest σ ( χ ˜ 1 0 p ) also arise from the HPs and further that the HPs and some of the other patterns are beginning to be constrained by the most recent data from CDMS and from Xenon10 experiments. Finally, it is shown that the prospects are bright for the discovery of dark matter with σ ( χ ˜ 1 0 p ) in the range 10 − 44 ± 0.5 cm 2 due to a “Wall” consisting of a copious number of parameter points in the Chargino Patterns (CPs) where the chargino is the NLSP. The Wall, which appears in all models considered (mSUGRA, NUSUGRA and D-branes) and runs up to about a TeV in LSP mass, significantly enhances the chances for the observation of dark matter by SuperCDMS, ZEPLIN-MAX, or LUX experiments which are expected to achieve a sensitivity of 10 −45 cm 2 or more.

title: Explaining PAMELA and WMAP data through coannihilations in extended SUGRA with collider implications
abstract: The PAMELA positron excess is analyzed within the framework of nonuniversal supergravity (SUGRA) models with an extended $U(1{)}^{n}$ gauge symmetry in the hidden sector leading to neutralino dark matter with either a mixed Higgsino-wino lightest $R$-parity odd supersymmetric particle (LSP) or an essentially pure wino-dominated LSP. The Higgsino-wino LSP can produce the observed PAMELA positron excess and satisfy relic density constraints in the extended class of models due to a near degeneracy of the mass spectrum of the extended neutralino sector with the LSP mass. The simultaneous satisfaction of the WMAP relic density data and the PAMELA data is accomplished through a coannihilation mechanism (${B}_{\mathrm{Co}}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{\text{mechanism}}$), and leads to predictions of a neutralino and a chargino in the mass range (180--200) GeV as well as low-lying sparticles accessible at colliders. We show that the models are consistent with the antiproton constraints from PAMELA as well as the photon flux data from EGRET and FERMI-LAT. Predictions for the scalar neutralino-proton cross section relevant for the direct detection of dark matter are also discussed and signatures at the LHC for these PAMELA inspired models are analyzed. It is shown that the mixed Higgsino-wino LSP model will be discoverable with as little as $1\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{fb}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of data and is thus a prime candidate for discovery in the low luminosity runs at the LHC.

title: Scattering properties of dark atoms and molecules
abstract: There has been renewed interest in the possibility that dark matter exists in the form of atoms, analogous to those of the visible world. An important input for understanding the cosmological consequences of dark atoms is their self-scattering. Making use of results from atomic physics for the potentials between hydrogen atoms, we compute the low-energy elastic scattering cross sections for dark atoms. We find an intricate dependence upon the ratio of the dark proton to electron mass, allowing for the possibility to "design" low-energy features in the cross section. Dependences upon other parameters, namely the gauge coupling and reduced mass, scale out of the problem by using atomic units. We derive constraints on the parameter space of dark atoms by demanding that their scattering cross section does not exceed bounds from dark matter halo shapes. We discuss the formation of molecular dark hydrogen in the universe, and determine the analogous constraints on the model when the dark matter is predominantly in molecular form.

title: The Stueckelberg Extension and Milli Weak and Milli Charged Dark Matter
abstract: A overview is given of the recent developments in the U(1)X Stueckelberg extensions of the Standard Model and of MSSM where all the Standard Model particles are neutral under the U(1)X, but an axion which is absorbed is charged under both U(1)X and U(1)Y and acts as the connector field coupling the Standard Model sector with the Stueckelberg sector. Coupled with the usual Higgs mechanism that breaks the SU(2)L×U(1)Y gauge symmetry, this scenario produces mixings in the neutral gauge boson sector generating an extra Z′ boson. The couplings of the extra Z′ to the Standard Model particles are milli weak but its couplings to the hidden sector matter, defined as matter that couples only to the gauge field of U(1)X, can be of normal electro‐weak strength. It is shown that such extensions, aside from the possibility of leading to a sharp Z′ resonance, lead to two new types of dark matter: milli weak (or extra weak) and milli charged. An analysis of the relic density shows that the WMAP‐3 constraints can be satis...

title: Measurement of the cross section for open-beauty production in photon–photon collisions at LEP
abstract: The cross section for open-beauty production in photon–photon collisions is measured using the whole high-energy and high-luminosity data sample collected by the L3 detector at LEP. This corresponds to 627 pb −1 of integrated luminosity for electron–positron centre-of-mass energies from 189 to 209 GeV. Events containing b quarks are identified through their semi-leptonic decay into electrons or muons.  These results are found to be in significant excess with respect to Monte Carlo predictions and next-to-leading order QCD calculations.

title: Dark matter and Higgs bosons in the MSSM
abstract: A bstractWe investigate dark matter (DM) in the context of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model (MSSM). We scan through the MSSM parameter space and search for solutions that (a) are consistent with the Higgs discovery and other collider searches; (b) satisfy the flavor constraints from B physics; (c) give a DM candidate with the correct thermal relic density; and (d) are allowed by the DM direct detection experiments. For the surviving models with our parameter scan, we find the following features: (1) The DM candidate is largely a Bino-like neutralino with non-zero but less than 20% Wino and Higgsino fractions; (2) The relic density requirement clearly pins down the solutions from the Z and Higgs resonances (Z, h, H, A funnels) and co-annihilations; (3) Future direct search experiments will likely fully cover the Z, h funnel regions, and H, A funnel regions as well except for the “blind spots”; (4) Future indirect search experiments will be more sensitive to the CP-odd Higgs exchange due to its s-wave nature; (5) The branching fraction for the SM-like Higgs decay to DM can be as high as 10%, while those from heavier Higgs decays to neutralinos and charginos can be as high as 20%. We show that collider searches provide valuable information complementary to what may be obtained from direct detections and astroparticle observations. In particular, the Z- and h-funnels with a predicted low LSP mass should be accessible at future colliders. Overall, the Higgs bosons may play an essential role as the portal to the dark sector.

title: Observation of a Near-Threshold Enhancement in the p-anti-p Mass Spectrum from Radiative J/psi --> gamma-p-anti-p Decays
abstract: We observe a narrow enhancement near 2m{sub p} in the invariant mass spectrum of p{bar p} pairs from radiative J/{psi} {yields}  decays. No similar structure is seen in J/{psi} {yields}  p{bar p} decays. The results are based on an analysis of a 58 million event sample of J/{psi} decays accumulated with the BESII detector at the Beijing electron-positron collider. The enhancement can be fit with either an S- or P-wave Breit Wigner resonance function. In the case of the S-wave fit, the peak mass is below 2m{sup p} at M = 1859{sub -10}{sup +3} (stat){sub -25}{sup +5} (sys) MeV/c{sup 2} and the total width is {Lambda} < 30 MeV/c{sup 2} at the 90 percent confidence level. These mass and width values are not consistent with the properties of any known particle.

title: Study of $J/\psi\to p\bar{p}$ and $J/\psi\to n\bar{n}$
abstract: The decays $J/\psi\to p\bar{p}$ and $J/\psi\to n\bar{n}$ have been investigated with a sample of 225.2 million $J/\psi$ events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII $e^+e^-$ collider. The branching fractions are determined to be $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi\to p\bar{p})=(2.112\pm0.004\pm0.031)\times10^{-3}$ and $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi\to n\bar{n})=(2.07\pm0.01\pm0.17)\times10^{-3}$. Distributions of the angle $\theta$ between the proton or anti-neutron and the beam direction are well described by the form $1+\alpha\cos^2\theta$, and we find $\alpha=0.595\pm0.012\pm0.015$ for $J/\psi\to p\bar{p}$ and $\alpha=0.50\pm0.04\pm0.21$ for $J/\psi\to n\bar{n}$. Our branching-fraction results suggest a large phase angle between the strong and electromagnetic amplitudes describing the $J/\psi\to N\bar{N}$ decay.

title: Low-mass Higgs bosons in the NMSSM and their LHC implications
abstract: A bstractWe study the Higgs sector of the Next to Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) in light of the discovery of the SM-like Higgs boson at the LHC. We perform a broad scan over the NMSSM parameter space and identify the regions that are consistent with current Higgs search results at colliders. In contrast to the commonly studied “decoupling” scenario in the literature where the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model CP-odd Higgs boson mass is large mA ≫ mZ , we pay particular attention to the light Higgs states in the case when mA ≲ 2mZ . The Higgs bosons in the NMSSM, namely three CP-even states, two CP-odd states, and two charged Higgs states, could all be rather light, near or below the electroweak scale, although the singlet-like states can be heavier. The SM-like Higgs boson could be either the lightest CP-even scalar or the second lightest CP-even scalar, but is unlikely to be the heaviest scalar. These NMSSM parameter regions have unique properties and offer rich phenomenology. The decay branching fractions for the SM-like Higgs boson may be modified appreciably. The correlations of γγ/V V and $ {VV \left/ {{b\overline{b}}} \right.} $ can be substantially altered. The new Higgs bosons may be readily produced at the LHC and may decay to non-standard distinctive final states, most notably a pair of Higgs bosons when kinematically accessible. We evaluate the production and decay of the Higgs bosons and comment on further searches at the LHC to probe the Higgs sector of the NMSSM.