John March-Russell

Abstract:

We consider 4D weak scale theories arising from 5D supersymmetric (SUSY) theories with maximal Scherk-Schwarz breaking at a Kaluza-Klein scale of several TeV. Many of the problems of conventional SUSY are avoided. Apart from 3rd family sfermions the SUSY spectrum is heavy, with only ∼50% tuning at a gluino mass of ∼2  TeV and a stop mass of ∼650  GeV. A single Higgs doublet acquires a vacuum expectation value, so the physical Higgs boson is automatically standard-model-like. A new U(1)^{'} interaction raises m_{h} to 126 GeV. For minimal tuning the associated Z^{'}, as well as the 3rd family sfermions, must be accessible to LHC13. A gravitational wave signal consistent with hints from BICEP2 is possible if inflation occurs when the extra dimensions are small.

Abstract:

We propose that a single, spontaneously broken, U(1) gauge symmetry may be responsible for suppressing both the first two generation Yukawa couplings, and also, in a correlated manner, parameters in the dynamical supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking sector by the mechanism of retrofitting. In the dynamical SUSY breaking sector, these small parameters are typically required in order to introduce R-symmetry breaking in a controlled manner and obtain phenomenologically viable meta-stable vacua. The heavy U(1) multiplet mediates a dominant contribution to the first two generation MSSM sfermion soft masses, while gauge mediation provides a parametrically suppressed soft term contribution to the stop and most other states, so realising a natural SUSY spectrum in a fashion consistent with SUSY unification. In explicit models the spectra obtained can be such that current LHC limits are evaded, and predictions of flavour changing processes are consistent with observation. We examine both implementations with low scale mediation, and string-motivated examples where the U(1) is anomalous before the inclusion of a generalised Green-Schwarz mechanism.

Abstract:

We explore the possibility that supersymmetry breaking is mediated to the Standard Model sector through the interactions of a generalized axion multiplet that gains a F-term expectation value. Using an effective field theory framework we enumerate the most general possible set of axion couplings and compute the Standard Model sector soft-supersymmetry-breaking terms. Unusual, non-minimal spectra, such as those of both natural and split supersymmetry are easily implemented. We discuss example models and low-energy spectra, as well as implications of the particularly minimal case of mediation via the QCD axion multiplet. We argue that if the Peccei-Quinn solution to the strong-CP problem is realized in string theory then such axion-mediation is generic, while in a field theory model it is a natural possibility in both DFSZ- and KSVZ-like regimes. Axion mediation can parametrically dominate gravity-mediation and is also cosmologically beneficial as the constraints arising from axino and gravitino overproduction are reduced. Finally, in the string context, axion mediation provides a motivated mechanism where the UV completion naturally ameliorates the supersymmetric flavor problem.