Dr Stephen West

Abstract:

Motivated by Higgs Portal and Hidden Valley models, heavy particle dark matter that communicates with the supersymmetric Standard Model via pure Higgs sector interactions is considered. We show that a thermal relic abundance consistent with the measured density of dark matter is possible for masses up to $\sim 30\tev$. For dark matter masses above $\sim 1\tev$, non-perturbative Sommerfeld corrections to the annihilation rate are large, and have the potential to greatly affect indirect detection signals. For large dark matter masses, the Higgs-dark-matter-sector couplings are large and we show how such models may be given a UV completion within the context of so-called "Fat-Higgs" models. Higgs Portal dark matter provides an example of an attractive alternative to conventional MSSM neutralino dark matter that may evade discovery at the LHC, while still being within the reach of current and upcoming indirect detection experiments.

Abstract:

We present a supersymmetric model of electroweak symmetry-breaking exhibiting improved naturalness, wherein the stop mass can be pushed beyond the reach of the Large Hadron Collider without unnatural fine tuning. This implies that supersymmetry may still solve the hierarchy problem, even if it eludes detection at the LHC.

Abstract:

It is known that the cosmological baryon density (Omega(b)) and dark matter density (Q(dm)) have strikingly similar values. However, in most theories of the early Universe, each density is explained by separate dynamics and consequently there is no compelling reason for this observation. In this note, I briefly review a model in which the dark matter species possesses a particle-antiparticle asymmetry. This asymmetry determines both the baryon asymmetry and strongly affects the dark matter density, thus naturally linking Omega(b) and Omega(dm). In these models it is shown that sneutrinos can play the role of such dark matter