Conveners
Particle Cosmology
- Benjamin Safdi (massachusetts institute of technology)
Particle Cosmology
- Yuhsin Tsai (UC Davis)
Particle Cosmology
- Harry Nelson
Particle Cosmology
- Matthew Kleban (New York University)
Particle Cosmology
- Jing Shu (Institute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science)
Particle Cosmology
- Priscilla Pani (Stockholm University (SE))
Particle Cosmology
- Raphael Flauger (The University of Texas at Austin)
Particle Cosmology
- Haipeng An (Caltech)
Zachary Thomas
24/08/2015, 14:50
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
When multiple sectors break supersymmetry, there is a corresponding multiplicity of goldstini, which may comprise some or all of the dark matter in our universe. In this talk, we identify a previously overlooked goldstino decay channel which leads to a smoking gun photon line signature. This new contribution can be interpreted as arising either from a supersymmetry-breaking Fayet-Iliopoulos...
Adam Coogan
(UC Santa Cruz)
24/08/2015, 15:10
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We investigate the relation between the annihilation of dark matter (DM) particles into lepton pairs and into 2-body final states including one or two photons. We parametrize the DM interactions with leptons in terms of contact interactions, and calculate the loop-level annihilation into monochromatic gamma rays, specifically computing the ratio of the DM annihilation cross sections into two...
Chiara Arina
(University of Amsterdam)
24/08/2015, 15:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
In this talk we present the phenomenology of a mostly right-handed sneutrino as the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) and dark matter candidate. We focus our attention on indirect detection signals such as enhanced monochromatic neutrino lines in the reach of future neutrino probe. Furthermore we illustrate the complementarity between indirect and direct detection of sneutrino LSP with...
Benjamin Safdi
(massachusetts institute of technology)
24/08/2015, 16:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We present a new method to characterize unresolved point sources (PSs), which generalizes traditional template fits to account for non-Poissonian photon statistics. Using Fermi Large-Area Telescope gamma-ray data, we use the method to characterize PS populations at high latitudes and in the Inner Galaxy. We find that PSs (resolved and unresolved) account for $\sim$50% of the total...
Andrew Williams
(NCBJ)
24/08/2015, 16:50
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We analyse the sensitivity of the future Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) experiment to dark matter annihilations in the galactic centre using the most up to date instrument response functions and background simulation model provided by the CTA Collaboration. We systematically examine the different statistical methods for setting limits using CTA and provide a realistic assessment of the...
Flip Tanedo
(UC Irvine)
24/08/2015, 17:10
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We propose a novel search for dark matter using the directional capabilities of the AMS-02 telescope to identify dark photons coming from dark matter annihilation. Dark matter collects in the core of the Sun and annihilates into dark photons which then decay to known particles on their way to the Earth. For weak-scale dark matter, dark photons of mass MeV -- GeV, and kinematic mixing...
Mauro Valli
24/08/2015, 17:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
Dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSphs) are among the faintest objects observed in our Universe, representing an ideal laboratory for Dark Matter (DM) searches.
We review moment-based methods to model pressure-supported spherical systems like dSphs, and critically revisit the so called โmass-anisotropy degeneracy problemโ, plaguing the mass profile determination of these galaxies.
We propose a...
Yiming Zhong
(Stony Brook University)
24/08/2015, 17:50
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
The evolution of galactic dark matter halos would be modified if dark matter were self-interacting. The early heat conduction from the halo envelope to the core would enlarge the core size and reduce the central cusps. The late heat conduction from the core to the envelope would collapse the core into a singular state. Previous studies have focused on constraining the velocity independent...
Chris Tunnell
(Nikhef)
25/08/2015, 14:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
The XENON program has helped develop the two-phase xenon time-projection-chamber technology into the most powerful means of directly detecting WIMPs. The program currently consists of the XENON100 and XENON1T experiments. The XENON100 experiment completed 225 live-days of data taking in 2012 that resulted, at the time, in the most stringent spin-independent elastic-scattering constrain on...
Prof.
Matthew Szydagis
(University at Albany)
25/08/2015, 14:50
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
The LUX collaboration has recently re-analyzed its initial WIMP search data, and it continues to lead the search for dark matter candidate particles in the *O*(10-1,000) GeV mass range since the first analysis was released. LUX performs several advanced *in situ* nuclear and electron calibrations of the light and charge yields down to 1 keV of recoil energy, avoiding the need to extrapolate...
Maria Elena Monzani
(SLAC)
25/08/2015, 15:10
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
The nature and origin of Dark Matter is one of the most compelling mysteries of contemporary science. For over two decades, physicists have been trying to detect Dark Matter particles via collisions on target nuclei, with little success.
The LZ collaboration is designing a massive Dark Matter detector, to be installed at the 4850 level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead,...
Dr
Benjamin Smith
(TRIUMF)
25/08/2015, 15:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
DEAP-3600 is a dark matter experiment at SNOLAB in Ontario, Canada, using 3600kg of liquid argon to search for spin-independent interactions of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). The experiment uses pulse shape discrimination to separate WIMP-like nuclear recoils from the electronic recoils caused by most background events. Nuclear recoils produce more prompt scintillation light...
Leonardo Senatore
(Stanford University)
25/08/2015, 16:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
The Effective Field Theory of Large Scale Structures (EFTofLSS) is a novel research program that aims at developing a systematic understanding of large scale structures at long distances by expanding in the smallness of the long wavelength perturbations. This program is particular relevant given the importance of large scale structure surveys for our progress in cosmological information in the...
Aoife BHARUCHA
(Universitรฉ d'Aix-Marseille),
Francesco Dighera
(TU Munich)
25/08/2015, 16:55
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We will discuss the relic density of TeV-scale wino-like neutralino dark matter in the pMSSM. We have recently developed a framework enabling us to calculate the Sommerfeld enhanced relic density in general pMSSM scenarios. We will present the results of a thorough investigation of certain regions of parameter space, focussing in particular on departures from the well known pure wino scenario:...
Mr
Sungwoo Hong
(University of Maryland, College Park)
25/08/2015, 17:15
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We consider theories where dark matter is composed of a thermal relic of weak scale mass, whose couplings to the Standard Model (SM) are however too small to give rise to the observed abundance. Instead, the abundance is set by annihilation to light hidden sector states that carry no charges under the SM gauge interactions. In such a scenario the constraints from direct and indirect detection,...
Dr
Thomas Rizzo
(SLAC)
25/08/2015, 17:35
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We attempt to build a model that describes the Fermi galactic gamma-ray excess
(FGCE) within a UV-complete Supersymmetric framework; we find this to be highly
non-trivial. At the very least a successful Supersymmetric explanation must have
several important ingredients in order to fit the data and satisfy other theoretical and
experimental constraints. Under the assumption that a single...
Jason Evans
(University of Minnesota)
25/08/2015, 17:55
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
Motivated by the coincidence between the Hubble scale during inflation and the typical see-saw neutrino mass scale, we present a supergravity model where the inflaton is identified with a linear combination of right-handed sneutrino fields. The model accommodates an inflaton potential that is flatter than quadratic chaotic inflation, resulting in a measurable but not yet ruled out...
Harikrishnan Ramani
(Yang Institute Of Theoretical Physics)
27/08/2015, 14:00
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
Baryogenesis at the electroweak scale requires the EW phase transition to be first order, and the discovery of the 125 GeV Higgs confirms that it is second order in the standard model. A myriad of extensions to the Higgs sector have been proposed to still allow for EW baryogenesis. Most approaches to testing the success of these BSM extensions employ a high temperature, small coupling...
Mrs
Kimiko Yamashita
(Ochanomizu University)
27/08/2015, 14:20
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We propose a new baryogenesis scenario, which occurs during reheating after inflation. During reheating, the oscillation of the inflaton field breaks thermal equilibrium, providing one of the necessary conditions for baryogenesis. The inflaton field is assumed to couple to a complex scalar field which carries baryon number, whose self coupling breaks B, C and CP, providing the remaining two...
Chang Sub Shin
(Rutgers University)
27/08/2015, 14:40
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We discuss a new mechanism for baryogenesis, in which the baryon asymmetry is generated by the lightest particle in another sector, for example the supersymmetric particle (LSP), decaying to quarks via baryonic-number-violating interactions. As a specific example, we use a supersymmetric axion model with an axino LSP and baryonic R-parity violation. This scenario predicts large R-parity...
George Zahariade
(UC Davis)
27/08/2015, 15:00
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We present a manifestly local, diffeomorphism invariant and locally Poincare invariant formulation of vacuum energy sequestering. In this theory, quantum vacuum energy generated by matter loops is cancelled by auxiliary fields. The auxiliary fields decouple from gravity almost completely. Their only residual effect is an *a priori* arbitrary, finite contribution to the curvature of the...
Angelo Monteux
(Rutgers University)
27/08/2015, 15:20
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
I will discuss thermal production of (pseudo-)goldstinos, the Goldstone fermions emerging from (multiple-) SUSY breaking, when the reheating temperature is well below the superpartner masses. In such a case, the production during the early matter-dominated era is more important than after reheating. Depending on the SUSY breaking scale, goldstinos are produced by freeze-in or freeze-out...
Neil Barrie
27/08/2015, 15:40
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We propose a simple mechanism for generating ordinary luminous and dark matter during cosmic inflation. This scenario involves an extension of the Standard Model through the introduction of a dark matter candidate/s and an anomalous U(1)_X gauge group. The general framework developed is found to be able to replicate both the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry and the dark-to-visible matter...
Dr
Yuhsin Tsai
(UC Davis)
27/08/2015, 16:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
I will discuss the possibility of producing DM bound states at the LHC, emphasizing on two popular scenarios that contain large DM self-couplings: the higgsinos in the lambda-SUSY model, and the DM particles in the self-interacting DM (SIDM) framework. Instead of generating missing energy signatures, these dark bound states have annihilation decays into visible particles in the detector and...
Jonathan Kozaczuk
(TRIUMF)
27/08/2015, 16:50
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
Many extensions of the Standard Model, such as the NMSSM, can predict new, relatively light pseudoscalars with Higgs-like couplings to Standard Model fermions. In particular, simple models of this type in which the pseudoscalar also couples to dark matter can explain the GeV Galactic Center excess as observed by the Fermi Large Area Telescope. In this talk, I will discuss the prospects for...
Soumya Rao
(University of Adelaide, Adelaide)
27/08/2015, 17:10
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We explore the possibility of detecting WIMP(Weakly Interacting Massive Particle) Dark
Matter(DM) interacting via photon through its electric or magnetic dipole moments occuring at
one loop, in so called Beam Dump experiments. We focus on one such experiment in
particular, E613 in Fermilab, which involves a 400 GeV proton beam incident on a Tungsten
target producing DM particles in this...
Dr
Jing Ren
(University of Toronto)
27/08/2015, 17:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
With the LHC Higgs discovery, we are strongly motivated to study gravitational interactions of the Higgs boson. In this talk, we study the unique dimension-4 operator of the Higgs with Ricci curvature in the effective field theory. This dimensionless nonminimal coupling affects weak gauge boson scattering amplitudes and yields perturbative unitarity violation in high energy. The same operator...
YUN JIANG
(UC Davis)
27/08/2015, 17:50
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
With protection by an extra Z2 symmetry, non-SM Higgs boson could be a possible DM candidate. As an example, we consider the singlet extension of the two-Higgs-doublet model. Intriguingly, the dark matter interaction with nucleons in the model could violate isospin symmetry and thus lead to a solution to alleviating the conflict between LUX and other direct detection experiments....
Tom Rudelius
(Harvard University)
28/08/2015, 14:00
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
Since the BICEP2 detection of B-mode polarization announced in March 2014, there has been a renewal of interest in models of large-field inflation. Axions have gained popularity in this regard, as they may provide a way to realize large-field inflation consistent with the principle of naturalness. However, recent work has revealed additional challenges facing axion inflation, which are...
Prof.
Qaisar Shafi
(University of Delaware)
28/08/2015, 14:25
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We explore the implications of a new minimal supersymmetric hybrid inflation model in which the MSSM ยต term arises from a coupling of the Higgs doublets to the inflaton sector, with |ยต| required to be greater than the gravitino mass m_G. Successful inflation with the scalar spectral index ns = 0.96โ0.97, is followed by a relatively high reheat temperature, T_RH โณ 10^12 GeV, in the presence of...
Prof.
Seongchan Park
(SKKU and KIAS)
28/08/2015, 14:45
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
The only observed elementary scalar, the Higgs, is examined as a source of cosmological inflation. I would discuss how the collider data on Higgs would imply for the cosmology and how the latest cosmological data would affect the precision measurement of particle physics, especially in the top quark mass measurement and the Higgs quartic coupling measurement, based on Higgs inflation framework.
Marcos A Garcia Garcia
(University of Minnesota)
28/08/2015, 15:05
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
Since the building-blocks of supersymmetric models include chiral superfields containing pairs of effective scalar fields, a multifield approach is particularly appropriate for models of inflation based on supergravity. We discuss two-field effects in no-scale supergravity models motivated by string compactifications, and show how they can alter the model predictions for the scalar spectral...
McCullen Sandora
(CP3-Origins)
28/08/2015, 15:25
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We investigate how long wavelength inflationary fluctuations can cause the background field to deviate from classical dynamics. For generic potentials, we show that, in the Hartree approximation, the long wavelength dynamics can be encapsulated by a two-field model operating in an effective potential. The latter is given by a simple Gaussian integral transformation of the original inflationary...
Anthony DiFranzo
(UC Irvine / Fermilab)
28/08/2015, 16:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We discuss options and challenges associated with building viable models of Vector Dark Matter which interact with the Standard Model via the Higgs boson. Higgs portals are often treated with an effective operator, here we instead discuss possible UV complete models to replace the effective operator. The primary focus will be a model where the portal is generated radiatively. We further...
Rebecca Leane
(University of Melbourne)
28/08/2015, 16:50
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
Effective field theory (EFT) formulations of dark matter interactions are a convenient and popular way to quantify LHC bounds on dark matter. However, some EFT operators considered do not respect the weak gauge symmetries of the Standard Model. These operators break down at the electroweak scale, rather than the energy scale of new physics, and are invalid at LHC energies. We carefully...
Matthew Dolan
(SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)
28/08/2015, 17:10
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We present the prospects for the searches for DM at the LHC, future $e^+e^-$ colliders and direct detection experiments, based on our pMSSM10 analysis as presented in arXiv:1504.03260. This talk is submitted on behalf of the MasterCode collaboration. It is not clear yet who will actually give the talk.
Bohdan Grzadkowski
(University of Warsaw)
28/08/2015, 17:30
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
I will discuss an extension of the Standard Model by an additional U(1) gauge
group and a complex scalar Higgs portal. As the scalar is charged under this gauge factor
this simple model supplies a vector dark matter candidate satisfying LUX bounds, the
observed relic abundance and limits from direct dark matter searches. An additional Higgslike
state, that may be heavier or lighter than...
sonia el hedri
(JGU Mainz)
28/08/2015, 17:50
Particle Cosmology Theory and Experiment
We present a general classification of minimal models where the Dark Matter coannihilates with another particle X. Besides this new particle, such coannihilation processes typically require the existence of a mediator, M. Assuming tree-level and renormalizable interactions, we construct all the possible combinations of Dark Matter, X and M that respect gauge and Lorentz invariance. Our...
