Particle Physics on the Plains​

US/Central
2049 Malott Hall (University of Kansas)

2049 Malott Hall

University of Kansas

Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
Ian Lewis (The University of Kansas)
Description

Particle Physics on the Plains will be held on September 30, 2017, at the University of Kansas. The workshop facilitates a discussion about the latest results in particle phenomenology and theory among  particle theorists in the region.

Registration and abstract submission ends at 5:00 pm CDT August 14, 2017.

There are funds available to support one night in a hotel for students and postdocs who give talks. To be eligible to these funds students/postdocs must register, submit a talk abstract, and indicate a preferred roommate by 5:00 pm CDT August 14, 2017.  Further details are on the registration and accommodation pages.

Lunch and coffee breaks will be provided for during the workshop.

This workshop is supported in part by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Kansas, and the University of Kansas Department of Physics & Astronomy.

Participants
  • Alex Larson
  • Alice Bean
  • Andrew Ivanov
  • Anil Thapa
  • Bhupal Dev
  • Christopher Rogan
  • Daniel Tapia Takaki
  • Dibyashree Sengupta
  • Doug McKay
  • Graham Wilson
  • Haider Alhazmi
  • Ian Lewis
  • Ian Shoemaker
  • Jason Wyenberg
  • Jennifer Cooper
  • Jeong Han Kim
  • JJ Cherry
  • John Little
  • John Ralston
  • K.C. Kong
  • Kaladi Babu
  • Kuver Sinha
  • Martens John
  • Munerah Alrashed
  • Narayan Khadka
  • Peisi Huang
  • Rishabh Jain
  • Saki Khan
  • Shaikh Saad
  • Shekhar Adhikari
  • steven prohira
  • SUDIP JANA
  • Terrance Figy
  • Tim Bolton
  • Timothy Raben
  • Uzair Latif
  • Xuan Huang
  • Yicong Sui
  • Yousef Izadi
  • Yu Hang Ng
    • 08:30 09:00
      Registration/Coffee 2055 Malott Hall

      2055 Malott Hall

      University of Kansas

      Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
    • 09:00 10:35
      Neutrinos and Dark Matter 2049 Malott Hall

      2049 Malott Hall

      University of Kansas

      Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
      Convener: Ian Shoemaker (University of South Dakota)
      • 09:00
        Welcome 15m
        Speakers: Doug McKay (University of Kansas), Ian Lewis (The University of Kansas)
      • 09:15
        Terrestrial Cosmic Rays from Secluded Neutrinos 20m
        Speaker: JJ Cherry (University of South Dakota)
      • 09:35
        Gamma Ray Constraints on New Physics Interpretations of IceCube Data 20m

        We use the multi-messenger method to test various interpretations of the PeV neutrino events at Icecube. We find that a purely astrophysical interpretation with a single power-law flux is incompatible with the existing gamma ray constraints. However, a new physics interpretation in terms of a heavy dark matter decay to neutrinos and Standard Model Higgs is found to be still compatible, provided the dark matter lifetime is larger than $\sim 10^{28}$ sec for masses in the 2-4 PeV range. We also study the gamma ray constraints on a simple $Z'$ model, which is a good candidate to explain the anomalous gap feature in the IceCube data. With more data, if these anomalous features become statistically significant, the multi-messenger method can be used as an effective probe of the new physics interpretations.

        Speaker: Mr Yicong Sui (Washington University in Saint Louis)
      • 09:55
        Mapping the Neutrino Floor for Low Mass Dark Matter 20m
        Speaker: Jason Wyenberg (University of South Dakota)
      • 10:15
        Boosted Dark Matter at Neutrino Experiments 20m
        Speaker: Haider Alhazmi
    • 10:35 11:05
      Coffee Break 2055 Malott Hall

      2055 Malott Hall

      University of Kansas

      Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
    • 11:05 12:30
      Dark Matter and Flavor 2049 Malott Hall

      2049 Malott Hall

      University of Kansas

      Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
      Convener: Bhupal Dev (Washington University in St. Louis)
      • 11:05
        Dark Matter in SO(10) GUTs 20m

        In this work, we have studied the possible dark matter candidate in the context of SO(10) grand unified theories (GUTs). Motivated by the long list of attractive features of such class of models, we have studied all the possible TeV scale dark matter candidates in SO(10) GUTs without extending the group structure of the model and keeping the fine-tuning minimal. It is well-known that if the $U(1)$ corresponding to $B-L$ which resides in $SO(10)$ is broken by 126-plet, a discrete group $Z_2$ remains unbroken and can ensure the stability of appropriate dark matter candidate. While the simplest case - a singlet fermionic $(1_F)$ dark matter with a singlet scalar to ensure renormalizable coupling with the SM higgs boson via higgs portal- is a viable scenario, we also investigate other possibilities which include fermionic 10-plets $(10_F)$ with or without a fermionic singlet. One important consequence of using particles from $10_F$ as dark matter candidate is that the multiplet also contains color triplet which can produce detectable signature in LHC and one can either establish or exclude the model in near future. We concluded that most interesting case is one where we introduce a $10_F$ with a $1_F$ which corresponds to the doublet-singlet dark model. The fact that these multiplets can be unified with SM fermions $(16_F)$ as $27$-plet under the larger group $E_6$ opens up an aesthetically pleasing possibility of unifying SM matter with dark matter.

        Speaker: Saki Khan (Oklahoma State University)
      • 11:25
        Left-Right Symmetry: Minimal Model and Radiative Neutrino Masses 20m

        We present a simple left-right symmetric model with a Higgs sector composed of a charged singlet and doublets. Higgs triplets that are conventionally used are absent. Right-handed neutrino masses arise through two-loop radiative corrections. Phenomenology of this model is analyzed.

        Speaker: Mr Anil Thapa (Oklahoma State University)
      • 11:45
        Gauge Model for Minimal Flavor Violation 20m

        We present a flavor gauge model based on $O(3)_L \times O(3)_R$ gauge symmetry, a maximal anomaly-free subgroup of the standard model flavor symmetry. In this model the fermion mass hierarchy has a dynamical origin. The model provides a UV complete realization of the Minimal Flavor Violation Hypothesis. Implications for quark sector and lepton sector flavor violation arising through higher dimensional effective operators involving the Higgs field are outlined. CP violation arising from these operators is also studied. Vector-like fermions responsible for the generation of the top quark, bottom quark, and the tau lepton masses are in the TeV range, and potentially within reach of the LHC.

        Speaker: shaikh saad (oklahoma state university)
      • 12:05
        Stress-Testing the VBF Approximation in Higgs Boson Production 25m

        We consider electroweak Higgs Boson production in association of three jets at NLO QCD beyond strict VBF acceptance cuts. We investigate how accurate the VBF approximation is by a detailed comparison of the full and approximate calculations. We find that the rapidity gap between the tagging jets is guaranteeing a good approximation, while an invariant mass cut along is not sufficient.

        Speaker: Terrance Maynard Figy (Wichita State University)
    • 12:30 14:00
      Lunch 3005 Malott Hall

      3005 Malott Hall

      University of Kansas

      Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
    • 14:00 15:20
      LHC Phenomenology 2049 Malott Hall

      2049 Malott Hall

      University of Kansas

      Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
      Convener: Peisi Huang (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)
      • 14:00
        Pomeron Physics at Colliders 20m
        Speaker: Timothy Raben (University of Kansas)
      • 14:20
        Minimal left-right symmetric model Higgs phenomenology at the LHC for photon initiated processes 20m

        There has been a great deal of interest in the Left Right symmetric electro-weak gauge theory in recent years due to its potential accessibility at the LHC. The scalar sector of the minimal left right symmetric model (MLRSM) at TeV scale is revisited in light of the photon initiated processes at the large hadron collider (LHC). Without introducing any guest particles and just by adding an extra soft breaking term in MLRSM Higgs potential, we have shown that it is possible to search for the neutral heavier Higgs bosons at the LHC without conflicting with flavor changing neutral Higgs (FCNH) constraints. We have pointed out some tests as well as its potential for discovery of the second Higgs at the LHC. The photon-photon fusion process contributes significantly to the pair production of doubly charged Higgs bosons also at a level comparable to the Drell-Yan production. As a result, the reported experimental lower limit on the mass of Δ_L^±± (Δ_R^±±) arising from SU(2)L triplet (singlet) scalar will be improved by including the photon initiated process. The results can be taken as an initial guide in the exploration of the heavy fermiphobic as well as hadrophobic Higgs at colliders via photon initiated process. Results of our analysis will be presented.

        Speaker: SUDIP JANA (OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY)
      • 14:40
        Search for anomalous quartic gauge interactions in central exclusive production at the LHC with forward proton tagging 20m
        Speaker: Cristian Baldenegro Barrera (The University of Kansas (US))
      • 15:00
        Unraveling the Higgs-Top couplings 20m
        Speaker: Jeong Han Kim (University of Kansas)
    • 15:20 15:50
      Coffee Break 2055 Malott Hall

      2055 Malott Hall

      University of Kansas

      Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
    • 15:50 17:00
      LHC Phenomenology 2049 Malott Hall

      2049 Malott Hall

      University of Kansas

      Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Kansas Malott Hall Lawrence, KS
      Convener: Kuver Sinha (University of Oklahoma)
      • 15:50
        Aspects of the same-sign diboson signature from wino pair production in SUSY with light higgsinos at high luminosity LHC 20m

        Naturalness arguments applied to simple supersymmetric (SUSY) theories require a set of light higgsinos with mass ~ $\mu$ not too far from $m_h$. These models have an inverted electroweakino spectrum $\mu < M_2$ which then implies the existence of a rather clean same-sign diboson (SSdB) signature arising from neutral-plus-charged wino pair production at hadron colliders. We calculate wino pair production signal rates along with improved background evaluations for the SSdB signature at high luminosity LHC ( HL-LHC). We compute the HL-LHC reach in the SSdB channel for 3000 fb$^{-1}$ which extends to $m_{\tilde{w}_2}\sim 890$ $(1080)$ GeV at the $5\sigma$ $(95$% $CL)$. For the lower range of wino masses, the value of $m_{\tilde{w}_2}$ might be extracted from 1. direct counting of signal events, 2. fits to distributions in variables such as $m_{T2}$ or $m_T^{min}$ and 3. comparison to the charge asymmetry ($++$ vs. $--$ dilepton events) which also has some sensitivity to wino mass. While LHC gluino mass limits may preclude some of the lower range of wino masses in models with gaugino mass unification, we emphasize that the wino pair production signal offers an independent SUSY discovery channel which assumes increasing importance for models with a spread out spectrum of gauginos. We propose a simplified model for SSdB signature which may serve as a convenient template for future experimental searches in this channel.

        Speaker: Ms Dibyashree Sengupta (University of Oklahoma)
      • 16:10
        Top Signature of Flavor Changing Neutral Higgs Interactions with $WW$ at the LHC 20m

        We present a study of flavor changing neutral Higgs (FCNH) interactions
        in $ p p \to t \bar{t} \to t c h^0 \to t c W W^* + X$, at the Large Hadron
        Collider(LHC) with collider energy $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV and 14 TeV.
        A general two Higgs doublet model (2HDM) is chosen to study
        flavor changing top decays involving the neutral Higgs boson ($t \to c h^0$)
        with particular emphasis on the final state of leptons and missing transverse
        energy $h^0 \to W W^* \to l \nu l \nu $.
        Since the LHC produces top quark pairs abundently, we expect this channel
        to provide a clean FCNH signature between the top and the charm quarks at LHC.
        We include physics background in the Standard Model with realistic acceptance
        cuts to the find discoverable regions in the parameter space.
        Furthermore, we investigate the discovery potential of future hadron
        colliders with $\sqrt{s} =$ 33 TeV and 100 TeV.

        Speaker: Mr Rishabh Jain (University Of Oklahoma)
      • 16:30
        Unexpected Vortex-like Spin Distribution in Z Boson Production 20m
        Speaker: John Martens (University of Kansas)
      • 16:50
        Closing Remarks 10m
        Speaker: Kaladi Babu (Oklahoma State University)