Decoding the Origin of Dark Matter

TL;DR

This paper explores how LHC signatures can distinguish between different dark matter generation mechanisms in supersymmetric theories, highlighting the potential for collider data to complement direct detection experiments.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of LHC signatures for Stau Coannihilation and Hyperbolic Branch regions, offering a method to differentiate these dark matter production mechanisms.

Findings

LHC signatures can distinguish between Stau-Co and HB regions.

Some parameter space regions are accessible only via LHC or direct detection.

Certain dark matter scenarios are beyond current direct detection reach but observable at the LHC.

Abstract

We discuss the interplay between LHC signatures and the mechanism by which dark matter is generated in the early universe in supersymmetric theories. The LHC signatures of two of the major mechanisms for such generation of dark matter which are known to be the Stau Coannihilation (Stau-Co) region and annihilation on the Hyperbolic Branch (HB) are exhibited in detail. By analyzing the various LHC signatures, including multi leptons, hadronic jets, b-tagging, and missing transverse momentum, one can discriminate between the Stau-Co region and the HB region for the mSUGRA model. Interestingly, there are some regions of the parameter space which are beyond the current and near future reach of the dark matter direct detection experiments but will be accessible at the LHC, and vise versa.