A Comparison of Supersymmetry Breaking and Mediation Mechanisms

TL;DR

This paper compares various supersymmetry breaking and mediation mechanisms within a unified 4D effective field theory framework, highlighting their similarities, challenges, and potential string theory realizations.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of GMSB and gravity-mediated SUSY breaking models, emphasizing their equivalence in FCNC suppression and discussing associated cosmological issues.

Findings

GMSB and gravity mediation are similarly effective in FCNC suppression.

All models face significant cosmological challenges, such as the modulus problem.

Embedding GMSB in SUGRA offers no clear advantage over gravity mediation.

Abstract

We give a unified treatment of different models of supersymmetry breaking and mediation from a four dimensional effective field theory standpoint. In particular a comparison between GMSB and various gravity mediated versions of SUSY breaking shows that, once the former is embedded within a SUGRA framework, there is no particular advantage to that mechanism from the point of view of FCNC suppression. We point out the difficulties of all these scenarios - in particular the cosmological modulus problem. We end with a discussion of possible string theory realizations.