Top Channel for Early SUSY Discovery at the LHC

TL;DR

This paper identifies the four-top quark production channel as a promising early discovery mode for supersymmetry at the LHC, especially for models with multi-TeV squarks and lighter gluinos.

Contribution

It refines the analysis of 4-top signals at 7 TeV LHC, demonstrating the potential to detect gluinos up to 650 GeV with 1 fb-1 luminosity and proposing multiple observable signatures.

Findings

Gluinos up to 650 GeV detectable at 7 TeV with 1 fb-1

Multiple signatures including leptons and b-jets are promising

Counting signals can provide gluino mass and spin information

Abstract

In recent years many models of supersymmetry have implied a large production rate for events including a high multiplicity of third generation quarks, such as four top quarks. It is arguably the best-motivated channel for early LHC discovery. A particular example is generic string theories compactified to four dimensions with stabilized moduli which typically have multi-TeV squarks and lighter gluinos (below a TeV) with a large pair production rate and large branching ratios to four tops. We update and sharpen the analysis 4-top signals and background to 7 TeV LHC energy. For 1 fb-1 integrated luminosity, gluinos up to about 650 GeV in mass can be detected, with larger masses accessible for higher luminosities or at higher energies. More than one signature is likely to be accessible, with one charged lepton plus two or more b-jets, and/or same-sign dileptons plus b-jets being the best channels. A non-Standard Model signal from counting is robust, and provides information on the gluino mass, cross section, and spin.