LHC constraints on M_1/2 and m_0 in the semi-constrained NMSSM

TL;DR

This paper investigates how LHC data constrains the parameter space of the semi-constrained NMSSM, considering Higgs and dark matter constraints, and compares these with cMSSM limits, revealing relaxed bounds on gaugino masses.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of LHC constraints on the semi-constrained NMSSM, incorporating Higgs and dark matter constraints, and compares them with cMSSM limits.

Findings

Lower bounds on M_{1/2} are relaxed by up to 50 GeV due to longer squark decay cascades.

Multijet + missing E_T channels dominate constraints for heavy squarks at large m_0.

Constraints vary depending on decay channels, affecting the allowed parameter space.

Abstract

Constraints from searches for squarks and gluinos at the LHC at sqrt{s}=8 TeV are applied to the parameter space of the NMSSM with universal squark/slepton and gaugino masses at the GUT scale, but allowing for non-universal soft Higgs mass parameters (the sNMSSM). We confine ourselves to regions of the parameter space compatible with a 125 GeV Higgs boson with diphoton signal rates at least as large as the Standard Model ones, and a dark matter candidate compatible with WMAP and XENON100 constraints. Following the simulation of numerous points in the m_0-M_{1/2} plane, we compare the constraints on the sNMSSM from 3-5 jets + missing E_T channels as well as from multijet + missing E_T channels with the corresponding cMSSM constraints. Due to the longer squark decay cascades, lower bounds on M_{1/2} are alleviated by up to 50 GeV. For heavy squarks at large m_0, the dominant constraints originate from multijet + missing E_T channels due to gluino decays via stop pairs.