Minimal Signatures of Naturalness

TL;DR

This paper explores the naturalness problem by analyzing minimal models with specific interaction terms, predicting collider and dark matter detection signatures that could confirm the presence of new particles related to Higgs quadratic divergence cancellation.

Contribution

It introduces a model-independent bottom-up framework for naturalness, linking collider signatures and dark matter signals to the nature of divergence cancellation mechanisms.

Findings

Collider searches constrain models with linear divergence cancellation.

Precision Higgs measurements can detect new particles with vevs or Standard Model charges.

Dark matter detection experiments can jointly observe scalar dark matter candidates.

Abstract

We study the naturalness problem using a model independent bottom up approach by considering models where only the interaction terms needed to cancel the Higgs quadratic divergences are present. If quadratic divergences are canceled by terms linear in the Higgs field, then the collider phenomenology is well covered by current electroweakino and fourth generation searches. If quadratic divergences are canceled by terms bilinear in the Higgs field, then the signatures are highly dependent on the quantum numbers of the new particles. Precision Higgs measurements can reveal the presence of new particles with either vevs or Standard Model charges. If the new particles are scalar dark matter candidates, their direct and indirect detection signatures will be highly correlated and within the reach of XENON100 and Fermi. Observation at one of these experiments would imply observation at the other one. Observable LHC decay channels can also arise if the new particles mix with lighter states. This decay channel involves only the Higgs boson and not the gauge bosons. Observation of such decays would give evidence that the new particle is tied to the naturalness problem.