On the coverage of the pMSSM by simplified model results

TL;DR

This paper assesses how well simplified model results from ATLAS and CMS cover realistic pMSSM scenarios, revealing significant gaps and suggesting new topologies for improved coverage.

Contribution

It compares simplified model constraints with full pMSSM results, identifying key topologies not currently tested and proposing enhancements for future searches.

Findings

40-45% of excluded points are not covered by simplified models

Asymmetric topologies with 3-jet signatures are important

Constraints on decays via heavier neutralinos/charginos are needed

Abstract

We investigate to which extent the SUSY search results published by ATLAS and CMS in the context of simplified models actually cover the more realistic scenarios of a full model. Concretely, we work within the phenomenological MSSM (pMSSM) with 19 free parameters and compare the constraints obtained from SModelSv1.1.1 with those from the ATLAS pMSSM study in arXiv:1508.06608. We find that about 40-45% of the points excluded by ATLAS escape the currently available simplified model constraints. For these points we identify the most relevant topologies which are not tested by the current simplified model results. In particular, we find that topologies with asymmetric branches, including 3-jet signatures from gluino-squark associated production, could be important for improving the current constraining power of simplified models results. Furthermore, for a better coverage of light stops and sbottoms, constraints for decays via heavier neutralinos and charginos, which subsequently decay visibly to the lightest neutralino are also needed.