Supersymmetry and the Linear Collider

TL;DR

This paper introduces supersymmetry and discusses how a linear collider could help answer key questions about supersymmetric particles, their properties, and implications for fundamental physics.

Contribution

It provides a pedagogical overview of supersymmetry and evaluates the potential of linear colliders to explore and answer open questions in supersymmetric models.

Findings

Linear colliders can identify superpartners if accessible.

They can help determine the nature of dark matter candidates.

Potential to address supersymmetry breaking and unification questions.

Abstract

We present a pedagogical introduction to supersymmetry and supersymmetric models and give an overview of the potential of the linear collider for studying them. If supersymmetry is found, its discovery will bring with it many more questions than answers. These include: -Are the newly discovered particles really superpartners? -If not all superpartners are discovered, where are the rest of them? -Do the electromagnetic, weak, and strong forces unify? -Is a supersymmetric particle the dark matter? -How are the supersymmetric flavor and CP problems solved? -What is the scale of supersymmetry breaking? -What are the fundamental interactions at the Planck scale? We review how the linear collider will provide definitive answers to some of these and may shed light on the rest, even if only one or a few superpartners are kinematically accessible.