Research in High Energy Physics: Theory and Phenomenology of Supersymmetry

Northern Illinois University, Dekalb IL

Investigators

Abstract

The PI proposes to investigate problems at the frontiers of high-energy collider physics. At present, the properties and interactions of the known fundamental subatomic particles are very accurately described by a theory called the Standard Model. However, the Standard Model will almost certainly need to be extended as experiments probe interactions at ever higher energies. The PI plans to pursue detailed understanding of the most promising possibility for the next layer of physics beyond the Standard Model, namely, supersymmetry. The key prediction of supersymmetry is that for each of the known fundamental particles, there must be a superpartner with very similar properties but different spin (or intrinsic angular momentum). The new superpartner particles are thought to be much heavier and more unstable than the presently known particles, which explains why they have eluded discovery so far. One of the main goals of the proposed research is to study the precise manner in which the new particles predicted by supersymmetry might be detected, and then studied, in present and future experiments. The PI will also develop precise alculations and tools that will aid in the interpretation and understanding of a future potential discovery of supersymmetry. He will produce more accurate formulas relating the masses of the new particles to the parameters of the underlying theory. This will be essential for understanding supersymmetry breaking, which is the mechanism that causes these new particles to be very heavy. The PI also plans to investigate variations of the minimal supersymmetric theory that make distinctive predictions which can be experimentally tested if superpartners are discovered. The proposed research will affect the planning and interpretation of experiments at the upgraded Fermilab Tevatron proton-antiproton collider in progress, the imminent CERN LHC proton-proton collider, and a possible future linear electron-positron collider or very large hadron collider. This proposal includes a project to integrate present and future precise calculations of the supersymmetric particle spectrum into a publicly available computer program. He is also co- writing a textbook on Supersymmetry.