Speaker
Dr
Christopher Smith
(University of Bern)
Description
Supersymmetry offers one of the most attractive extensions of the
Standard Model. Intensive searches for supersymmetric partners
will soon start at the LHC. In that context, rare K decays will
play an essential role, complementary to direct searches at
colliders. Indeed, they allow us to study in an exceptionally
clean way the flavor breaking structures. In the minimal
supersymmetric extension of the SM (MSSM), these are completely
arbitrary parameters (the so-called soft-breaking terms), related
to the unknown supersymmetry breaking mechanism. Knowing them
will therefore give us a glimpse of the physics at a still higher
scale. This general statement will be explained and illustrated
within recently studied scenarios[1,2]. For instance, in the MSSM
at moderate tan(beta), both with or without the minimal flavor
violation hypothesis, rare K decays (especially K --> pi nu
nubar) are the most sensitive probe of the flavor-breaking in the
up squark sector[1]. Also, combined studies of KL --> pi0 e+ e-
and KL-->pi0 mu+mu- could provide clean evidence for the MSSM at
large tan(beta)[2]. Finally, these two modes also allow for
studies of R-parity violating effects[2].
[1] Isidori, Mescia, Paradisi, Smith, Trine, "Exploring the
flavour structure of the MSSM with rare K decays", JHEP 0608
(2006) 064 [arXiv:hep-ph/0604074].
[2] Mescia, Smith, Trine, "KL --> pi0 e+ e- and KL --> pi0 mu+
mu-: A binary star on the stage of flavor physics", JHEP 0608
(2006) 088 [arXiv:hep-ph/0606081].
Primary author
Dr
Christopher Smith
(University of Bern)
