Supersymmetric Dark Matter Candidates

Understand

After reviewing the theoretical, phenomenological and experimental motivations for supersymmetric extensions of the Standard Model, we recall that supersymmetric relics from the Big Bang are expected in models that conserve R parity.

• We then discuss possible supersymmetric dark matter candidates, focusing on the lightest neutralino and the gravitino.
• In the latter case, the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle is expected to be long-lived, and possible candidates include spartners of the tau lepton, top quark and neutrino.
• We then discuss the roles of the renormalization-group equations and electroweak symmetry breaking in delimiting the supersymmetric parameter space.