Simplified Models for Dark Matter and Missing Energy Searches at the LHC

Understand

The study of collision events with missing energy as searches for the dark matter (DM) component of the Universe are an essential part of the extensive program looking for new physics at the LHC.

• Given the unknown nature of DM, the interpretation of such searches should be made broad and inclusive.
• This report reviews the usage of simplified models in the interpretation of missing energy searches.
• We begin with a brief discussion of the utility and limitation of the effective field theory approach to this problem.