Basic Input

Basic Model Input

SModelS requires two types of input from the user:

• the particle content of the BSM model (BSM states and their quantum numbers) and

• the model parameters, such as masses, widths, branching ratios and cross-sections.

Below we describe how this information should be provided.

• Information about the SM and BSM particles, along with their cross-sections is stored in a Model object

Particle Content

The definition of the BSM states and their quantum numbers can be provided in either of the following two formats:

• as a python module, as illustrated in mssm.py,

• or as an SLHA file containing QNUMBERS blocks (see mssmQNumbers.slha).

The python module is more flexible and allows the user to define their own particle properties. The SLHA file may be more convenient, as it can be automatically generated by tools relying on the UFO format, in particular MadGraph . An SLHA input file with QNUMBERS blocks is also automatically generated by the micrOMEGAs interface to SModelS.

A path to the user’s own model file (in either format) can be specified in the parameter file, in the [particles] section.

Note here that the PDG code 25 is reserved for the SM-like Higgs boson with a mass of about 125 GeV. Concretely, the particle with PDG code 25 is declared as

higgs = Particle(isSM=True, label=’higgs’, pdg=25, mass=125.*GeV, eCharge=0, colordim=1, spin=0, totalwidth=0.*GeV, _isInvisible=False)

If the BSM model has an enlarged Higgs sector, a PDG code 25 must be assigned only to a 125 GeV Higgs with SM-like decay branching ratios; this is important for correctly matching experimental results involving a SM-like Higgs for which the analysis assumed SM branching ratios for the Higgs with the mass fixed to 125 GeV.

• Reading of BSM particles from an SLHA input file, along with their quantum numbers is implemented by the getParticlesFromSLHA function

• Reading of BSM particles from a module input file, along with their quantum numbers is implemented by the getParticlesFromModule function

Model Parameters

Once the particle content has been specified, the main input for SModelS is the set of model parameters (masses, widths,…), which can be given in the two following forms:

• an SLHA (SUSY Les Houches Accord) file containing masses, widths, branching ratios and cross sections for the BSM states (see an example file here)

• an LHE (Les Houches Event) file containing parton level events (see an example file here)

The SLHA format is usually more compact and can be easily created based on a param_card.dat file generated by MadGraph. On the other hand, an LHE file can always be generated for any BSM model (through the use of your favorite MC generator).1 In this case, however, the precision of the results is limited to the MC statistics used to generate the file.

In the case of SLHA input only, the production cross sections for the BSM states also have to be included in the SLHA file as SLHA blocks, according to the SLHA cross section format (see example file). For the MSSM and some of its extensions, they may be calculated automatically using Pythia, NLLfast and/or Resummino as discussed in cross section calculator.

In the case of LHE input, the total production cross section as well as the center-of-mass energy should be listed in the <init></init> block, according to the standard LHE format (see example file). Moreover, all the SM particles should be set as stable, since in SModelS they are effectively considered as final states. When generating the events, it is also important to ensure that no mass smearing is applied, so the mass values for a given particle are the same throughout the LHE file. We also point out that all the decays appearing in the LHE input are assumed to be prompt, so this input format is not well suited if the model contains meta-stable particles. An example of how to add the width information after reading an LHE input file can be found in this notebook .

• Reading of particle properties is implemented by the Model.updateParticles method

SLHA Format for Cross Sections

A list of cross section blocks (one for each production process) must be included in the SLHA file for the SLHA-based decomposition. The SLHA format for each cross section block is shown in Fig. 10 (see the Les Houches note).

Figure 10: Example of how cross-section blocks should be defined in a SLHA input file.

The above example shows the cross section for \(pp \rightarrow \tilde{u}_L^* + \tilde{g}\) at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV and at leading order. The only information used by SModelS are the center-of-mass energy, the outgoing particle PDGs, the cross section value and the QCD order. Note that the second line containing the cross-section value must be indented, according to the SLHA conventions. If the input file contains two cross sections for the same process but at different QCD orders, only the highest order will be used.

• Reading of cross sections from an input file is implemented by the getXsecFromSLHAFile method

SLHA Format for Quantum Numbers

If the particle content of the input model is specificed through an SLHA file (instead of a python module), it must contain a QNUMBERS block for each particle following the format shown in Fig. 11.

Figure 11: Example of how BSM particles and their properties can be defined using an SLHA file as input.

The QNUMBERS block specifies the particle PDG, electric charge, color representation and spin. Furthermore, if the first line contains a comment (after the particle PDG), it will be used as the particle label, otherwise the particle label will be its PDG number. All particles appearing in QNUMBERS blocks will be considered BSM particles unless their PDG number has already been assigned to a SM particle. Finally, if the particle is not its own anti-particle (specified by entry number 4), a second particle will be added to the model with the opposite electric charge and minus the PDG number.

LHE-reader

More general models can be input through an LHE event file containing parton-level events, including the production of the primary mothers and their cascade decays. The LHE-reader goes through the events and by doing so creates dictionaries mapping the different particles to their masses and decays which corresponds to the DECAY and MASS blocks of the SLHA file. The pair production cross sections are obtained by adding up the weights of all events with the same produced particles (see crossSection.getXsecFromLHEFile ).

Notice that, for the LHE decomposition, the SMS topologies generated are restricted to the events in the input file. Hence, the uncertainties on the production cross-sections (and which SMS are actually generated by the model) are fully dependent on the Monte Carlo statistics used to generate the LHE file. Also, when generating the events it is important to ensure that no mass smearing is applied, so the events always contain the same mass value for a given particle.

Note that since all decays appearing in an LHE event are assumed to be prompt, the LHE-based decomposition is not well suited if the model contains meta-stable BSM particles. If needed, the user can manually add the width information as shown in this notebook example.

• The LHE reader is implemented by the lheReader.getDictionariesFrom

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SModelS can easily be used for non-SUSY models. However, it is the responsibility of the user to make sure that the SMS results in the database actually apply to the model under consideration.