The Snowmass Points and Slopes (SPS)


The ``Snowmass Points and Slopes'' (SPS) are a set of benchmark points and parameter lines in the MSSM parameter space corresponding to different scenarios in the search for Supersymmetry at present and future colliders. They have been agreed upon as a consensus for a common set of benchmark scenarios based on
different existing proposals for post-LEP benchmarks.

The SPS are defined in:

B.C. Allanach et al, The Snowmass points and Slopes: Benchmarks for SUSY Searches,
hep-ph/0202233, to appear in Eur. Phys. J. C
 

The actual benchmark values are the low-energy MSSM parameters:

 Benchmark values for the 10 SPS benchmark points

 Benchmark values for further points on the 7 model lines (slopes)

The choice of the SPS has been motivated by the mSUGRA, GMSB, and AMSB SUSY breaking scenarios.
In order to connect the above benchmark values (the low-energy MSSM parameters) with the (high-energy) parameters of the mSUGRA, GMSB and AMSB scenarios, a certain standard had to be defined.

Choosing ISAJET 7.58 as standard, the SPS correspond to the mSUGRA, GMSB and AMSB parameters given here

If other programs than version 7.58 of  ISAJET  are used to relate the benchmark values to mSUGRA,
GMSB and AMSB parameters,  the latter parameters should be adjusted accordingly in order to obtain
the correct benchmark values for the low-energy MSSM parameters (within reasonably good approximation).

For calculating the SUSY spectra, branching ratios, etc. from the benchmark values of the low-energy
MSSM parameters, the user should choose the most appropriate program for his/her application. In order
to allow detailed comparisons of different studies based on the same SPS benchmark values, the relevant
masses and branching ratios used in the analyses should be specified.

The SUSY particle spectra for the 10 SPS benchmark points can be found here .
See  N. Ghodbane and H.U. Martyn, hep-ph/0201233  for a detailed listing of the mass spectra and
branching ratios for the SPS parameter points obtained with ISAJET 7.58.

In hep-ph/0201233  furthermore for SPS 6, 7, 8, 9 the calculation of the spectra and branching ratios
with ISAJET 7.58 has been compared with the results of SUSYGEN 3  and  PYTHIA 6.08 (for the same
low-energy MSSM input parameters). For SPS 1a, 2, 3, 4, 5 a comparison between ISAJET 7.58, SUSYGEN 3 and PYTHIA 6.08 has been performed concerning the precision for relating mSUGRA
parameters to low-energy spectra.

In  B.C. Allanach, hep-ph/0110227  the outputs of different codes are compared for some ofn the SPS model lines.

The 10 SPS points will appear as a default input option in the next release of the program  FeynHiggs

Comparison of the discovery reach of different colliders for the SPS points:

Comparison of number of observed particles at different colliders, prepared by Nabil Ghodbane, Nabil.Ghodbane@cern.ch (with advice from Fabiola Gianotti on the LHC numbers)
 

Further information:

Adaptation of mSUGRA, GMSB and AMSB parameters for different programs in order to (approximately)
match the SPS benchmark values for the SPS benchmark values of the low-energy MSSM parameters.

Input files for different SPS points (MSSM parameters) for use within BMPZ, HERWIG, ISAJET, PYTHIA, SOFTSUSY, SUITY, SUSPECT, SUSYGEN, etc.

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Please note:

Parts of this web page are still under construction. If you have available the MSSM parameters for further benchmark points on the 7 model lines which are not yet listed here, appropriate SPS input files for different codes or other relevant information, please  send mail to Georg.Weiglein@durham.ac.uk , so that the page can continously be updated.

Last update: 12.06.02, Georg.Weiglein@durham.ac.uk