SUSY dark matter and the LHC

Abstract

Weak scale supersymmetry is a highly motivated extension of the Standard Model that has a strong degree of support from data. It provides several viable dark matter candidates: the lightest neutralino (a WIMP), the gravitino, and the axion/axino supermultiplet. The LHC turn-on is imminent. The discovery of supersymmetry at the LHC will go a long way towards establishing the nature of dark matter. I present arguments why mainly axion cold dark matter is a better fit for supersymmetric models than neutralinos. I also argue that Yukawa-unified SUSY GUT theories based on SO(10) with mixed axion/axino cold dark matter are extremely compelling, and present distinctive signatures for gluino pair production at the LHC.

Comments: Invited talk given at 5th Patras workshop on axions, WIMPs and WISPs, Durham, England, July 13-17, 2009