Traversing Hidden Valleys

We know that atoms are made of protons and neutrons. Protons and neutrons are themselves made of quarks, which are the elementary particles in the Standard Model. What if there are similar dark quarks in extensions of the Standard Model? Will we be able to find the associated dark protons and dark neutrons? This project will answer these questions and develop new collider signatures for extensions of the Standard Model which contain such dark protons and neutrons. Such scenarios are called Hidden Valleys and they can explain e.g. dark matter in the Universe. At the collider experiments, the Hidden Valley scenarios show up in spectacular signatures. In particular they result in new types of so-called jets, which are collimated emission of the Standard Model particles. Such modified jets have not been searched for at the experiments before. More importantly in order to correctly predict properties of the modified jets, detailed theory analysis is necessary. Along with the theory scenarios, it is also important to set up correct simulation tools. The simulation tools translate the theoretical analysis into numerical predictions which are used by the experimentalists. Only preliminary versions of such tools exist and more critical analysis of their validity and applicability is necessary. We will study these Hidden Valley theories in detail, develop the simulation tools to predict their signatures at colliders and guide experimental searches for the next round of experimental results. We will consider only so called SU(N) theories, which is one possible realization of Hidden Valley scenarios. We will setup in depth analytical treatment in order to understand the theory space, using this understanding we will uncover new modifications to the properties of jets. We will then setup the numerical tools to translate this understanding to detailed predictions for experimentalists, furthermore we will develop new searches to find such modified jets at experiments. The analysis suggested above will be the first analysis of this kind, which combines detailed theory understanding with the experimental analyses. This project will lead to a decisive progress in the analysis of Hidden Valley scenarios.