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The modern era of particle physics is driven by experimental anomalies. Experimental efforts have become increasingly diverse and are producing enormous volumes of data. In such a highly data-driven scientific environment theoretical models are necessary to understand this data and to help inform the development of new experimental approaches. In this dissertation I present two significant contributions to this effort relevant to the energy, intensity, and cosmic frontiers of modern particle physics research. Part 1 of this dissertation discusses methods to understand modern dark matter direct detection results. In particular I present an analysis under the hypothesis of inelastic dark matter, which supposes that dark matter must scatter inelastically, i.e. that it must gain or loose mass during a collision with atomic nuclei. This hypothesis is attractive because it can alleviate otherwise contradictory results from a number of dark matter detection facilities. The main conclusion of this work is a presentation of the analytical tools, along with a mathematica package that can be used to run the analysis, and the discovery that there are regions of inelastic dark matter parameter space which are consistent with all current experimental results, and constraints. Part 2 of this dissertation discusses a phenomenon of modern interest called kinetic mixing which allows particles from the standard model to spontaneously transform into particles which experience a new, as of yet undiscovered, force. This phenomenon is relatively common and well motivated theoretically and has motivated significant experimental effort. In this work, I present an analysis of a general case of kinetic mixing, called nonabelian kinetic mixing. This work shows that, In general, kinetic mixing predicts the existence of a new particle and that, under certain conditions, this particle could be detected at modern particle colliders. Furthermore, the mass of this particle is related to the strength of kinetic mixing. This relationship suggests novel ways to constrain kinetic mixing parameter space, and if observed would provide a very striking indication that such a model is realized in nature.

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Supersymmetry is a promising candidate theory that could solve the hierarchy problem and explain the dark matter density in the Universe. The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider is sensitive to a variety of such supersymmetric models. This thesis reports on a search for pair production of the supersymmetric scalar partners of bottom and top quarks in 20.1 fb⁻¹ of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV using the ATLAS experiment. The study focuses on final states with large missing transverse momentum, no electrons or muons and two jets identified as originating from a b-quark. This final state can be produced in a R-parity conserving minimal supersymmetric scenario, assuming that the scalar bottom decays exclusively to a bottom quark and a neutralino and the scalar top decays to a bottom quark and a chargino, with a small mass difference with the neutralino. As no signal is observed above the Standard Model expectation, competitive exclusion limits are set on scalar bottom and top production, surpassing previously existing limits. Sbottom masses up to 640 GeV are excluded at 95% CLs for neutralino masses of up to 150 GeV. Differences in mass between ^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>b</sub>₁ and ^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>X</sub>⁰<sub style='position: relative; left: -.5em;'>1</sub> larger than 50 GeV are excluded up to sbottom masses of 300 GeV. In the case of stop pair production and decay ^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>t</sub>₁ → b + ^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>X</sub>^±<sub style='position: relative; left: -.5em;'>1</sub> and ^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>X</sub>^±<sub style='position: relative; left: -.5em;'>1</sub> → ^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>X</sub>⁰<sub style='position: relative; left: -.5em;'>1</sub> + W* with mass differences &triangle;m = m_{^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>X}^±<sub style='position: relative; left: -.5em;'>1</sub></sub> − m_{^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>X}⁰<sub style='position: relative; left: -.5em;'>1</sub></sub> = 5 GeV (20 GeV), stop masses up to 580 GeV (440 GeV) are excluded for m_{^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>X}⁰<sub style='position: relative; left: -.5em;'>1</sub></sub> = 100 GeV. Neutralino masses up to 280 GeV (230 GeV) are excluded for m_{^~<sub style='position: relative; left: -.7em;'>t}₁</sub> = 420 GeV for &triangle;m = 5 GeV (20 GeV). In an extension of this analysis, sbottom quarks cascade-decaying to at least a Higgs boson are searched for in final states with large missing transverse momentum, at least 3 b-tagged jets and no electrons or muons, using neural network discriminants.

The LHCb experiment is an experiment based at the LHC in Geneva and is dedicated to the study of mesons containing bottom and charm quarks. One of the primary goals of the physics at LHCb is to measure CP-violating effects which lead to a dominance of matter over anti-matter in the universe. This thesis presents the measurement of the CP-violating phase Ø s which is one of the golden channels at LHCb. This phase is observed as the interference between mixing of B0s ↔ B-0s and decay of B0s → J/ψ K+K−. The results, based upon the 1.0 fb−1 dataset collected by LHCb during 2011, are: Ø s = 0.07±0.09±0.01 rad , ∆Γs = 0.100±0.016±0.002 ps−1 , Γs = 0.663±0.005±0.006 ps−1 . This analysis is also able to measure the mixing parameter ms = 17.71±0.10±0.01 ps−1. To improve upon this measurement the B0s → J/ψ K+K− analysis is combined with the B0s → J/ψ π+ π − decay channel to make the most accurate measurements to date of, Ø s = 0.01±0.07±0.01 rad, ∆Γs = 0.106±0.011±0.007 ps−1 and Γs = 0.661±0.004±0.006 ps−1. As an integral part of this work a comprehensive software suite known as RapidFit was developed, which is used by many other physicists and this is described.

In the current LHC era, a vast number of models for BSM physics are being tested. For predictions accurate enough to match experimental errors, theoretical calculations have to go beyond LO estimates. However, calculating one-loop corrections in BSM models involves many new particles with specific model dependent properties. Therefore, they are done largely by hand, or in partially–automated ways. I present a fully automated tool for the calculation of generic massive one-loop Feynman diagrams with four external particles, implemented as a module within the fully automated MadGolem framework. With this one can compute the NLO–QCD corrections to generic BSM heavy resonance production processes, for example in the context of supersymmetric theories.

Dissertation presented in ful lment of the requirements for the degree of: Master of Science in Physics 2016 / The Phase-II upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in the early 2020s will enable an order of magnitude increase in the data produced, unlocking the potential for new physics discoveries. In the ATLAS detector, the upgraded Hadronic Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) Phase-II front end read out system is currently being prototyped to handle a total data throughput of 5.1 TB/s, from the current 20.4 GB/s. The FPGA based Super Read Out Driver (sROD) prototype must perform an energy reconstruction algorithm on 2.88 GB/s raw data, or 275 million events per second. Due to the very high level of pro ciency required and time consuming nature of FPGA rmware development, it may be more e ective to implement certain complex energy reconstruction and monitoring algorithms on a general purpose, CPU based sROD co-processor. Hence, the feasibility of a general purpose ARM System on Chip based co-processing unit (PU) for the sROD is determined in this work. A PCI-Express test platform was designed and constructed to link two ARM Cortex-A9 SoCs via their PCI-Express Gen-2 x1 interfaces. Test results indicate that the latency of the PCI-Express interface is su ciently low and the data throughput is superior to that of alternative interfaces such as Ethernet, for use as an interconnect for the SoCs to the sROD. CPU performance benchmarks were performed on ve ARM development platforms to determine the CPU integer, oating point and memory system performance as well as energy e ciency. To complement the benchmarks, Fast Fourier Transform and Optimal Filtering (OF) applications were also tested. Based on the test results, in order for the PU to process 275 million events per second with OF, within the 6 s timing budget of the ATLAS triggering system, a cluster of three Tegra-K1, Cortex-A15 SoCs connected to the sROD via a Gen-2 x8 PCI-Express interface would be suitable. A high level design for the PU is proposed which surpasses the requirements for the sROD co-processor and can also be used in a general purpose, high data throughput system, with 80 Gb/s Ethernet and 15 GB/s PCI-Express throughput, using four X-Gene SoCs.

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, School of Physics. Johannesburg. February, 2017 / The discovery of the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland marks the beginning of a new era: Physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). A model is proposed to describe numerous Run I features observed with both the ATLAS and CMS experiments. The model introduces a heavy scalar estimated to be around 270 GeV and an intermediate scalar which can decay into both dark matter and SM particles. Three different final state searches, linked by the new hypothesis, are presented. These are the hh → γγb¯ b, γγ + Emiss T and high mass diphoton channels. No significant excesses were observed in any channel using the available datasets and limits were set on the relevant cross sections times branching ratios. The lack of statistics in the γγb¯ b analysis prevents any conclusive statement in regard to the excess observed with Run I data. Observing no excess in the γγ + Emiss T channel with the current amount of data is also consistent with the intermediate scalar decaying to SM particles. This could explain the excess of Higgs bosons produced in associations with top quarks in the multilepton final states observed in ATLAS and CMS in Run I and Run II. The work presented provides a deeper understanding on the underlying phenomenology of the hypothesis and provides a foundation for future work. The ATLAS detector underwent a stringent consolidation and validation effort before data taking could commence in 2015. A high voltage board was designed and implemented into a portable test-bench used in the certification and validation process. In addition to these efforts, the electronics on the ATLAS detector are being improved for the Phase-II upgrade program in 2024. A software tool has been designed which integrates the envisioned Phase-II backend infrastructure into the existing ATLAS detector control system. This software is now an ATLAS wide common tool used by multiple sub-detectors in the community. / XL2017

A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. Johannesburg, 2016. / Plastic scintillators play a key role in reconstructing the energy and tracks of hadronic particles that impinge the Tile Calorimeter of the ATLAS detector as a result of high energy particle collisions generated by the Large Hadron Collider of CERN. In the detector, plastic scintillators are exposed to harsh radiation environments and are therefore susceptible to radiation damage. The radiation damage effects to the optical properties and structural damage were studied for PVT based commercial scintillators EJ200, EJ208, EJ260 and BC408, as well as PS based UPS923A and scintillators manufactured for the Tile Calorimeter. Samples of dimensions 5x5x0.3 mm were subjected to irradiation using 6 MeV protons to doses of approximately 0.8 MGy, 8 MGy, 25 MGy and 25 MGy using the 6 MV tandem accelerator of iThemba LABS. Results show that damage leads to a reduced light output and loss in transmission character. Structural damage to the polymer base and the formation of free radicals occur for doses ≥ 8 MGy leading to reduced scintillation in the base and re-absorption of scintillation light respectively. Scintillators containing a larger Stokes shift, i.e. EJ260 and EJ208 exhibit the most radiation hardness. EJ208 is recommended as a candidate to be considered for the replacement of Gap scintillators in the TileCal for the 2018 upgrade. / LG2017

A dissertation submitted to the Faulty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. April 2017. / Plastic scintillators, situated in the Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) of the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), play an integral part in the detection of diffractive, energetic hadronic particles that result from high energy proton-proton collisions. As these particles traversetheplastic, theresultantdecayofthepolymerbaseemitsluminescentlightwhichacts as a signature of this interaction. However, the deleterious radiation environment in which the plastics are situated ultimately degrade the plastic through the formation of free radicals which initiate chemical reactions and alter the structure of the plastic. Radical formation was studied using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in six plastic scintillator types of either polystyrene (PS) or polyvinyl toluene (PVT) base, and computational EPR studies were conducted on two small monomer structures and two large polymer, plastic-like computer models. Damage was simulated in the computational models by removing an increasing number of hydrogen atoms. Plastic samples, of volume 500 ⇥500 ⇥ 250 µm, were to subjected protons accelerated to 6 MeV using the tandem accelerator at iThemba LABS, Gauteng, to increasing target doses of 0.8 MGy, 2.5 MGy, 8.0 MGy, 25 MGy, 50 MGy, and 80 MGy. The experimental EPR data taken after two weeks of the sample exposure to air indicate the presence of peroxy-type radicals that initiate chemical reactions, discolour the plastic, and decrease the efficiency of the plastic. Furthermore, the data suggests that damaged PS and PVT samples are susceptible to different mechanisms of radiation damage. However, results pertaining to the decrease in the g-factor and the increase in normalised EPR intensity suggest that all plastics behave similarly using an EPR analysis as a function of dose. Thus, the EPR analysis could not identify a specific plastic that would perform better than the existing plastics used in the TileCal. The computational chemical potential results indicate that electron transfer between damaged pristine and damaged models is possible. In the two small damaged models, the computational EPR data indicate the presence of a various stable akyl-like radicals depending on the site from which the hydrogen atoms are removed. In the two large damaged models, these results indicate a number of alkyl-, benzyl-, and cyclohexadienyl-like radicals. / LG2017