Hadronic dark matter searches at CMS

Astronomical observations have determined that 27% of our Universe's energy content is composed of an unknown form of matter - dark matter (DM) - that is entirely different from normal matter that contributes just 5%. DM can be produced at hadron colliders such as the LHC and colliders are particularly powerful in searching for DM at low masses but are also able to explore larger masses, and are not subject to significant astrophysical uncertainties.

Present collider DM searches are mainly based on a particular class of simplified models (s-channel). Additional models leading to new signatures have been proposed but no comprehensive study has taken place so far. This PhD project will study such new models, e.g., electroweak DM models, and optimize for signatures with intermediate or even low missing energy by exploiting new kinematic variables.