Photino

Last updated
Photino
Composition Elementary particle
Statistics Fermionic
Family Fermion
Interactions Electromagnetic
StatusHypothetical
Symbol
γ͂
Electric charge 0  e
Spin 1/2

A photino is a hypothetical subatomic particle, the fermion WIMP superpartner of the photon predicted by supersymmetry. [1] [2] It is an example of a gaugino. Even though no photino has ever been observed so far, it is one of the candidates for the lightest supersymmetric particle in the universe. [3] It is proposed that photinos are produced by sources of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. [4]

Contents

Photino numbers

Photinos have a lepton number 0, baryon number 0, and spin 1/2. With an R-parity of −1 it is a possible candidate for dark matter. [5] It mixes with the superpartners of the Z boson (zino) and the neutral higgs (higgsino) to form the neutralino.

See also

Related Research Articles

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0
1
,
0
2
,
0
3
and
0
4
although sometimes is also used when is used to refer to charginos.

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±
1
and
±
2
, although sometimes and are also used to refer to charginos, when is used to refer to neutralinos. The heavier chargino can decay through the neutral Z boson to the lighter chargino. Both can decay through a charged W boson to a neutralino:

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References

  1. "Tracking down the missing mass". New Scientist . Reed Business Information: 32. 9 January 1986. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  2. STENGER, V. J. (1985). "Photinos from cosmic sources". Nature. 317 (6036): 411–413. Bibcode:1985Natur.317..411S. doi:10.1038/317411a0. S2CID   4312378.
  3. Information, Reed Business (9 January 1986). "Tracking down the missing mass". New Scientist (1490): 32. Retrieved 24 September 2015.{{cite journal}}: |first1= has generic name (help)
  4. STENGER, V. J. (3 October 1985). "Photinos from cosmic sources". Nature . 317 (6036): 411–413. Bibcode:1985Natur.317..411S. doi:10.1038/317411a0. S2CID   4312378.
  5. Srednicki, M. (2012). Particle Physics and Cosmology: Dark Matter. Elsevier. p. 283. ISBN   978-0-444-59609-3 . Retrieved 19 June 2020.