This paper describes the physics case for a new fixed target facility at CERN SPS. The SHiP (search for hidden particles) experiment is intended to hunt for new physics in the largely unexplored domain of very weakly interacting particles with masses below the Fermi scale, inaccessible to the LHC experiments, and to study tau neutrino physics. The same proton beam setup can be used later to look for decays of tau-leptons with lepton flavour number non-conservation, [Formula: see text] and to search for weakly-interacting sub-GeV dark matter candidates. We discuss the evidence for physics beyond the standard model and describe interactions between new particles and four different portals-scalars, vectors, fermions or axion-like particles. We discuss motivations for different models, manifesting themselves via these interactions, and how they can be probed with the SHiP experiment and present several case studies. The prospects to search for relatively light SUSY and composite particles at SHiP are also discussed. We demonstrate that the SHiP experiment has a unique potential to discover new physics and can directly probe a number of solutions of beyond the standard model puzzles, such as neutrino masses, baryon asymmetry of the Universe, dark matter, and inflation.

In the first three years of running, the LHC has delivered a wealth of new data that is now being analysed. With over 20 fb −1 of integrated luminosity, both ATLAS and CMS have performed many searches for new physics that theorists are eager to test their model against. However, tuning the detector simulations, understanding the particular analysis details and interpreting the results can be a tedious task.Checkmate (Check Models At Terascale Energies) is a program package which accepts simulated event files in many formats for any model. The program then determines whether the model is excluded or not at 95% C.L. by comparing to many recent experimental analyses. Furthermore the program can calculate confidence limits and provide detailed information about signal regions of interest. It is simple to use and the program structure allows for easy extensions to upcoming LHC results in the future.Checkmate can be found at: http://checkmate

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Checkmate is a framework that allows the user to conveniently test simulated BSM physics events against current LHC data in order to derive exclusion limits. For this purpose, the data runs through a detector simulation and is then processed by a user chosen selection of experimental analyses. These analyses are all defined by signal regions that can be compared to the experimental data with a multitude of statistical tools.Due to the large and continuously growing number of experimental analyses available, users may quickly find themselves in the situation that the study they are particularly interested in has not (yet) been implemented officially into the Checkmate framework. However, the code includes a rather simple framework to allow users to add new analyses on their own. This document serves as a guide to this.In addition, Checkmate serves as a powerful tool for testing and implementing new search strategies. To aid this process, many tools are included to allow a rapid prototyping of new analyses.

The Wimp (weakly interacting massive particle) paradigm for dark matter is currently being probed via many different experiments. Direct detection, indirect detection and collider searches are all hoping to catch a glimpse of these elusive particles. Here, we examine the potential of the Ilc (International Linear Collider) to shed light on the origin of dark matter. By using an effective field theory approach we are also able to compare the reach of the Ilc with that of the other searches. We find that for low mass dark matter (< 10 GeV), the Ilc offers a unique opportunity to search for Wimps beyond any other experiment. In addition, if dark matter happens to only couple to leptons or via a spin dependent interaction, the Ilc can give an unrivalled window to these models. We improve on previous Ilc studies by constructing a comprehensive list of effective theories that allows us to move beyond the non-relativistic approximation.