physics

Supersplit supersymmetry

Supersplit supersymmetry is a physics topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Supersplit supersymmetry rather than just read about it. In short: Supersplit supersymmetry was conceived as an April Fool's Day joke in 2005 by a group of young theoretical high energy physicists. It was meant as a parody of split supersymmetry.

Key takeaways

Supersplit supersymmetry belongs to physics; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Supersplit supersymmetry to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Supersplit supersymmetry from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Supersplit supersymmetry was conceived as an April Fool's Day joke in 2005 by a group of young theoretical high energy physicists. It was meant as a parody of split supersymmetry. The model proposed particles (beyond those of the Standard Model) which are decoupled, leaving no trace at low energies, therefore leaving just the Standard Model. The paper argued that the 30% accuracy of gauge coupling unification in the Standard Model is on par with the 1% accuracy in the MSSM or Split Supersymmetry. It also used the well-known possibility that a Peccei-Quinn axion could be the dark matter of the universe. As a serious scientific theory, it leads to no new predictions beyond the Standard Model, and is therefore unverifiable. As a social commentary, it demonstrates the uneasiness in the high energy physics community about the direction some model building is heading. Despite the original intent as a ridiculous proposal, the original paper has been cited by few theoretical physicists. In 2011, a paper by Giudice and Strumia has presented the same idea under the name 'high scale supersymmetry'.

References

External links Supersplit Supersymmetry by P.J. Fox, D.E. Kaplan, E. Katz, E. Poppitz, V. Sanz, M. Schmaltz, M.D. Schwartz and N. Weiner

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Supersplit supersymmetry

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Supersplit supersymmetry claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In physics, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Supersplit supersymmetry before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Supersplit supersymmetry ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Supersplit supersymmetry

In research: Supersplit supersymmetry appears in physics research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Supersplit supersymmetry in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Supersplit supersymmetry is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics April Fools' Day jokes, Particle physics stubs, String theory, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Supersplit supersymmetry outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Supersplit supersymmetry in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Supersplit supersymmetry means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Supersplit supersymmetry out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Supersplit supersymmetry in simple terms?

Supersplit supersymmetry was conceived as an April Fool's Day joke in 2005 by a group of young theoretical high energy physicists. It was meant as a parody of split supersymmetry.

Why does Supersplit supersymmetry matter?

Because it connects several physics ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Supersplit supersymmetry?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Supersplit supersymmetry.