We analyze supergravity models that predict a low mass gluino within the landscape of sparticle mass hierarchies. The analysis includes a broad class of models that arise in minimal and in nonminimal supergravity unified frameworks and in extended models with additional $U(1{)}_X^n$ hidden sector gauge symmetries. Gluino masses in the range (350–700) GeV are investigated. Masses in this range are promising for early discovery at the LHC at $\sqrt{s}=7\mathrm{TeV}$ (LHC-7). The models exhibit a wide dispersion in the gaugino-Higgsino eigencontent of their lightest supersymmetric particles and in their associated sparticle mass spectra. A signature analysis is carried out and the prominent discovery channels for the models are identified with most models needing only $\sim 1{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$ for discovery at LHC-7. In addition, significant variations in the discovery capability of the low mass gluino models are observed for models in which the gluino masses are of comparable size due to the mass splittings in different models and the relative position of the light gluino within the various sparticle mass hierarchies. The models are consistent with the current stringent bounds from the Fermi-LAT, CDMS-II, XENON100, and EDELWEISS-2 experiments. A subclass of these models, which include a mixed–$w$-ino lightest supersymmetric particle and a Higgsino lightest supersymmetric particle, are also shown to accommodate the positron excess seen in the PAMELA satellite experiment.

• Received 7 November 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.83.035005