SO(10) grand unification in light of recent LHC searches and colored scalars at the TeV-scale

Abstract

We analyze the compatibility of the recent LHC signals and the TeV-scale left–right model(s) in the minimal nonsupersymmetric SO(10) framework. We show that the models in which the Higgs content is selected based on the extended survival hypothesis do not allow the [Formula: see text] boson to be at the TeV-scale. By relaxing this conjecture, we investigate various scenarios where a number of colored-scalars, originated from various Pati–Salam multiplets, are light and whence they survive down to the low energies. Performing a detailed renormalization group analysis with various low-energy Higgs configurations and symmetry breaking chains, while keeping the high energy Higgs content unmodified; we find that, among a number of possibilities, the models which have a light color-triplet scalar, and its combination with a light color-sextet, particularly stand out. Although these models do allow a TeV-scale [Formula: see text] boson, generating the required value of the gauge coupling [Formula: see text] at this scale is nontrivial.