The Physics of New U(1)' Gauge Bosons

Paul Langacker

Published 2009-09-17, updated 2009-11-30Version 2

Additional Z' gauge bosons are predicted by a wide variety of extensions of the standard model (SM). Possibilities include TeV-scale bosons with electroweak coupling, very light bosons which nearly decouple from the standard model particles, and bosons which communicate with a quasi-hidden sector. A broad survey is given of the theoretical possibilities and of the physics implications for particle physics and cosmology. Several novel examples, including light Z's suggested by PAMELA, Stueckelberg Z's, and Z's associated with the mediation of supersymmetry breaking, are described.