Dark matter relic density from observations of supersymmetry at the ILC

Abstract

Supersymmetry can explain the observed dark matter relic density with a neutralino dark matter particle and a coannihilating, almost mass-degenerate sparticle. If this were the case in nature, a linear electron positron collider like the ILC could discover the two sparticles if their masses are in the kinematic reach of the collider. This contribution discusses which observations are necessary at the ILC for predicting the dark matter relic density correctly and for confirming that the observed lightest neutralino is the only kind of dark matter. We take the case of stau coannihilation as an example.