A search for a heavy neutral Higgs boson, $A$, decaying into a $Z$ boson and another heavy Higgs boson, $H$, is performed using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ from proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded in 2015 and 2016 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search considers the $Z$ boson decaying to electrons or muons and the $H$ boson into a pair of $b$-quarks. No evidence for the production of an $A$ boson is found. Considering each production process separately, the 95% confidence-level upper limits on the $pp\rightarrow A\rightarrow ZH$ production cross-section times the branching ratio $H\rightarrow bb$ are in the range of 14-830 fb for the gluon-gluon fusion process and 26-570 fb for the $b$-associated process for the mass ranges 130-700 GeV of the $H$ boson and process for the mass ranges 130-700 GeV of the $H$ boson and 230-800 GeV of the $A$ boson. The results are interpreted in the context of the two-Higgs-doublet model.
The signal efficiency for the production modes (gluon-gluon fusion and b-associated production) and the signal regions used in the analysis. The efficiency denominator has the total number of generated MC events. The numerator includes the events passing the full signal region selection, including the mbb window cuts. The table shows for each signal mass pair (mA, mH) 3 efficiencies corresponding to the two production modes in the two categories, 2tag and 3tag. These corresponds to "nb = 2 category" and "nb >= 3 category", respectively, of the preprint. No numbers for gluon-gluon fusion in the 3tag category are provided since those are not used in the analysis. The efficiencies are given in fractions.
The cross section times BR(A->ZH) times BR(H->bb) limits for a narrow width A boson produced via gluon-gluon fusion. For each signal point, characterised by the mass pair (mA, mH), two limits are provided, the observed and the expected. The result refers to the nb=2 category only.
The cross section times BR(A->ZH) times BR(H->bb) limits for a narrow width A boson produced in association with b-quarks. For each signal point, characterised by the mass pair (mA, mH), two limits are provided, the observed and the expected. The result refers to the combination of the nb=2 and nb>=3 categories.
A search has been performed for heavy resonances decaying to ZZ or ZW in 2$\ell$2q final states, with two charged leptons ($\ell=$ e,$\mu$) produced by the decay of a Z boson, and two quarks produced by the decay of a W or Z boson. The analysis is sensitive to resonances with masses in the range from 400 to 4500 GeV. Two categories are defined based on the merged or resolved reconstruction of the hadronically decaying vector boson, optimized for high- and low-mass resonances, respectively. The search is based on data collected during 2016 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in proton-proton collisions with a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=$ 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. No excess is observed in the data above the standard model background expectation. Upper limits on the production cross section of heavy, narrow spin-1 and spin-2 resonances are derived as a function of the resonance mass, and exclusion limits on the production of W$'$ bosons and bulk graviton particles are calculated in the framework of the heavy vector triplet model and warped extra dimensions, respectively.
Distribution of the merged V candidate $\tau_{21}$, where the $\tau_{21}<$ 0.4 requirement has been removed, in data and simulation for events in the signal region of the low-mass analysis. The points show the data while the filled histograms show the background contributions. The gray band shows the statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background, while the dashed vertical region ("Higgs") shows the expected SM Higgs boson mass range, which is excluded from this analysis. A 600 GeV bulk graviton signal prediction is represented by the black dashed histogram; for visibility, the signal cross-section is increased by a factor of 5. The background normalization is derived from the final fit to the $m_{VZ}$ observable in data.
Distribution of the jet $p_{T}$ in data and simulation for events in the signal region of the low-mass analysis. The points show the data while the filled histograms show the background contributions. The gray band shows the statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background, while the dashed vertical region ("Higgs") shows the expected SM Higgs boson mass range, which is excluded from this analysis. A 600 GeV bulk graviton signal prediction is represented by the black dashed histogram; for visibility, the signal cross-section is increased by a factor of 5. The background normalization is derived from the final fit to the $m_{VZ}$ observable in data.
Distribution of V candidate $m_{j}$ in data and simulation for events in the signal regions of the low-mass search. The points show the data while the filled histograms show the background contributions. The gray band shows the statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background, while the dashed vertical region ("Higgs") shows the expected SM Higgs boson mass range, which is excluded from this analysis. A 600 GeV bulk graviton signal prediction is represented by the black dashed histogram; for visibility, the signal cross-section is increased by a factor of 5. The background normalization is derived from the final fit to the $m_{VZ}$ observable in data.
A search for direct pair production of top squarks in final states with two tau leptons, $b$-jets, and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016. Two exclusive channels with either two hadronically decaying tau leptons or one hadronically and one leptonically decaying tau lepton are considered. No significant deviation from the Standard Model predictions is observed in the data. The analysis results are interpreted in terms of model-independent limits and used to derive exclusion limits on the masses of the top squark $\tilde t_1$ and the tau slepton $\tilde \tau_1$ in a simplified model of supersymmetry with a nearly massless gravitino. In this model, masses up to $m(\tilde t_1) = 1.16$ TeV and $m(\tilde \tau_1) = 1.00$ TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level.
Distribution of m<sub>T2</sub> in the signal region of the lep-had channel before the respective selection requirements, indicated by the vertical line and arrow, are applied. The stacked histograms show the various SM background contributions. The total background from events with a fake tau lepton in the lep-had channel (fake τ<sub>had</sub> + e /μ) is obtained from the fake-factor method. The hatched band indicates the total statistical and systematic uncertainty in the SM background. The error bars on the black data points represent the statistical uncertainty in the data yields. The dashed line shows the expected additional yields from a benchmark signal model. The rightmost bin includes the overflow.
Distributions of E<sub>T</sub><sup>miss</sup> in the signal region of the lep-had channel before the respective selection requirements, indicated by the vertical line and arrow, are applied. The stacked histograms show the various SM background contributions. The total background from events with a fake tau lepton in the lep-had channel (fake τ<sub>had</sub> + e /μ) is obtained from the fake-factor method. The hatched band indicates the total statistical and systematic uncertainty in the SM background. The error bars on the black data points represent the statistical uncertainty in the data yields. The dashed line shows the expected additional yields from a benchmark signal model. The rightmost bin includes the overflow.
Distributions of m<sub>T2</sub> in the signal region of the had-had channel before the respective selection requirements, indicated by the vertical line and arrow, are applied. Here, τ<sub>1</sub> (τ<sub>2</sub>) refers to the leading (subleading) τ<sub>had</sub>. The stacked histograms show the various SM background contributions. The hatched band indicates the total statistical and systematic uncertainty in the SM background. The error bars on the black data points represent the statistical uncertainty in the data yields. The dashed line shows the expected additional yields from a benchmark signal model. The rightmost bin includes the overflow.
Differential and double-differential cross sections for the production of top quark pairs in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV are measured as a function of kinematic variables of the top quarks and the top quark-antiquark ($\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$) system. In addition, kinematic variables and multiplicities of jets associated with the $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$ production are measured. This analysis is based on data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.8 fb$^{-1}$. The measurements are performed in the lepton+jets decay channels with a single muon or electron and jets in the final state. The differential cross sections are presented at the particle level, within a phase space close to the experimental acceptance, and at the parton level in the full phase space. The results are compared to several standard model predictions that use different methods and approximations. The kinematic variables of the top quarks and the $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$ system are reasonably described in general, though none predict all the measured distributions. In particular, the transverse momentum distribution of the top quarks is more steeply falling than predicted. The kinematic distributions and multiplicities of jets are adequately modeled by certain combinations of next-to-leading-order calculations and parton shower models.
Absolute cross section at particle level as a function of $p_\text{T}(\text{t}_\text{h})$.
Absolute cross section at particle level as a function of $p_\text{T}(\text{t}_\text{h})$.
Covariance matrix of absolute cross section at particle level as a function of $p_\text{T}(\text{t}_\text{h})$.
A search is presented for physics beyond the standard model, based on measurements of dijet angular distributions in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$ 13 TeV. The data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The observed distributions are found to be in agreement with predictions from perturbative quantum chromodynamics that include electroweak corrections. Constraints are placed on models containing quark contact interactions, extra spatial dimensions, quantum black holes, or dark matter using the detector-level distributions. In a benchmark model where only left-handed quarks participate, contact interactions are excluded at the 95% confidence level up to a scale of 12.8 or 17.5 TeV, for destructive or constructive interference, respectively. The most stringent lower limits to date are set on the ultraviolet cutoff in the Arkani-Hamed-Dimopoulos-Dvali model of extra dimensions. In the Giudice-Rattazzi-Wells convention, the cutoff scale is excluded up to 10.1 TeV. The production of quantum black holes is excluded for masses below 5.9 and 8.2 TeV, depending on the model. For the first time, lower limits between 2.0 and 4.6 TeV are set on the mass of a dark matter mediator for (axial-)vector mediators, for the universal quark coupling $g_\mathrm{q}\geq$ 1.
Normalized dijet angular distribution for events with dijet mass > 6.0 TeV.
Normalized dijet angular distribution for events with 5.4 < dijet mass < 6.0 TeV.
Normalized dijet angular distribution for events with 4.8 < dijet mass < 5.4 TeV.
A search is presented for the associated production of a Higgs boson with a top quark pair in the all-jet final state. Events containing seven or more jets are selected from a sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2016, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. To separate the $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$H signal from the irreducible $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}+\mathrm{b}\overline{\mathrm{b}}$ background, the analysis assigns leading order matrix element signal and background probability densities to each event. A likelihood-ratio statistic based on these probability densities is used to extract the signal. The results are provided in terms of an observed $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$H signal strength relative to the standard model production cross section $\mu=\sigma/\sigma_\mathrm{SM}$, assuming a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV. The best fit value is $\hat{\mu} =$ 0.9 $\pm$ 0.7 (stat) $\pm$ 1.3 (syst) = 0.9 $\pm$ 1.5 (tot), and the observed and expected upper limits are, respectively, $\mu <$ 3.8 and $<$ 3.1 at 95% confidence levels.
Best fit values in the signal strength modifiers (mu), and their 68% CL intervals as split into the statistical and systematic components for each category and combinations of categories.
Values of log10(S/B), where S and B indicate the respective bin-by-bin yields of the signal and background expected in the MEM discriminant distributions, obtained from a combined fit with the constraint in the cross section of mu = 1.
A search is presented for additional neutral Higgs bosons in the $\tau\tau$ final state in proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The search is performed in the context of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model (MSSM), using the data collected with the CMS detector in 2016 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. To enhance the sensitivity to neutral MSSM Higgs bosons, the search includes production of the Higgs boson in association with b quarks. No significant deviation above the expected background is observed. Model-independent limits at 95% confidence level (CL) are set on the product of the branching fraction for the decay into $\tau$ leptons and the cross section for the production via gluon fusion or in association with b quarks. These limits range from 18 pb at 90 GeV to 3.5 fb at 3.2 TeV for gluon fusion and from 15 pb (at 90 GeV) to 2.5 fb (at 3.2 TeV) for production in association with b quarks, assuming a narrow width resonance. In the m$_{\text{h}}^{\text{mod+}}$ scenario these limits translate into a 95% CL exclusion of $\tan\beta>$ 6 for neutral Higgs boson masses below 250 GeV, where $\tan\beta$ is the ratio of the vacuum expectation values of the neutral components of the two Higgs doublets. The 95% CL exclusion contour reaches 1.6 TeV for $\tan\beta=$ 60.
Expected and observed 95% CL upper limits for the production of a single narrow resonance, $\phi$, with a mass between 90 GeV and 3.2 TeV via gluon-gluon fusion. This limit database corresponds to the values shown in Figure 7a of the paper.
Expected and observed 95% CL upper limits for the production of a single narrow resonance, $\phi$, with a mass between 90 GeV and 3.2 TeV in association with b-quarks. This limit database corresponds to the values shown in Figure 7b of the paper.
Scan of the likelihood function for the search in the $\tau\tau$ final state for a single narrow resonance, $\phi$, produced via gluon fusion ($gg\phi$) or in association with b quarks ($bb\phi$). The scan is performed in 40000 points of the ($\sigma(gg\phi)\cdot B(\phi\rightarrow\tau\tau)$, $\sigma(bb\phi)\cdot B(\phi\rightarrow\tau\tau)$) plane. An asimov dataset constructed from the expectation of all backgrounds and the SM Higgs boson is tested against a background hypothesis including the SM Higgs boson. For further details and instructions, please have a look into the following README file http://cms-results.web.cern.ch/cms-results/public-results/publications/HIG-17-020/2D-likelihood-scans/README.txt. Selected examples of such a likelihood scan are given in Figure 8 of the paper.
A search is presented for new high-mass resonances decaying into electron or muon pairs. The search uses proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 fb$^{-1}$. Observations are in agreement with standard model expectations. Upper limits on the product of a new resonance production cross section and branching fraction to dileptons are calculated in a model-independent manner. This permits the interpretation of the limits in models predicting a narrow dielectron or dimuon resonance. A scan of different intrinsic width hypotheses is performed. Limits are set on the masses of various hypothetical particles. For the Z$'_\mathrm{SSM}$ (Z$'_{\psi}$) particle, which arises in the sequential standard model (superstring-inspired model), a lower mass limit of 4.50 (3.90) TeV is set at 95% confidence level. The lightest Kaluza-Klein graviton arising in the Randall-Sundrum model of extra dimensions, with coupling parameters $k/\overline{M}_\mathrm{Pl}$ of 0.01, 0.05, and 0.10, is excluded at 95% confidence level below 2.10, 3.65, and 4.25 TeV, respectively. In a simplified model of dark matter production via a vector or axial vector mediator, limits at 95% confidence level are obtained on the masses of the dark matter particle and its mediator.
The number of dielectron events in various invariant mass ranges. The total back- ground is the sum of the events for the SM processes listed. The yields from simulation are normalized relative to the expected cross sections, and overall the simulation is normalized to the observed yield using the number of events in the mass window 60-120 GeV. Uncertainties include both statistical and systematic components, summed in quadrature.
The number of dimuon events in various invariant mass ranges. The total back- ground is the sum of the events for the SM processes listed. The yields from simulation are normalized relative to the expected cross sections, and overall the simulation is normalized to the observed yield using the number of events in the mass window 60-120 GeV. Uncertainties include both statistical and systematic components, summed in quadrature.
The invariant mass spectra of dielectron events. The points with error bars represent the observed yield. The histogram represents the expectations from the SM processes. The bins have equal width in logarithmic scale so that the width in GeV becomes larger with increasing mass.
Results of a search for the standard model Higgs boson produced in association with a top quark pair ($\mathrm{t\overline{t}}$H) in final states with electrons, muons, and hadronically decaying $\tau$ leptons are presented. The analyzed data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$ recorded in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV by the CMS experiment in 2016. The sensitivity of the search is improved by using matrix element and machine learning methods to separate the signal from backgrounds. The measured signal rate amounts to 1.23 $^{+0.45}_{-0.43}$ times the production rate expected in the standard model, with an observed (expected) significance of 3.2$\sigma$ (2.8$\sigma$), which represents evidence for $\mathrm{t\overline{t}}$H production in those final states. An upper limit on the signal rate of 2.1 times the standard model production rate is set at 95% confidence level.
Signal rates $\mu$, in units of the SM $\mathrm{t\overline(t}H}$ production rate, measured in each of the categories individually and for the combination of all six categories. The blue (green) band corresponds to the statistical (total) uncertainty on the combined signal rate.
A search for the electroweak production of charginos, neutralinos and sleptons decaying into final states involving two or three electrons or muons is presented. The analysis is based on 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV proton--proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Several scenarios based on simplified models are considered. These include the associated production of the next-to-lightest neutralino and the lightest chargino, followed by their decays into final states with leptons and the lightest neutralino via either sleptons or Standard Model gauge bosons; direct production of chargino pairs, which in turn decay into leptons and the lightest neutralino via intermediate sleptons; and slepton pair production, where each slepton decays directly into the lightest neutralino and a lepton. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectation are observed and stringent limits at 95% confidence level are placed on the masses of relevant supersymmetric particles in each of these scenarios. For a massless lightest neutralino, masses up to 580 GeV are excluded for the associated production of the next-to-lightest neutralino and the lightest chargino, assuming gauge-boson mediated decays, whereas for slepton-pair production masses up to 500 GeV are excluded assuming three generations of mass-degenerate sleptons.
The mll distribution for data and the estimated SM backgrounds in the 2l+0jets channel for SR2-SF-loose. Two signal points are added for comparison.
The mT2 distribution for data and the estimated SM backgrounds in the 2l+0jets channel for SR2-SF-loose. Two signal points are added for comparison.
The mT2 distributions for data and the estimated SM backgrounds in the 2l+0jets channel for the SR2-DF-100 selection. Two signal points are added for comparison.
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