A search for dark matter (DM) particles produced in association with a hadronically decaying vector boson is performed using $pp$ collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$, recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This analysis improves on previous searches for processes with hadronic decays of $W$ and $Z$ bosons in association with large missing transverse momentum (mono-$W/Z$ searches) due to the larger dataset and further optimization of the event selection and signal region definitions. In addition to the mono-$W/Z$ search, the as yet unexplored hypothesis of a new vector boson $Z^\prime$ produced in association with dark matter is considered (mono-$Z^\prime$ search). No significant excess over the Standard Model prediction is observed. The results of the mono-$W/Z$ search are interpreted in terms of limits on invisible Higgs boson decays into dark matter particles, constraints on the parameter space of the simplified vector-mediator model and generic upper limits on the visible cross sections for $W/Z$+DM production. The results of the mono-$Z^\prime$ search are shown in the framework of several simplified-model scenarios involving DM production in association with the $Z^\prime$ boson.
The product of the acceptance and effifiency. Defined as the number of signal events satisfying the full set of selection criteria, divided by the total number of generated signal events, after the full event selection for the combined mono-W and mono-Z signal of the simplified vector-mediator model, shown in dependence on mass of the Z' mediator (mZp). For a given model, the signal contributions from each category are summed together.
The product of the acceptance and effifiency. Defined as the number of signal events satisfying the full set of selection criteria, divided by the total number of generated signal events, after the full event selection for the mono-Z' dark fermion and dark-Higgs signal models, shown in dependence on the mass of the Z' mediator (mZp). For a given model, the signal contributions from each category are summed together.
The observed and expected MET distributions with 36.1fb-1 of data with sqrt(s) = 13 TeV in the mono-W/Z signal region with the merged event topology after the profile-likelihood fit. This is shown for the 0b-tagged jet, high purity, event category.
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