Many extensions of the Standard Model posit the existence of heavy particles with long lifetimes. This article presents the results of a search for events containing at least one long-lived particle that decays at a significant distance from its production point into two leptons or into five or more charged particles. This analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ collected in 2012 by the ATLAS detector operating at the Large Hadron Collider. No events are observed in any of the signal regions, and limits are set on model parameters within supersymmetric scenarios involving R-parity violation, split supersymmetry, and gauge mediation. In some of the search channels, the trigger and search strategy are based only on the decay products of individual long-lived particles, irrespective of the rest of the event. In these cases, the provided limits can easily be reinterpreted in different scenarios.
Upper limits (95% CL) from the DV+$E_T^{miss}$ channel on the production cross-section and the corresponding event-level efficiencies (from Auxiliary Figure 10a) for four split-SUSY models as a function of the $\tilde{g}$ proper decay distance $c\tau$. The models consider gluino pair production, with $[\tilde{g}\to g/qq \tilde{\chi}_1^0]$ decays, $\tilde{g}$ masses in GeV as indicated and $m(\tilde{\chi}_1^0)$ = 100 GeV. For comparison, the production cross-sections for $m(\tilde{g})$ = 400 GeV, 800 GeV and 1400 GeV are $18700\pm2800$ fb, $149\pm31$ fb and $0.71\pm0.32$ fb, respectively.
Upper limits (95% CL) from the DV+$E_T^{miss}$ channel on the production cross-section and the corresponding event-level efficiencies (from Auxiliary Figure 10c) for three split-SUSY models as a function of the $\tilde{g}$ proper decay distance $c\tau$. The models consider gluino pair production, with $[\tilde{g}\to tt \tilde{\chi}_1^0]$ decays, $\tilde{g}$ masses in GeV as indicated and $m(\tilde{\chi}_1^0)$ = 100 GeV. For comparison, the production cross-sections for $m(\tilde{g})$ = 600 GeV, 1000 GeV and 1400 GeV are $1270\pm230$ fb, $22\pm6$ fb and $0.71\pm0.32$ fb, respectively.
Upper limits (95% CL) from the DV+jets channel on the production cross-section and the corresponding event-level efficiencies (from Auxiliary Figure 10d) for three split-SUSY models as a function of the $\tilde{g}$ proper decay distance $c\tau$. The models consider gluino pair production, with $[\tilde{g}\to tt \tilde{\chi}_1^0]$ decays, $\tilde{g}$ masses in GeV as indicated and $m(\tilde{\chi}_1^0)$ = 100 GeV. For comparison, the production cross-sections for $m(\tilde{g})$ = 600 GeV, 1000 GeV and 1400 GeV are $1270\pm230$ fb, $22\pm6$ fb and $0.71\pm0.32$ fb, respectively. A dash indicates where the limit-setting procedure did not converge.
A search for long-lived, massive particles predicted by many theories beyond the Standard Model is presented. The search targets final states with large missing transverse momentum and at least one high-mass displaced vertex with five or more tracks, and uses 32.8 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV $pp$ collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The observed yield is consistent with the expected background. The results are used to extract 95\% CL exclusion limits on the production of long-lived gluinos with masses up to 2.37 TeV and lifetimes of $\mathcal{O}(10^{-2})$-$\mathcal{O}(10)$ ns in a simplified model inspired by Split Supersymmetry.
Parameterized event selection efficiencies as a function of truth MET for events which have all truth decay vertices occurring before the start of the ATLAS calorimeter. Event-level efficiencies are evaluated for events that have truth MET $> 200$ GeV, pass the trackless jet requirement, and have at least one displaced truth decay within the fiducial volume. To satisfy the event-level efficiency, events must then pass the full event selection.
Parameterized vertex level efficiencies as a function of number of particles associated to a truth decay vertex, and the vertex invariant mass for truth decays with $4$ mm $< R_{\mathrm{decay}} < 22$ mm. Selected particles are required to have nonzero electric charge, $p_{T}(|Q|=1) > 1$ GeV, and $d_0 > 2$ mm. The per-vertex efficiency is evaluated only for truth vertices that have at least 5 associated tracks, an invariant mass $> 10$ GeV, and are in the region $4$ mm $< R_{\mathrm{decay}} < 300$ mm, and $|Z_{\mathrm{decay}}| < 300$ mm. A truth vertex satisfies the vertex level efficiency if it can be matched to a reconstructed DV which passes the final vertex selection.
Parameterized vertex level efficiencies as a function of number of particles associated to a truth decay vertex, and the vertex invariant mass for truth decays with $4$ mm $< R_{\mathrm{decay}} < 22$ mm. Selected particles are required to have nonzero electric charge, $p_{T}(|Q|=1) > 1$ GeV, and $d_0 > 2$ mm. The per-vertex efficiency is evaluated only for truth vertices that have at least 5 associated tracks, an invariant mass $> 10$ GeV, and are in the region $4$ mm $< R_{\mathrm{decay}} < 300$ mm, and $|Z_{\mathrm{decay}}| < 300$ mm. A truth vertex satisfies the vertex level efficiency if it can be matched to a reconstructed DV which passes the final vertex selection.
A search for heavy charged long-lived particles is performed using a data sample of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The search is based on observables related to ionization energy loss and time of flight, which are sensitive to the velocity of heavy charged particles traveling significantly slower than the speed of light. Multiple search strategies for a wide range of lifetimes, corresponding to path lengths of a few meters, are defined as model-independently as possible, by referencing several representative physics cases that yield long-lived particles within supersymmetric models, such as gluinos/squarks ($R$-hadrons), charginos and staus. No significant deviations from the expected Standard Model background are observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are provided on the production cross sections of long-lived $R$-hadrons as well as directly pair-produced staus and charginos. These results translate into lower limits on the masses of long-lived gluino, sbottom and stop $R$-hadrons, as well as staus and charginos of 2000 GeV, 1250 GeV, 1340 GeV, 430 GeV and 1090 GeV, respectively.
ETmiss trigger efficiency as function of true ETmiss (EtmissTurnOn).
ETmiss trigger efficiency as function of true ETmiss (EtmissTurnOn).
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