A search is presented for the pair production of higgsinos $\tilde{\chi}$ in gauge-mediated supersymmetry models, where the lightest neutralinos $\tilde{\chi}_1^0$ decay into a light gravitino $\tilde{G}$ either via a Higgs $h$ or $Z$ boson. The search is performed with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. It targets final states in which a Higgs boson decays into a photon pair, while the other Higgs or $Z$ boson decays into a $b\bar{b}$ pair, with missing transverse momentum associated with the two gravitinos. Search regions dependent on the amount of missing transverse momentum are defined by the requirements that the diphoton mass should be consistent with the mass of the Higgs boson, and the $b\bar{b}$ mass with the mass of the Higgs or $Z$ boson. The main backgrounds are estimated with data-driven methods using the sidebands of the diphoton mass distribution. No excesses beyond Standard Model expectations are observed and higgsinos with masses up to 320 GeV are excluded, assuming a branching fraction of 100% for $\tilde{\chi}_1^0\rightarrow h\tilde{G}$. This analysis excludes higgsinos with masses of 130 GeV for branching fractions to $h\tilde{G}$ as low as 36%, thus providing complementarity to previous ATLAS searches in final states with multiple leptons or multiple $b$-jets, targeting different decays of the electroweak bosons.
<b>- - - - - - - - Overview of HEPData Record - - - - - - - -</b> <b>Histograms:</b><ul> <li><a href=?table=Distribution1>Figure 3a: $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ Distribution in VR1</a> <li><a href=?table=Distribution2>Figure 3b: $E_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$ Distribution in VR1</a> <li><a href=?table=Distribution3>Figure 3c: $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ Distribution in VR2</a> <li><a href=?table=Distribution4>Figure 3d: $E_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$ Distribution in VR2</a> <li><a href=?table=Distribution5>Figure 4a: N-1 $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ Distribution for SR1h</a> <li><a href=?table=Distribution6>Figure 4b: N-1 $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ Distribution for SR1Z</a> <li><a href=?table=Distribution7>Figure 4c: N-1 $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ Distribution for SR2</a> <li><a href=?table=Distribution8>Auxiliary Figure 1: Signal and Validation Region Yields</a> </ul> <b>Tables:</b><ul> <li><a href=?table=YieldsTable1>Table 3: Signal Region Yields & Model-independent Limits</a> <li><a href=?table=Cutflow1>Auxiliary Table 1: Benchmark Signal Cutflows</a> </ul> <b>Cross section limits:</b><ul> <li><a href=?table=X-sectionU.L.1>Figure 5: 1D Cross-section Limits</a> <li><a href=?table=X-sectionU.L.2>Auxiliary Figure 3: 2D Cross-section Limits</a> </ul> <b>2D CL limits:</b><ul> <li><a href=?table=Exclusioncontour1>Figure 6: Expected Limit on $\mathrm{BF}(\tilde{\chi}_1^0\rightarrow h\tilde{G})$</a> <li><a href=?table=Exclusioncontour2>Figure 6: $+1\sigma$ Variation for Expected Limit on $\mathrm{BF}(\tilde{\chi}_1^0\rightarrow h\tilde{G})$</a> <li><a href=?table=Exclusioncontour3>Figure 6: $-1\sigma$ Variation for Expected Limit on $\mathrm{BF}(\tilde{\chi}_1^0\rightarrow h\tilde{G})$</a> <li><a href=?table=Exclusioncontour4>Figure 6: Observed Limit on $\mathrm{BF}(\tilde{\chi}_1^0\rightarrow h\tilde{G})$</a> <li><a href=?table=Exclusioncontour5>Figure 6: $+1\sigma$ Variation for Observed Limit on $\mathrm{BF}(\tilde{\chi}_1^0\rightarrow h\tilde{G})$</a> <li><a href=?table=Exclusioncontour6>Figure 6: $-1\sigma$ Variation for Observed Limit on $\mathrm{BF}(\tilde{\chi}_1^0\rightarrow h\tilde{G})$</a> </ul> <b>2D Acceptance and Efficiency maps:</b><ul> <li><a href=?table=Acceptance1>Auxiliary Figure 4a: Acceptances SR1h</a> <li><a href=?table=Acceptance2>Auxiliary Figure 4b: Acceptances SR1Z</a> <li><a href=?table=Acceptance3>Auxiliary Figure 4c: Acceptances SR2</a> <li><a href=?table=Efficiency1>Auxiliary Figure 5a: Efficiencies SR1h</a> <li><a href=?table=Efficiency2>Auxiliary Figure 5b: Efficiencies SR1Z</a> <li><a href=?table=Efficiency3>Auxiliary Figure 5c: Efficiencies SR2</a> </ul>
Distribution of the diphoton invariant mass in validation region VR1. The solid histograms are stacked to show the SM expectations after the 2×2D background estimation technique is applied. Background and signal predictions are normalised to the luminosity. The background category "h (other)" includes events originating from VBF, Vh, ggF, thq, thW and bb̄h, all subdominant in this signature. Statistical and systematic uncertainties are indicated by the shaded area. The lower panel of each plot shows the ratio of the data to the SM prediction for the respective bin. The first and last bins include the underflows and overflows respectively.
Distribution of the missing transverse momentum in validation region VR1. The solid histograms are stacked to show the SM expectations after the 2×2D background estimation technique is applied. Background and signal predictions are normalised to the luminosity. The background category "h (other)" includes events originating from VBF, Vh, ggF, thq, thW and bb̄h, all subdominant in this signature. Statistical and systematic uncertainties are indicated by the shaded area. The lower panel of each plot shows the ratio of the data to the SM prediction for the respective bin. The first and last bins include the underflows and overflows respectively.
Searches for the exclusive decays of the Higgs boson into $D^*\gamma$ and of the $Z$ boson into $D^0\gamma$ and $K^0_s\gamma$ can probe flavour-violating Higgs and $Z$ boson couplings to light quarks. Searches for these decays are performed with a $pp$ collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $136.3$ fb$^{-1}$ collected at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV between 2016-2018 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. In the $D^*\gamma$ and $D^0\gamma$ channels, the observed (expected) 95$\%$ confidence-level upper limits on the respective branching fractions are ${\cal B}(H\rightarrow D^*\gamma)< 1.0 (1.2)\times 10^{-3}$, ${\cal B}(Z\rightarrow D^0\gamma)< 4.0 (3.4)\times 10^{-6}$, while the corresponding results in the $K^0_s\gamma$ channel are ${\cal B}(Z\rightarrow K^0_s\gamma)< 3.1 (3.0)\times 10^{-6}$.
Numbers of observed and expected background events for the $m_{\mathcal{M}\gamma}$ ranges of interest. Each expected background and the corresponding uncertainty is obtained by integrating the total pdf after a background-only fit to the data, where the uncertainty does not take into account statistical fluctuations in each mass range. Expected Higgs and $Z$ boson signal contributions, with their corresponding total systematic uncertainty, are shown for reference branching fractions of $10^{-3}$ and $10^{-6}$, respectively. Entries are marked with a dash when there is no signal of that type in the specified range.
Observed and expected (with the corresponding $\pm1\sigma$ intervals) 95% CL upper limits on the branching fractions for $H\rightarrow D^*\gamma$, $Z\rightarrow D^0\gamma$ and $Z\rightarrow K^0_s\gamma$. Standard Model production of the Higgs boson is assumed. The corresponding upper limits on the production cross-section times branching fraction $\sigma\times\mathcal{B}$ are also shown.
A search for a new $Z'$ gauge boson predicted by $L_{\mu}-L_{\tau}$ models, based on charged-current Drell-Yan production, $pp \rightarrow W^{\pm(*)} \rightarrow Z' \mu^{\pm} \nu \rightarrow \mu^{\pm}\mu^{\mp}\mu^{\pm}\nu$, is presented. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search examines a final state of $3\mu$ plus large missing transverse momentum. Upper limits are set on the $Z'$ production cross-section times branching ratio in the mass range of 5-81 GeV. After combining with the previous $Z'$ search using the neutral-current Drell-Yan production with a $4\mu$ final state, the most stringent exclusion limits to date are achieved in the parameter space of the $Z'$ coupling strength and mass.
Observed and expected upper limits at 95% CL on the production cross-section times branching fraction of the process $pp\to W\to Z^{\prime}$ $\mu \nu \to \mu \mu \mu \nu$ as a function of $m_{Z^{\prime}}$.
Observed and expected upper limits at 95% CL on the coupling parameter $g_{Z^{\prime}}$ as a function of $m_{Z^{\prime}}$ from the statistical combination of the $3\mu$ and $4\mu$ channels.
Exclusion contour compared to the limits from the Neutrino Trident and the $B_{S}$ mixing experimental results.
Statistical combinations of searches for charginos and neutralinos using various decay channels are performed using $139\,$fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13\,$TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Searches targeting pure-wino chargino pair production, pure-wino chargino-neutralino production, or higgsino production decaying via Standard Model $W$, $Z$, or $h$ bosons are combined to extend the mass reach to the produced SUSY particles by 30-100 GeV. The depth of the sensitivity of the original searches is also improved by the combinations, lowering the 95% CL cross-section upper limits by 15%-40%.
Expected 95% CL exclusion limits on the simplified models of chargino-pair production decaying via W bosons.
$+1\sigma$ expected 95% CL exclusion limits on the simplified models of chargino-pair production decaying via W bosons.
$-1\sigma$ expected 95% CL exclusion limits on the simplified models of chargino-pair production decaying via W bosons.
A summary of the constraints from searches performed by the ATLAS Collaboration for the electroweak production of charginos and neutralinos is presented. Results from eight separate ATLAS searches are considered, each using 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$=13 TeV collected at the Large Hadron Collider during its second data-taking run. The results are interpreted in the context of the 19-parameter phenomenological minimal supersymmetric standard model, where R-parity conservation is assumed and the lightest supersymmetric particle is assumed to be the lightest neutralino. Constraints from previous electroweak, flavour and dark matter related measurements are also considered. The results are presented in terms of constraints on supersymmetric particle masses and are compared with limits from simplified models. Also shown is the impact of ATLAS searches on parameters such as the dark matter relic density and the spin-dependent and spin-independent scattering cross-sections targeted by direct dark matter detection experiments. The Higgs boson and Z boson `funnel regions', where a low-mass neutralino would not oversaturate the dark matter relic abundance, are almost completely excluded by the considered constraints. Example spectra for non-excluded supersymmetric models with light charginos and neutralinos are also presented.
SLHA files and exclusion information (in CSV format) are available to download for the pMSSM models in this paper. Please refer to <a href="https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/SUSY-2020-15/inputs/ATLAS_EW_pMSSM_Run2.html">this web page</a> for download links along with a description of the contents.
SLHA files and exclusion information (in CSV format) are available to download for the pMSSM models in this paper. Please refer to <a href="https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/SUSY-2020-15/inputs/ATLAS_EW_pMSSM_Run2.html">this web page</a> for download links along with a description of the contents.
This paper presents a search for pair production of higgsinos, the supersymmetric partners of the Higgs bosons, in scenarios with gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. Each higgsino is assumed to decay into a Higgs boson and a nearly massless gravitino. The search targets events where each Higgs boson decays into $b\bar{b}$, leading to a reconstructed final state with at least three energetic $b$-jets and missing transverse momentum. Two complementary analysis channels are used, with each channel specifically targeting either low or high values of the higgsino mass. The low-mass (high-mass) channel exploits 126 (139) fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV data collected by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess above the Standard Model prediction is found. At 95% confidence level, masses between 130 GeV and 940 GeV are excluded for higgsinos decaying exclusively into Higgs bosons and gravitinos. Exclusion limits as a function of the higgsino decay branching ratio to a Higgs boson are also reported.
Post-fit SR yields of the high-mass channel. The upper panel shows the observed number of events, as well the post-fit background predictions in each region. The bottom panel shows the ratio of the observed data and the total background prediction. The shaded areas correspond to the total statistical and systematic uncertainties obtained after the fit and described in Section 6.
Post-fit SR yields of the high-mass channel. The upper panel shows the observed number of events, as well the post-fit background predictions in each region. The bottom panel shows the ratio of the observed data and the total background prediction. The shaded areas correspond to the total statistical and systematic uncertainties obtained after the fit and described in Section 6.
Post-fit SR yields of the high-mass channel. The upper panel shows the observed number of events, as well the post-fit background predictions in each region. The bottom panel shows the ratio of the observed data and the total background prediction. The shaded areas correspond to the total statistical and systematic uncertainties obtained after the fit and described in Section 6.
Higgsinos with masses near the electroweak scale can solve the hierarchy problem and provide a dark matter candidate, while detecting them at the LHC remains challenging if their mass-splitting is $\mathcal{O}$(1 GeV). This Letter presents a novel search for nearly mass-degenerate higgsinos in events with an energetic jet, missing transverse momentum, and a low-momentum track with a significant transverse impact parameter using 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment. For the first time since LEP, a range of mass-splittings between the lightest charged and neutral higgsinos from 0.3 GeV to 0.9 GeV is excluded at 95% confidence level, with a maximum reach of approximately 170 GeV in the higgsino mass.
Number of expected and observed data events in the SR (top), and the model-independent upper limits obtained from their consistency (bottom). The symbol $\tau_{\ell}$ ($\tau_{h}$) refers to fully-leptonic (hadron-involved) tau decays. The Others category includes contributions from minor background processes including $t\bar{t}$, single-top and diboson. The individual uncertainties can be correlated and do not necessarily sum up in quadrature to the total uncertainty. The bottom section shows the observed 95% CL upper limits on the visible cross-section ($\langle\epsilon\sigma\rangle_{\mathrm{obs}}^{95}$), on the number of generic signal events ($S_{\mathrm{obs}}^{95}$) as well as the expected limit ($S_{\mathrm{exp}}^{95}$) given the expected number (and $\pm 1\sigma$ deviations from the expectation) of background events.
Expected (dashed black line) and observed (solid red line) 95% CL exclusion limits on the higgsino simplified model being considered. These are shown with $\pm 1\sigma_{\mathrm{exp}}$ (yellow band) from experimental systematic and statistical uncertainties, and with $\pm 1\sigma_{\mathrm{theory}}^{\mathrm{SUSY}}$ (red dotted lines) from signal cross-section uncertainties, respectively. The limits set by the latest ATLAS searches using the soft lepton and disappearing track signatures are illustrated by the blue and green regions, respectively, while the limit imposed by the LEP experiments is shown in gray. The dot-dashed gray line indicates the predicted mass-splitting for the pure higgsino scenario.
Expected (dashed black line) and observed (solid red line) 95% CL exclusion limits on the higgsino simplified model being considered. These are shown with $\pm 1\sigma_{\mathrm{exp}}$ (yellow band) from experimental systematic and statistical uncertainties, and with $\pm 1\sigma_{\mathrm{theory}}^{\mathrm{SUSY}}$ (red dotted lines) from signal cross-section uncertainties, respectively. The limits set by the latest ATLAS searches using the soft lepton and disappearing track signatures are illustrated by the blue and green regions, respectively, while the limit imposed by the LEP experiments is shown in gray. The dot-dashed gray line indicates the predicted mass-splitting for the pure higgsino scenario.
A search for a new heavy boson produced via gluon-fusion in the four-lepton channel with missing transverse momentum or jets is performed. The search uses proton-proton collision data equivalent to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector between 2015 and 2018 at the Large Hadron Collider. This study explores the decays of heavy bosons: $R\rightarrow SH$ and $A\rightarrow ZH$, where $R$ is a CP-even boson, $A$ is a CP-odd boson, $H$ is a CP-even boson, and $S$ is considered to decay into invisible particles that are candidates for dark matter. In these processes, $S\rightarrow \textrm{invisible}$ and $H\rightarrow ZZ$. The $Z$ boson associated with the heavy scalar boson $H$ decays into all decay channels of the $Z$ boson. The mass range under consideration is 390-1300 (320-1300) GeV for the $R$ ($A$) boson and 220-1000 GeV for the $H$ boson. No significant deviation from the Standard Model backgrounds is observed. The results are interpreted as upper limits at a 95% confidence level on the cross-section times the branching ratio of the heavy resonances.
Observed and expected distributions of the invariant mass of the four-lepton system in the $R\to SH\to 4\ell+E^{\textrm{miss}}_{\textrm{T}}$ search for SR1 under a background-only fit to data. The total background includes the $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$, $gg\to ZZ$, $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$ (EW), $VVV$, $t\overline{t}V$, $t\overline{t}$, $Z$+jets and $WZ$ processes. The distribution of the $(m_{R}, m_{H}) = (500, 300)$ GeV signal is normalised to the observed upper limit on the cross-section (25.0 fb).
Observed and expected distributions of the invariant mass of the four-lepton system in the $R\to SH\to 4\ell+E^{\textrm{miss}}_{\textrm{T}}$ search for SR2 under a background-only fit to data. The total background includes the $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$, $gg\to ZZ$, $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$ (EW), $VVV$, $t\overline{t}V$, $t\overline{t}$, $Z$+jets and $WZ$ processes. The distribution of the $(m_{R}, m_{H}) = (500, 300)$ GeV signal is normalised to the observed upper limit on the cross-section (25.0 fb).
Observed and expected distributions of the invariant mass of the four-lepton system in the $R\to SH\to 4\ell+E^{\textrm{miss}}_{\textrm{T}}$ search for SR3 under a background-only fit to data. The total background includes the $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$, $gg\to ZZ$, $q\overline{q}\to ZZ$ (EW), $VVV$, $t\overline{t}V$, $t\overline{t}$, $Z$+jets and $WZ$ processes. The distribution of the $(m_{R}, m_{H}) = (500, 300)$ GeV signal is normalised to the observed upper limit on the cross-section (25.0 fb).
Presented is the search for anomalous Higgs boson decays into two axion-like particles (ALPs) using the full Run 2 data set of 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment. The ALPs are assumed to decay into two photons, providing sensitivity to recently proposed models that could explain the $(g-2)_\mu$ discrepancy. This analysis covers an ALP mass range from 100 MeV to 62 GeV and ALP-photon couplings in the range $10^{-5}\, \text{TeV}^{-1}<C_{a\gamma\gamma}/\Lambda<1\, \text{TeV}^{-1}$, and therefore includes signatures with significantly displaced vertices and highly collinear photons. No significant excess of events above the Standard Model background is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are placed on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to two ALPs in the four-photon final state, and are in the range of $ 10^{-5}$ to $3\times 10^{-2}$, depending on the hypothesized ALP mass and ALP-photon coupling strength.
Cut-flow and number of events in a region with $110 \text{ GeV} <m_{aa}<130 \text{ GeV}$ for selected signal samples
Overview of relative systematic uncertainties on the signal normalization for selected couplings and mass points in the dominant categories. All photon related uncertainties are summarized under "standard photon", while all customised photon related uncertainties (e.g. displaced photons, NN-based photon IDs) are summarized under "custom photon".
Upper limits on $\mathcal{B}(H\rightarrow aa\rightarrow 4\gamma)$ at 95% CL as a function of the axion mass and for ALP-photon coupling $C_{a\gamma\gamma}=1$.
A search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a $Z$ boson and a light, pseudoscalar particle, $a$, decaying respectively to two leptons and to two photons is reported. The search uses the full LHC Run 2 proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the ATLAS detector. This is one of the first searches for this specific decay mode of the Higgs boson, and it probes unexplored parameter space in models with axion-like particles (ALPs) and extended scalar sectors. The mass of the $a$ particle is assumed to be in the range 0.1-33 GeV. The data are analysed in two categories: a merged category where the photons from the $a$ decay are reconstructed in the ATLAS calorimeter as a single cluster, and a resolved category in which two separate photons are detected. The main background processes are from Standard Model $Z$ boson production in association with photons or jets. The data are in agreement with the background predictions, and upper limits on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to $Za$ times the branching ratio $a\to\gamma\gamma$ are derived at the 95% confidence level and they range from 0.08% to 2% depending on the mass of the $a$ particle. The results are also interpreted in the context of ALP models.
Post-fit distribution for $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ for the resolved category in number of events per 0.2 GeV for data. The figure uses $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$.
Post-fit distribution for $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ for the resolved category in number of events per 0.2 GeV for a signal distribution for $m_a = 9$ GeV, and the signal plus background fit with its background component. The branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to $Za$ times the branching ratio $a $->$ \gamma \gamma$ is assumed to be 50%. The figure uses $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$.
Post-fit final discriminating variable $\Delta R_{Z\gamma}$ in the signal region of the merged category. Signal distributions for $m_a$ values used in this category are overlayed for comparison, assuming a branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to $Za$ times the branching ratio $a $->$ \gamma \gamma$ of 100%. The signal yields have been multiplied by 10 for better visibility. The figure uses $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$.
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