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.
Constraints on the Higgs boson self-coupling are set by combining double-Higgs boson analyses in the $b\bar{b}b\bar{b}$, $b\bar{b}\tau^+\tau^-$ and $b\bar{b} \gamma \gamma$ decay channels with single-Higgs boson analyses targeting the $\gamma \gamma$, $ZZ^*$, $WW^*$, $\tau^+ \tau^-$ and $b\bar{b}$ decay channels. The data used in these analyses were recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton$-$proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 126$-$139 fb$^{-1}$. The combination of the double-Higgs analyses sets an upper limit of $\mu_{HH} < 2.4$ at 95% confidence level on the double-Higgs production cross-section normalised to its Standard Model prediction. Combining the single-Higgs and double-Higgs analyses, with the assumption that new physics affects only the Higgs boson self-coupling ($\lambda_{HHH}$), values outside the interval $-0.4< \kappa_{\lambda}=(\lambda_{HHH}/\lambda_{HHH}^{\textrm{SM}})< 6.3$ are excluded at 95% confidence level. The combined single-Higgs and double-Higgs analyses provide results with fewer assumptions, by adding in the fit more coupling modifiers introduced to account for the Higgs boson interactions with the other Standard Model particles. In this relaxed scenario, the constraint becomes $-1.4 < \kappa_{\lambda} < 6.1$ at 95% CL.
Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the signal strength for double-Higgs production from the bbbb, bb$\tau\tau$ and bb$\gamma\gamma$ decay channels, and their statistical combination. The value $m_H$ = 125.09 GeV is assumed when deriving the predicted SM cross-section. The expected limit and the corresponding error bands are derived assuming the absence of the HH process and with all nuisance parameters profiled to the observed data.
Observed and expected 95% CL exclusion limits on the production cross-sections of the combined ggF HH and VBF HH processes as a function of $\kappa_\lambda$, for the three double-Higgs search channels and their combination. The expected limits assume no HH production. The red line shows the theory prediction for the combined ggF HH and VBF HH cross-section as a function of $\kappa_\lambda$ where all parameters and couplings are set to their SM values except for $\kappa_\lambda$. The band surrounding the red cross-section lines indicate the theoretical uncertainty of the predicted cross-section.
Observed and expected 95% CL exclusion limits on the production cross-sections of the VBF HH process as a function of $\kappa_{2V}$, for the three double-Higgs search channels and their combination. The expected limits assume no VBF HH production. The red line shows the predicted VBF HH cross-section as a function of $\kappa_{2V}$. The bands surrounding the red cross-section lines indicate the theoretical uncertainty of the predicted cross-section. The uncertainty band is smaller than the width of the plotted line.
The proton-proton elastic differential cross section ${\rm d}\sigma/{\rm d}t$ has been measured by the TOTEM experiment at $\sqrt{s}=2.76$ TeV energy with $\beta^{*}=11$ m beam optics. The Roman Pots were inserted to 13 times the transverse beam size from the beam, which allowed to measure the differential cross-section of elastic scattering in a range of the squared four-momentum transfer ($|t|$) from $0.36$ GeV$^{2}$ to $0.74$ GeV$^{2}$. The differential cross-section can be described with an exponential in the $|t|$-range between $0.36$ GeV$^{2}$ and $0.54$ GeV$^{2}$, followed by a diffractive minimum (dip) at $|t_{\rm dip}| = 0.61 \pm 0.03$ GeV$^{2}$ and a subsequent maximum (bump). The ratio of the ${\rm d}\sigma/{\rm d}t$ at the bump and at the dip is $1.7\pm 0.2$. When compared to the $\rm p\bar{p}$ measurement of the D0 experiment at $\sqrt s = 1.96$ TeV, a significant difference can be observed. Under the condition that the effects due to the energy difference between TOTEM and D0 can be neglected, the result provides evidence for a colourless 3-gluon bound state exchange in the $t$-channel of the proton-proton elastic scattering.
Differential cross-section.
Differential cross-section.
The TOTEM collaboration has measured the elastic proton-proton differential cross section ${\rm d}\sigma/{\rm d}t$ at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV LHC energy using dedicated $\beta^{*}=90$ m beam optics. The Roman Pot detectors were inserted to 10$\sigma$ distance from the LHC beam, which allowed the measurement of the range $[0.04$ GeV$^{2};4 $GeV$^{2}] $ in four-momentum transfer squared $|t|$. The efficient data acquisition allowed to collect about 10$^{9}$ elastic events to precisely measure the differential cross-section including the diffractive minimum (dip), the subsequent maximum (bump) and the large-$|t|$ tail. The average nuclear slope has been found to be $B=(20.40 \pm 0.002^{\rm stat} \pm 0.01^{\rm syst})~$GeV$^{-2}$ in the $|t|$-range $0.04~$GeV$^{2}$ to $0.2~$GeV$^{2}$. The dip position is $|t_{\rm dip}|=(0.47 \pm 0.004^{\rm stat} \pm 0.01^{\rm syst})~$GeV$^{2}$. The differential cross section ratio at the bump vs. at the dip $R=1.77\pm0.01^{\rm stat}$ has been measured with high precision. The series of TOTEM elastic pp measurements show that the dip is a permanent feature of the pp differential cross-section at the TeV scale.
Differential cross-section.
The TOTEM experiment at the LHC has performed the first measurement at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV of the $\rho$ parameter, the real to imaginary ratio of the nuclear elastic scattering amplitude at $t=0$, obtaining the following results: $\rho = 0.09 \pm 0.01$ and $\rho = 0.10 \pm 0.01$, depending on different physics assumptions and mathematical modelling. The unprecedented precision of the $\rho$ measurement, combined with the TOTEM total cross-section measurements in an energy range larger than 10 TeV (from 2.76 to 13 TeV), has implied the exclusion of all the models classified and published by COMPETE. The $\rho$ results obtained by TOTEM are compatible with the predictions, from alternative theoretical models both in the Regge-like framework and in the QCD framework, of a colourless 3-gluon bound state exchange in the $t$-channel of the proton-proton elastic scattering. On the contrary, if shown that the 3-gluon bound state $t$-channel exchange is not of importance for the description of elastic scattering, the $\rho$ value determined by TOTEM would represent a first evidence of a slowing down of the total cross-section growth at higher energies. The very low-$|t|$ reach allowed also to determine the absolute normalisation using the Coulomb amplitude for the first time at the LHC and obtain a new total proton-proton cross-section measurement $\sigma_{tot} = 110.3 \pm 3.5$ mb, completely independent from the previous TOTEM determination. Combining the two TOTEM results yields $\sigma_{tot} = 110.5 \pm 2.4$ mb.
Differential cross-section.
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