Abstract
Dark matter scenarios with spin-0 mediators in the $s$-channel have be tested in well-established processes with missing energy, such as top-pair- and mono-jet-associated production. We suggest electroweak single top production in association with a dark matter pair as an alternative channel. Based on a realistic analysis for the LHC at 13 TeV, we demonstrate how to efficiently discriminate between the signal and Standard-Model background using event kinematics. With $300\,\text{fb}^{-1}\,(3\,\text{ab}^{-1})$ of data luminosity, on-shell scalar mediators with a coupling strength $g_S^t=1$ to top quarks can be probed up to masses of $180\,(360)\,\text{GeV}$. Single-top-associated dark matter production should thus be included as an independent search channel in the LHC dark matter program.
Highlights
Searches for particle dark matter with masses below the TeV scale and sizable couplings to the standard model (SM) are at the heart of the LHC program [1]
Fermion dark matter interacting dominantly with top quarks through a new scalar mediator can be probed at the LHC through associated production with tops
We propose t-channel single top production with large missing transverse energy as a new probe of invisible particles with large top-quark couplings
Summary
Searches for particle dark matter with masses below the TeV scale and sizable couplings to the standard model (SM) are at the heart of the LHC program [1]. The impact of final states with a single top quark on searches for top-pair-associated production has only been noticed recently [11] This raises the question whether single-top-associated dark matter production should be explored as a signal at the LHC. We suggest a dedicated search strategy for the process pp → tj χχ; ð1Þ where χ denotes the dark matter candidate and j refers to a hard jet originating from electroweak single top production via the t-channel partonic process qb → q0t. Rather than using this channel to strengthen the existing top-pair analysis, we propose to perform a dedicated single top analysis. If we can separate the two signal phase-space regions, a combined analysis will be possible because the underlying dark matter hypothesis in both cases is identical
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