Dimuon Resonance Research Articles

Dark showers from Z-dark Z′ mixing

We discuss dark shower signals at the LHC from a dark QCD sector, containing GeV-scale dark pions. The portal with the Standard Model is given by the mixing of the Z boson with a dark Z′ coupled to the dark quarks. Both mass and kinetic mixings are included, but the mass mixing is the essential ingredient, as it is the one mediating visible decays of the long-lived dark pions. We focus especially on the possibility that the dark Z′ is lighter than the Z. Indirect constraints are dominated by electroweak precision tests, which we thoroughly discuss, showing that both Z-pole and low-energy observables are important. We then recast CMS and LHCb searches for displaced dimuon resonances to dark shower signals initiated by the production of on-shell Z or Z′, where the visible signature is left by a dark pion decaying to μ+μ−. We demonstrate how dark shower topologies have already tested new parameter space in Run 2, reaching better sensitivity on a light dark Z′ compared to the flavor-changing decays of B mesons, which can produce a single dark pion at a time, and the electroweak precision tests.

Search for direct production of GeV-scale resonances decaying to a pair of muons in proton-proton collisions at s\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\sqrt{s} $$\\end{document} = 13 TeV

A search for direct production of low-mass dimuon resonances is performed using s\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\sqrt{s} $$\\end{document} = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the CMS experiment during the 2017–2018 operation of the CERN LHC with an integrated luminosity of 96.6 fb−1. The search exploits a dedicated high-rate trigger stream that records events with two muons with transverse momenta as low as 3 GeV but does not include the full event information. The search is performed by looking for narrow peaks in the dimuon mass spectrum in the ranges of 1.1–2.6 GeV and 4.2–7.9 GeV. No significant excess of events above the expectation from the standard model background is observed. Model-independent limits on production rates of dimuon resonances within the experimental fiducial acceptance are set. Competitive or world’s best limits are set at 90% confidence level for a minimal dark photon model and for a scenario with two Higgs doublets and an extra complex scalar singlet (2HDM+S). Values of the squared kinetic mixing coefficient ε2 in the dark photon model above 10−6 are excluded over most of the mass range of the search. In the 2HDM+S, values of the mixing angle sin(θH) above 0.08 are excluded over most of the mass range of the search with a fixed ratio of the Higgs doublets vacuum expectation tan β = 0.5.

Search for a high-mass dimuon resonance produced in association with b quark jets at s\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ \\sqrt{s} $$\\end{document} = 13 TeV

A search for high-mass dimuon resonance production in association with one or more b quark jets is presented. The study uses proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Model-independent limits are derived on the number of signal events with exactly one or more than one b quark jet. Results are also interpreted in a lepton-flavor-universal model with Z′ boson couplings to a bb quark pair (gb), an sb quark pair (gbδbs), and any same-flavor charged lepton (gℓ) or neutrino pair (gν), with |gν| = |gℓ|. For a Z′ boson with a mass mZ′\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {m}_{{\ extrm{Z}}^{\\prime }} $$\\end{document} = 350 GeV (2 TeV) and |δbs| < 0.25, the majority of the parameter space with 0.0057 < |gℓ| < 0.35 (0.25 < |gℓ| < 0.43) and 0.0079 < |gb| < 0.46 (0.34 < |gb| < 0.57) is excluded at 95% confidence level. Finally, constraints are set on a Z′ model with parameters consistent with low-energy b → sℓℓ measurements. In this scenario, most of the allowed parameter space is excluded for a Z′ boson with 350 < mZ′\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {m}_{{\ extrm{Z}}^{\\prime }} $$\\end{document} < 500 GeV, while the constraints are less stringent for higher mZ′\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$ {m}_{{\ extrm{Z}}^{\\prime }} $$\\end{document} hypotheses. This is the first dedicated search at the LHC for a high-mass dimuon resonance produced in association with multiple b quark jets, and the constraints obtained on models with this signature are the most stringent to date.

Search for the production of dark matter candidates in association with heavy dimuon resonance using the CMS open data for proton–proton collisions at sqrt{s} = 8 TeV

In this work, we present a search for the possible production of Dark Matter particles at the Large Hadron Collider alongside a new hypothetical neutral gauge boson denoted by {Z}^{prime }. The topology of the studied events is dimuons plus large missing transverse momentum. The study is performed using the CMS open data samples collected by the CMS experiment in the LHC proton–proton collisions at center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV in 2012, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 11.6 hbox {fb}^{-1}, and the corresponding CMS open Monte Carlo samples. Two benchmark scenarios were used for interpreting the data, the Dark Higgs scenario and the effective field theory formalism. No evidence for the existence of dark matter candidates was found. 95% confidence level limits are set on the masses of the {Z}^{prime } and the cutoff scale of the effective field theory.

Forecasting dark showers at Belle II

Dark showers from strongly interacting dark sectors that confine at the GeV scale can give rise to novel signatures at e+e− colliders. In this work, we study the sensitivity of B factory experiments to dark showers produced through an effective interaction arising from a heavy off-shell mediator. We show that a prospective search for displaced vertices from GeV-scale long-lived particles at Belle II can improve the sensitivity to dark showers substantially compared to an existing search at BaBar. We compare the sensitivity of searches for displaced signals to searches for promptly produced resonances at BaBar and KLOE and calculate sensitivity projections for a single-photon search at Belle II to invisible dark showers produced through an effective interaction. The underlying structure of the effective interaction can be resolved at higher-energy experiments, where the mediator can be produced on-shell. To study the resulting constraints, we update electroweak precision bounds on kinetically mixed Z′ bosons and reinterpret a search for low-mass di-muon resonances at LHCb in terms of dark showers. We find that LHCb and Belle II are most sensitive to different particle decay lengths, underscoring the complementarity of LHC and intensity frontier experiments.

Search for Higgs boson decays into a pair of pseudoscalar particles in the bbμμ final state with the ATLAS detector in pp collisions at s=13 TeV

This paper presents a search for decays of the Higgs boson with a mass of 125 GeV into a pair of new pseudoscalar particles, $H\rightarrow aa$, where one $a$-boson decays into a $b$-quark pair and the other into a muon pair. The search uses 139 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded between 2015 and 2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. A narrow dimuon resonance is searched for in the invariant mass spectrum between 16 GeV and 62 GeV. The largest excess of events above the Standard Model backgrounds is observed at a dimuon invariant mass of 52 GeV and corresponds to a local (global) significance of $3.3 \sigma$ ($1.7 \sigma$). Upper limits at 95% confidence level are placed on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to the $bb\mu\mu$ final state, $\mathcal{B}(H\rightarrow aa\rightarrow bb\mu\mu)$, and are in the range $\text{(0.2-4.0)} \times 10^{-4}$, depending on the signal mass hypothesis.

Searching for exotic B -meson decays enabled by the CMS L1 track trigger

The CMS phase II track trigger may allow for a displaced dimuon vertex trigger with qualitatively lower $p_T$ thresholds than existing dimuon triggers. With this technique, we show that the CMS reach for exotic $B$-meson decays involving a displaced dimuon resonance, such as a light, Higgs-mixed scalar, can be competitive with that of LHCb and Belle II.

Searches for low-mass dimuon resonances

Searches are performed for a low-mass dimuon resonance, X, produced in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.1 fb−1 and collected with the LHCb detector. The X bosons can either decay promptly or displaced from the proton-proton collision, where in both cases the requirements placed on the event and the assumptions made about the production mechanisms are kept as minimal as possible. The searches for promptly decaying X bosons explore the mass range from near the dimuon threshold up to 60 GeV, with nonnegligible X widths considered above 20 GeV. The searches for displaced X → μ+μ− decays consider masses up to 3 GeV. None of the searches finds evidence for a signal and 90% confidence-level exclusion limits are placed on the X → μ+μ− cross sections, each with minimal model dependence. In addition, these results are used to place world-leading constraints on GeV-scale bosons in the two-Higgs-doublet and hidden-valley scenarios.

Probing Muonphilic Force Carriers and Dark Matter at Kaon Factories.

Rare kaon decays are excellent probes of light, new weakly coupled particles. If such particles X couple preferentially to muons, they can be produced in K→μνX decays. We evaluate the future sensitivity for this process at NA62 assuming X decays either invisibly or to dimuons. Our main physics target is the parameter space that resolves the (g-2)_{μ} anomaly, where X is a gauged L_{μ}-L_{τ} vector or a muonphilic scalar. The same parameter space can also accommodate dark matter freeze-out or reduce the tension between cosmological and local measurements of H_{0} if the new force decays to dark matter or neutrinos, respectively. We show that for invisible X decays, a dedicated single muon trigger analysis at NA62 could probe much of the remaining (g-2)_{μ} favored parameter space. Alternatively, if X decays to muons, NA62 can perform a dimuon resonance search in K→3μν events and greatly improve existing coverage for this process. Independently of its sensitivity to new particles, we find that NA62 is also sensitive to the standard model predicted rate for K→3μν, which has never been measured.

Searching in CMS open data for dimuon resonances with substantial transverse momentum

We study dimuon events in 2.11/fb of 7 TeV pp collisions, using CMS Open Data, and search for a narrow dimuon resonance with moderate mass (14-66 GeV) and substantial transverse momentum (pT). Applying dimuon pT cuts of 25 GeV and 60 GeV, we explore two overlapping samples: one with isolated muons, and one with prompt muons without an isolation requirement. Using the latter sample requires information about detector effects and QCD backgrounds, which we obtain directly from the CMS Open Data. We present model-independent limits on the product of cross section, branching fraction, acceptance, and efficiencies. These limits are stronger, relative to a corresponding inclusive search without a pT cut, by factors of as much as nine. Our "pT-enhanced" dimuon search strategy provides improved sensitivity to models in which a new particle is produced mainly in the decay of something heavier, as could occur, for example, in decays of the Higgs boson or of a TeV-scale top partner. An implementation of this method with the current 13 TeV data should improve the sensitivity to such signals further by roughly an order of magnitude.

Search for high-mass dilepton resonances using 139 fb−1 of pp collision data collected at [formula omitted] TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for high-mass dielectron and dimuon resonances in the mass range of 250GeV to 6TeV is presented. The data were recorded by the ATLAS experiment in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s=13TeV during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. A functional form is fitted to the dilepton invariant-mass distribution to model the contribution from background processes, and a generic signal shape is used to determine the significance of observed deviations from this background estimate. No significant deviation is observed and upper limits are placed at the 95% confidence level on the fiducial cross-section times branching ratio for various resonance width hypotheses. The derived limits are shown to be applicable to spin-0, spin-1 and spin-2 signal hypotheses. For a set of benchmark models, the limits are converted into lower limits on the resonance mass and reach 4.5TeV for the E6-motivated Zψ′ boson. Also presented are limits on Heavy Vector Triplet model couplings.

Search for a dimuon resonance in the \u03d2 mass region

A search is performed for a spin-0 boson, ϕ, produced in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, using prompt ϕ → μ+μ− decays and a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 3.0 fb−1 collected with the LHCb detector. No evidence is found for a signal in the mass range from 5.5 to 15 GeV. Upper limits are placed on the product of the production cross-section and the branching fraction into the dimuon final state. The limits are comparable to the best existing over most of the mass region considered and are the first to be set near the ϒ resonances.

Anomalies in bottom from new physics in top

We analyze the possibility to accommodate current b→sℓ+ℓ− anomalies with TeV-scale mediators that couple to right-handed top quarks and muons, contributing to b→sℓ+ℓ− at the one-loop level. We use the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT) framework but also look at specific scenarios by taking into account all possible irreducible representations of the Lorentz and Standard Model gauge group for the mediators. From a global fit of b→sℓ+ℓ− data and LEP-I observables we find that the Wilson coefficients of two SMEFT operators: Oℓu=(ℓ¯LμγαℓLμ)(t¯RγαtR) and Oeu=(μ¯RγαμR)(t¯RγαtR) need to satisfy Ceu∼Cℓu. New physics enters then in b→sℓ+ℓ− mainly through the operator O9=(s¯γμPLb)(ℓ¯γμℓ) of the Weak Effective Theory. After discussing all possible mediators, we concentrate on two scenarios: A vector boson in the irreducible representation Zμ′∼(1,1,0) of the Standard Model gauge group with vectorial coupling to muons, and a combination of two leptoquarks: the scalar R2∼(3,2,7/6) and the vector U˜1μ∼(3,1,5/3). We derive LHC constraints by recasting di-muon resonance, pp→tt¯tt¯ and SUSY searches. Additionally, we analyze the prospects for discovering these mediators during the high-luminosity phase of the LHC.

Search for high-mass resonances in dilepton final states in proton-proton collisions at sqrt{s}=13 TeV

A search is presented for new high-mass resonances decaying into electron or muon pairs. The search uses proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 fb−1. Observations are in agreement with standard model expectations. Upper limits on the product of a new resonance production cross section and branching fraction to dileptons are calculated in a model-independent manner. This permits the interpretation of the limits in models predicting a narrow dielectron or dimuon resonance. A scan of different intrinsic width hypotheses is performed. Limits are set on the masses of various hypothetical particles. For the {Z}_{mathrm{SSM}}^{prime}left({Z}_{{}^{psi}}^{prime}right) particle, which arises in the sequential standard model (superstring-inspired model), a lower mass limit of 4.50 (3.90) TeV is set at 95% confidence level. The lightest Kaluza-Klein graviton arising in the Randall-Sundrum model of extra dimensions, with coupling parameters k/MPl of 0.01, 0.05, and 0.10, is excluded at 95% confidence level below 2.10, 3.65, and 4.25 TeV, respectively. In a simplified model of dark matter production via a vector or axial vector mediator, limits at 95% confidence level are obtained on the masses of the dark matter particle and its mediator.

Lepton flavor universality violation without new sources of quark flavor violation

We show that new physics models without new flavor violating interactions can explain the recent anomalies in the $b\ensuremath{\rightarrow}s{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ transitions. The $b\ensuremath{\rightarrow}s{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ arises from a ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ penguin which automatically predicts the $V\ensuremath{-}A$ structure for the quark currents in the effective operators. This framework can either be realized in a renormalizable $U(1{)}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ setup or be due to new strongly interacting dynamics. The dimuon resonance searches at the LHC are becoming sensitive to this scenario since the ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ is relatively light, and could well be discovered in future searches by ATLAS and CMS.

Regarding light resonance interpretations of the B decay anomalies

We sketch a novel method to search for light di-leptonic resonances by exploiting precision measurements of Drell-Yan production. Motivated by the recent hints of lepton flavor universality violation in $B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{*}{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\ell}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, we illustrate our proposal by studying the case of spin-1 resonances that couple to muons and have masses in the range of a few GeV. We show that the existing LHC data on $pp\ensuremath{\rightarrow}Z/{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{*}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ put nontrivial constraints on light di-muon resonance interpretations of $B$ decay anomalies in a model-independent fashion. The impact of our proposal on the long-standing discrepancy in the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon is also briefly discussed.

Search for tZ′ associated production induced by tcZ′ couplings at the LHC

The $P'_5$ and $R_K$ anomalies, recently observed by the LHCb collaboration in $B \to K^{(*)}$ transitions, may indicate the existence of a new $Z'$ boson, which may arise from gauged $L_\mu - L_\tau$ symmetry. Flavor-changing neutral current $Z'$ couplings, such as $tcZ'$, can be induced by the presence of extra vector-like quarks. In this paper we study the LHC signatures of the induced right-handed $tcZ'$ coupling that is inspired by, but not directly linked to, the $B \to K^{(*)}$ anomalies. The specific processes studied are $cg \to tZ'$ and its conjugate process each followed by $Z'\to\mu^+\mu^-$. By constructing an effective theory for the $tcZ'$ coupling, we first explore model-independently the discovery potential of such a $Z'$ at the 14 TeV LHC with 300 and 3000 fb$^{-1}$ integrated luminosities. We then reinterpret the model-independent results within the gauged $L_\mu - L_\tau$ model. In connection with $tcZ'$, the model also implies the existence of a flavor-conserving $ccZ'$ coupling, which can drive the $c \bar c \to Z' \to \mu^+\mu^-$ process. Our study shows that existing LHC results for dimuon resonance searches already constrain the $ccZ'$ coupling, and that the $Z'$ can be discovered in either or both of the $cg \to tZ'$ and $c \bar c \to Z'$ processes. We further discuss the sensitivity to the left-handed $tcZ'$ coupling and find that the coupling values favored by the $B \to K^{(*)}$ anomalies lie slightly below the LHC discovery reach even with 3000 fb$^{-1}$.

Search for narrow resonances in dilepton mass spectra in proton–proton collisions at [formula omitted] and combination with 8 TeV data

A search for narrow resonances in dielectron and dimuon invariant mass spectra has been performed using data obtained from proton–proton collisions at s=13 TeV collected with the CMS detector. The integrated luminosity for the dielectron sample is 2.7 fb−1 and for the dimuon sample 2.9 fb−1. The sensitivity of the search is increased by combining these data with a previously analyzed set of data obtained at s=8 TeV and corresponding to a luminosity of 20 fb−1. No evidence for non-standard-model physics is found, either in the 13 TeV data set alone, or in the combined data set. Upper limits on the product of production cross section and branching fraction have also been calculated in a model-independent manner to enable interpretation in models predicting a narrow dielectron or dimuon resonance structure. Limits are set on the masses of hypothetical particles that could appear in new-physics scenarios. For the ZSSM′ particle, which arises in the sequential standard model, and for the superstring inspired Zψ′ particle, 95% confidence level lower mass limits for the combined data sets and combined channels are found to be 3.37 and 2.82 TeV, respectively. The corresponding limits for the lightest Kaluza–Klein graviton arising in the Randall–Sundrum model of extra dimensions with coupling parameters 0.01 and 0.10 are 1.46 and 3.11 TeV, respectively. These results significantly exceed the limits based on the 8 TeV LHC data.

Collider signatures of flavorful Higgs bosons

Motivated by our limited knowledge of the Higgs couplings to the first two generation fermions, we analyze the collider phenomenology of a class of two Higgs doublet models (2HDMs) with a nonstandard Yukawa sector. One Higgs doublet is mainly responsible for the masses of the weak gauge bosons and the third-generation fermions, while the second Higgs doublet provides mass for the lighter fermion generations. The characteristic collider signatures of this setup differ significantly from well-studied 2HDMs with natural flavor conservation, flavor alignment, or minimal flavor violation. New production mechanisms for the heavy scalar, pseudoscalar, and charged Higgs involving second-generation quarks can become dominant. The most interesting decay modes include $H/A\ensuremath{\rightarrow}cc,tc,\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\mu},\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\mu}$ and ${H}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}cb,cs,\ensuremath{\mu}\ensuremath{\nu}$. Searches for low-mass dimuon resonances are currently among the best probes of the heavy Higgs bosons in this setup.

Lepton flavor non-universality in B decays from dynamical Yukawas

The basic features of quark and lepton mass matrices can be successfully explained by natural minima of a generic potential with dynamical Yukawa fields invariant under the $[\mathrm{SU(3)}]^5\times \mathcal{O}(3)$ flavor symmetry. If this symmetry is gauged, in order to avoid potentially dangerous Goldstone bosons, and small perturbations are added to exactly fit the observed pattern of fermion masses, the spectrum of massive flavor gauge bosons can naturally explain the hints for new physics in $b\to s \ell^+\ell^-$ transitions, including $R_K$. In particular, the desired pattern of the Standard Model Yukawa couplings is compatible with a gauged $\mathrm{U(1)}_q$ in the quark sector, and $\mathrm{U(1)}_{\mu-\tau}$ in the lepton sector spontaneously broken around the TeV scale. In order to explain the aforementioned experimental hints, the corresponding neutral gauge bosons are required to mix, yielding to potentially observable signals in dimuon resonance searches at the LHC.