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CMS-PAS-EXO-16-050
Search for associated production of dark matter with a Higgs boson that decays to a pair of bottom quarks
Abstract: A search for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson that decays into a pair of bottom quarks is performed in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}= $ 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The analyzed data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The signal is characterized by a large missing transverse momentum recoiling against a $\text{b}\bar{\text{b}}$ system that has a large Lorentz boost. The number of events observed in the data is consistent with the standard model background prediction. Results are interpreted in terms of limits on parameters in the Baryonic Z' and 2HDM+a simplified models. For these models, the presented results constitute either the most stringent constraints or the first constraints obtained so far.
Figures & Tables Summary References CMS Publications
Figures

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Figure 1:
Feynman diagrams for the 2HDM+a model (left) and the Baryonic Z' model (right).

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Figure 1-a:
Feynman diagrams for the 2HDM+a model (left) and the Baryonic Z' model (right).

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Figure 1-b:
Feynman diagrams for the 2HDM+a model (left) and the Baryonic Z' model (right).

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Figure 2:
The ${p_{\mathrm {T}}^{\text {miss}}}$ distribution in the signal region after a likelihood fit. The data are in agreement with post-fit background predictions for the SM backgrounds, and no significant excess is observed. The red histogram corresponds to the pre-fit estimate for the SM backgrounds.

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Figure 3:
The $U$ distribution in the muon control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 3-a:
The $U$ distribution in the muon control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 3-b:
The $U$ distribution in the muon control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 3-c:
The $U$ distribution in the muon control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 3-d:
The $U$ distribution in the muon control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 3-e:
The $U$ distribution in the muon control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 3-f:
The $U$ distribution in the muon control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 4:
The $U$ distribution in the electron control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 4-a:
The $U$ distribution in the electron control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 4-b:
The $U$ distribution in the electron control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 4-c:
The $U$ distribution in the electron control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

png pdf
Figure 4-d:
The $U$ distribution in the electron control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

png pdf
Figure 4-e:
The $U$ distribution in the electron control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 4-f:
The $U$ distribution in the electron control regions after a fit to data, including the data in the signal region in the likelihood. For the distributions on the left the CA15 jet passes the double-b tag requirement and for the distributions on the right it fails the double-b tag requirement.

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Figure 5:
Upper limits on the signal strength modifier for the 2HDM+a model when scanning $m_\text {A}$ and $m_\text {a}$ (upper left), the mixing angle $\theta $ (upper right), or $\tan\beta $ (bottom).

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Figure 5-a:
Upper limits on the signal strength modifier for the 2HDM+a model when scanning $m_\text {A}$ and $m_\text {a}$ (upper left), the mixing angle $\theta $ (upper right), or $\tan\beta $ (bottom).

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Figure 5-b:
Upper limits on the signal strength modifier for the 2HDM+a model when scanning $m_\text {A}$ and $m_\text {a}$ (upper left), the mixing angle $\theta $ (upper right), or $\tan\beta $ (bottom).

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Figure 5-c:
Upper limits on the signal strength modifier for the 2HDM+a model when scanning $m_\text {A}$ and $m_\text {a}$ (upper left), the mixing angle $\theta $ (upper right), or $\tan\beta $ (bottom).

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Figure 6:
Upper limits on the signal strength modifier for the Baryonic Z' model as a function of $m_{Z'}$ and $m_\chi $. Mediators of up to 1.45 TeV are excluded for a DM mass of 1 GeV. Masses of the DM particle itself are excluded up to 230 GeV for a Z' mass of 1.25 TeV.

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Figure 7:
The 90% CL exclusion limits on the DM-nucleon SI scattering cross section as a function of $m_{DM}$. Results obtained in this analysis are compared with those from a selection of direct detection (DD) experiments. The latter exclude the regions above the curves. Limits from CDMSLite [63], LUX [64], XENON-1T [65], PandaX-II [66], and CRESST-II [67] are shown.
Tables

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Table 1:
Event selection criteria defining the signal regions and control regions. These criteria are applied in addition to the preselection that is common to all regions, as described in the text.

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Table 2:
Sources of systematic uncertainty, along with the type (rate/shape) of uncertainty and the affected processes. For the rate uncertainties, the percentage value of the prior is quoted. The last column denotes the improvement in the expected limit when removing the uncertainty group from the list of nuisances included in the likelihood fit. The 2HDM+a model with $m_\text {A} = $ 1.1 TeV and $m_\text {a} = $ 150 GeV (with $\sin\theta =$ 0.35 and $\tan\beta = $ 1) has been used in the derivation of these numbers.

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Table 3:
Post-fit event yield expectations per ${{p_{\mathrm {T}}} ^\text {miss}}$ bin for the SM backgrounds in the signal region when including the signal region data in the likelihood fit. Quoted are also the expected yields for two signal models. For the 2HDM+a model, we choose $\sin\theta =$ 0.35 and $\tan\beta =$ 1. Uncertainties quoted on the predictions include systematic and statistical uncertainties.
Summary
A search for the associated production of DM particles with a Higgs boson decaying into a pair of bottom quarks is presented. No significant deviation from the predictions of the SM is observed, and upper limits on the production cross section predicted by the 2HDM+a model and the Baryonic Z' model are established. They constitute the most stringent exclusions placed on the parameters in these models so far. For the nominal choice of the mixing angle $\sin\theta$ and $\tan\beta$ in the 2HDM+a model, the search excludes masses 500 $ < m_\text{A} < $ 900 GeV assuming $m_\text{a} = $ 150 GeV. Scanning over $\sin\theta$ for two example benchmark points, we exclude 0.35 $ < \sin\theta < $ 0.75 for $m_\text{A} = $ 600 GeV and $m_\text{a} = $ 200 GeV. Finally, $\tan\beta$ values between 0.5 and 2.0 (1.6) are excluded for $m_\text{A} = $ 600 GeV and $m_\text{a}=100$ (150) GeV. In all 2HDM+a interpretations, a DM mass of $m_\chi = $ 10 GeV is assumed. For the Baryonic Z' model, we exclude Z' masses up to 1.6 TeV for a DM mass of 1 GeV, and DM masses up to 475 GeV for a Z' mass of 1.1 TeV. The reinterpretation of the results for the Baryonic Z' model in terms of an SI nucleon scattering cross section yields a higher sensitivity for $m_\chi < $ 5 GeV than existing results from direct detection experiments.
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Compact Muon Solenoid
LHC, CERN