CMS-PAS-EXO-23-002

CMS-PAS-EXO-23-002
Search for soft unclustered energy patterns in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV
CMS Collaboration
5 December 2023

Abstract: The first dedicated search for soft unclustered energy patterns (SUEPs) is performed in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s}= $ 13 TeV, using data collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. SUEPs are predicted by Hidden Valley models that include a new, confining force with a large 't Hooft coupling and are characterized by a large multiplicity of low-momentum, diffuse, charged particles in the final state. The data, which correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 138 fb$ ^{-1} $, were collected in 2016-2018 using hadronic triggers, whose high energy thresholds preferentially select a boosted event topology. The track multiplicity and the sphericity of clustered tracks are used to discriminate against the large multijet background from standard model quantum chromodynamics interactions. No significant excess of events over the standard model expectation is observed. Limits are set on the production cross section of a scalar mediator produced via gluon fusion with SUEP-like decays.
Links: CDS record (PDF) ; Physics Briefing ; CADI line (restricted) ; These preliminary results are superseded in this paper, Submitted to PRL. The superseded preliminary plots can be found here.

CMS Publications