$$ t\overline{t}t\overline{t} $$ signatures through the lens of color-octet scalars

We reinterpret two recent LHC searches for events containing four top quarks $$ \left(t\overline{t}t\overline{t}\right) $$ t t ¯ t t ¯ in the context of supersymmetric models with Dirac gauginos and color-octet scalars (sgluons). We explore whether sgluon contributions to the four-top production cross section $$ \sigma \left( pp\to t\overline{t}t\overline{t}\right) $$ σ pp → t t ¯ t t ¯ can accommodate an excess of four-top events recently reported by the ATLAS collaboration. We also study constraints on these models from an ATLAS search for new phenomena with high jet multiplicity and significant missing transverse energy $$ \left({E}_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}\right) $$ E T miss sensitive to signals with four top quarks. We find that these two analyses provide complementary constraints, with the jets + $$ {E}_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}} $$ E T miss search exceeding the four-top cross section measurement in sensitivity for sgluons heavier than about 800 GeV. We ultimately find that either a scalar or a pseudoscalar sgluon can currently fit the ATLAS excess in a range of reasonable benchmark scenarios, though a pseudoscalar in minimal Dirac gaugino models is ruled out. We finally offer sensitivity projections for these analyses at the HL-LHC, mapping the 5σ discovery potential in sgluon parameter space and computing exclusion limits at 95% CL in scenarios where no excess is found.

Photon radiation effects in kinematic reconstruction of top quarks

Kinematic reconstruction of top quarks allows to define a set of kinematic observables relevant to various physics processes that involve top quarks and provides an additional handle for the suppression of background events. Radiation of photons in association with the top quarks alters the kinematics and the topology of the event, leading to visible systematic effects in measurable observables. The present study introduces an improved reconstruction of the top quark kinematics in the presence of photon radiation. The results are presented for processes with top quark pair production, as well as for singly-produced top quarks.

Probing effective field theory operators in the associated production of top quarks with a Z boson in multilepton final states at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ = 13 TeV

A search for new top quark interactions is performed within the framework of an effective field theory using the associated production of either one or two top quarks with a Z boson in multilepton final states. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s} $$ s = 13 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Five dimension-six operators modifying the electroweak interactions of the top quark are considered. Novel machine-learning techniques are used to enhance the sensitivity to effects arising from these operators. Distributions used for the signal extraction are parameterized in terms of Wilson coefficients describing the interaction strengths of the operators. All five Wilson coefficients are simultaneously fit to data and 95% confidence level intervals are computed. All results are consistent with the SM expectations.

One-loop corrections to ALP couplings

The plethora of increasingly precise experiments which hunt for axion-like particles (ALPs), as well as their widely different energy reach, call for the theoretical understanding of ALP couplings at loop-level. We derive the one-loop contributions to ALP-SM effective couplings, including finite corrections. The complete leading-order — dimension five — effective linear Lagrangian is considered. The ALP is left off-shell, which is of particular impact on LHC and accelerator searches of ALP couplings to γγ, ZZ, Zγ, WW, gluons and fermions. All results are obtained in the covariant Rξ gauge. A few phenomenological consequences are also explored as illustration, with flavour diagonal channels in the case of fermions: in particular, we explore constraints on the coupling of the ALP to top quarks, that can be extracted from LHC data, from astrophysical sources and from Dark Matter direct detection experiments such as PandaX, LUX and XENON1T. Furthermore, we clarify the relation between alternative ALP bases, the role of gauge anomalous couplings and their interface with chirality-conserving and chirality-flip fermion interactions, and we briefly discuss renormalization group aspects.

Study of the Higgs boson production in association with two top quarks and its subsequent decay to a bbar pair with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC

Η τρέχουσα διατριβή, αφορά την μελέτη της διεργασίας ttH, H → bb με μια νέα μέθοδο η οποία ανακατασκευάσει τη μάζα του μποζόνιου Higgs με σάρωση του δισδιάστατου επίπεδου των μαζών των top και W και τον υπολογισμό του πιο πιθανού σημείου αναφορικά με τις συναρτήσεις πυκνότητας πιθανότητας για τις αλληλεπιδράσεις πρωτονίου-πρωτονίου. Η τελική κατάσταση του συστήματος όταν τα t κουάρκς διασπώνται λεπτονικά, αποτελείται από δύο λεπτόνια, τέσσερις αδρονικούς πίδακες, και ελλείπουσα εγκάρσια ενέργεια. Το κύριο υπόβαθρο το οποίο προέρχεται από γεγονότα ζεύγους t και t̄ σωματιδίων προσδιορίζεται με μια νέα μέθοδο από τα δεδομένα. Προκειμένου να ενισχυθεί ο διαχωρισμός σήματος και υποβάθρου εφαρμόζεται ένα σύνολο βελτιστοποιημένων κριτηρίων προεπιλογής, που αποτελούνται από διάφορα κινηματικά και τοπολογικά κριτήρια. Εκτός από αυτό, χωρίζουμε τα γεγονότα μας σε δύο περιοχές, μια ελέγχου και μια σήματος με βάση την πολλαπλότητα τωναδρονικών πιδάκων που έχουν χαρακτηριστεί ως b−tagged. Η περιοχή ελέγχου αποτελείται από γεγονότα με ακριβώς 2 b − tagged αδρονικούς πίδακες ενώ στην περιοχή σήματος απαιτούνται γεγονότα με τουλάχιστον 4 b − tagged αδρονικούς πίδακες. Και στις δύο περιοχές το κύριο υπόβαθρο προέρχεται από τη διαδικασία tt̄ + jets. Ελέγχεται εκτενώς η ορθότητα και η απόδοση τόσο της μεθόδου ανακατασκευής της αναλλοίωτης μάζας του Higgs όσο και της μεθόδου πρόβλεψης του υποβάθρου από τα δεδομένα πραγματοποιώντας διάφορες μελέτες τόσο σε επίπεδο γεννήτορα καθώς και με γεγονότα τα οποία χαρακτηρίζονται από πλήρη προσομοίωση του ανιχνευτή έτσι ώστε να επαληθεύσουμε τις νέες μεθόδους που εισάγαμε. Σύγκριση των αποτελεσμάτων της εφαρμογής της μεθόδου έγινε μεταξύ δεδομένων και προσομοίωσης όπου και παρατηρήθηκε και επιβεβαιώθηκε ότι δεν υπήρξε ένδειξη συστηματικής διαφοράς μεταξύ των δεδομένων και προσομοίωσης. Η μέτρηση της σημαντικότητας του σήματος πραγματοποιείται χρησιμοποιώντας δεδομένα σύγκρουσης pp από τον LHC, τα οποία συλλέγονται με την βοήθεια του πειράματος CM S, συνολικής φωτεινότητας L = 137.2 fb −1 καταγεγραμμένα σε ενέργεια κέντρου μάζας sqrt(s) = 13 TeV. Η προκύπτουσα παρατηρούμενη (αναμενόμενη) σημαντικότητα αντιστοιχεί σε 0.34(1.35) τυπικές αποκλίσεις.

Vector-like quarks decaying into singly and doubly charged bosons at LHC

We investigate the production of vector-like quarks with charge 5/3 at the LHC and their subsequent decays into new singly or doubly charged bosons plus a heavy quark (top or bottom). In particular, we explore final states with same-sign di-leptons (electron or muon pairs), with the leptons coming from the decay of the new bosons and, in the case of production of singly charged bosons, from top quarks as well. These processes are predicted by classes of models based on extensions of the gauge group of the Standard Model, such as the 331 Model, where the electroweak symmetry is described by SU(3)L × U(1)X, X being a new abelian charge. For this purpose, a CMS search for vector-like partners with charge 5/3 decaying into Wt is recast to obtain model-independent bounds and projected reaches at future luminosity stages of the LHC. The results are then interpreted as mass bounds for the new particles predicted in the 331 Model and as a constraint on the scale of its spontaneous symmetry breaking. The complete set of model-independent results are provided as recast efficiencies, to allow for reinterpretation in different scenarios.

Observing $$t{\bar{t}}Z$$ spin correlations at the LHC

Spin correlations in the production of top-antitop quark ($$t{\bar{t}}$$ t t ¯ ) pairs at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are an experimentally verified prediction of the Standard Model. In this paper, we compute the full spin density matrix for $$t{\bar{t}}Z$$ t t ¯ Z production at next-to-leading order precision in QCD, for center-of-mass energies of 13 and 14 $$\text {TeV}$$ TeV . We find that the additional emission of a Z boson leads to significantly different spin correlations with respect to the $$t{\bar{t}}$$ t t ¯ case, and induces small longitudinal polarisations of the top quarks. We further propose an analysis strategy that could lead to the observation of spin correlations in $$t{\bar{t}}Z$$ t t ¯ Z events at the end of Run 3 of the LHC, or possibly earlier by combining the ATLAS and CMS datasets. In addition, we show that the pure angular information contained in the spin density matrix provides novel constraints on the dimension-6 effective field theory operators relevant to the t-Z interaction, without any reference to the total production rates.

Top-philic heavy resonances in four-top final states and their EFT interpretation

With an expected rate of about one event per 100,000 top-quark pairs, four top-quark final states very rarely arise at the LHC. Though scarce, they offer a unique window onto top-quark compositeness, self-interactions and more generically, onto any top-philic new physics. By employing simplified models featuring heavy resonances, we study the range of validity of effective theory interpretations of current four top-quark analyses at the LHC and establish their future reach at the HL-LHC. We find that for the class of models under consideration, the effective field theory interpretations are not applicable. We therefore present the most up-to-date limits obtained from public CMS analyses using simplified models. Finally, we put forward a novel recasting strategy for the experimental results based on the production of top quarks with large transverse momentum.

Exotic diboson $$Z'$$ decays in the U$$\mu \nu $$SSM

Searches for new leptophobic resonances at high energy colliders usually target their decay modes into pairs of light quarks, top quarks, or standard model bosons. Additional decay modes may also be present, producing signatures to which current searches are not sensitive. We investigate the performance of generic searches that look for resonances decaying into two large-radius jets. As benchmark for our analysis we use a supersymmetric $$\text {U}(1)'$$ U ( 1 ) ′ extension of the Standard Model, the so-called U$$\mu \nu $$ μ ν SSM, where all the SM decay modes of the $$Z'$$ Z ′ boson take place, plus additional (cascade) decays into new scalars. The generic searches use a generic multi-pronged jet tagger and take advantage of the presence of b quarks in the large-radius jets, and are sensitive to all these $$Z'$$ Z ′ decay modes (except into light quarks) at once. For couplings that are well below current experimental constraints, these generic searches are sensitive at the $$3\sigma -4\sigma $$ 3 σ - 4 σ level with Run 2 LHC data.