Effective field theory analysis of new physics in e + e −→W + W − at a linear collider

The effective Lagrangian with scalar and vector resonances that might result from new strong physics beyond the SM is formulated and studied. In particular, the scalar resonance representing the recently discovered 125-GeV boson is complemented with the SU(2) _L+R triplet of hypothetical vector resonances. Motivated by experimental and theoretical considerations, the vector resonance is allowed to couple directly to the third quark generation only. The coupling is chiral-dependent and the interaction of the right top quark can differ from that of the right bottom quark. To estimate the applicability range of the effective Lagrangian the unitarity of the gauge boson scattering amplitudes is analyzed. The experimental fits and limits on the free parameters of the vector resonance triplet are investigated.     

On the challenge of estimating diphoton backgrounds at large invariant mass

We examine, using the analyses of the 750 GeV diphoton resonance as a case study, the methodology for estimating the dominant backgrounds to diphoton resonance searches. We show that close to the high energy tails of the distributions, where background estimates rely on functional extrapolations or Monte Carlo predictions, large uncertainties are introduced, in particular by the challenging photon–jet background. Analyses with loose photon and low photon \(p_T\) cuts and those susceptible to high photon rapidity regions are especially affected. Given that diphoton-based searches beyond 1 TeV are highly motivated as discovery modes, these considerations are relevant for future analyses. We first consider a physics-driven deformation of the photon–jet spectrum by next-to-leading order effects and a phase space dependent fake rate and show that this reduces the local significance of the excess. Using a simple but more general ansatz, we demonstrate that the originally reported local significances of the 750 GeV excess could have been overestimated by more than one standard deviation. We furthermore cross-check our analysis by comparing fit results based on the 2015 and 2016 LHC data sets. Finally we employ our methodology on the available 13 TeV LHC data set assessing the systematics involved in the current diphoton searches beyond the TeV region.     

Benchmark models, planes, lines and points for future SUSY searches at the LHC

We define benchmark models for SUSY searches at the LHC, including the CMSSM, NUHM, mGMSB, mAMSB, MM-AMSB and p19MSSM, as well as models with R-parity violation and the NMSSM. Within the parameter spaces of these models, we propose benchmark subspaces, including planes, lines and points along them. The planes may be useful for presenting results of the experimental searches in different SUSY scenarios, while the specific benchmark points may serve for more detailed detector performance tests and comparisons. We also describe algorithms for defining suitable benchmark points along the proposed lines in the parameter spaces, and we define a few benchmark points motivated by recent fits to existing experimental data.