Measurement of the charge ratio of atmospheric muons with the CMS detector

We present a measurement of the ratio of positive to negative muon fluxes from cosmic ray interactions in the atmosphere, using data collected by the CMS detector both at ground level and in the underground experimental cavern at the CERN LHC. Muons were detected in the momentum range from 5 GeV/c to 1 TeV/c. The surface flux ratio is measured to be 1.2766±0.0032(stat.)±0.0032(syst.), independent of the muon momentum, below 100 GeV/c. This is the most precise measurement to date. At higher momenta the data are consistent with an increase of the charge ratio, in agreement with cosmic ray shower models and compatible with previous measurements by deep-underground experiments.ISSN:0370-2693ISSN:0031-9163ISSN:1873-244

Measurement of the underlying event activity at the LHC with √s=7 TeV and comparison with √s=0.9 TeV

A measurement of the underlying activity in events with a jet of transverse momentum in the several GeV region is performed in proton-proton collisions at √s=0.9 and 7 TeV, using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The production of charged particles with pseudorapidity |η|  0.5 GeV/c is studied in the azimuthal region transverse to that of the leading set of charged particles forming a track-jet. A significant growth of the average multiplicity and scalar-pT sum of the particles in the transverse region is observed with increasing pT of the leading track-jet, followed by a much slower rise above a few GeV/c. For track-jet pT larger than a few GeV/c, the activity in the transverse region is approximately doubled with a centre-of-mass energy increase from 0.9 to 7 TeV. Predictions of several QCD-inspired models as implemented in pythia are compared to the data.ISSN:1126-6708ISSN:1029-847

Measurement of Wγ and Zγ production in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV

A measurement of W γ and Z γ production in proton-proton collisions at s=7 TeV is presented. Results are based on a data sample recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb-1. The electron and muon decay channels of the W and Z are used. The total cross sections are measured for photon transverse energy ETγ>10 GeV and spatial separation from charged leptons in the plane of pseudorapidity and azimuthal angle ΔR(ℓ,γ)>0.7, and with an additional dilepton invariant mass requirement of Mℓℓ>50 GeV for the Z γ process. The following cross section times branching fraction values are found: σ(pp→Wγ+X)×B(W→ℓν)=56.3±5.0(stat.)±5.0(syst.)±2.3(lumi.) pb and σ(pp→Zγ+X)×B(Z→ℓℓ)=9.4±1.0(stat.)±0.6(syst.)±0.4(lumi.) pb. These measurements are in agreement with standard model predictions. The first limits on anomalous WW γ, ZZ γ, and Z γγ trilinear gauge couplings at s=7 TeV are set.ISSN:0370-2693ISSN:0031-9163ISSN:1873-244

Observation of long-range, near-side angular correlations in proton-proton collisions at the LHC

Results on two-particle angular correlations for charged particles emitted in proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 0.9, 2.36, and 7TeV are presented, using data collected with the CMS detector over a broad range of pseudorapidity (η) and azimuthal angle (φ). Short-range correlations in Δη, which are studied in minimum bias events, are characterized using a simple "independent cluster" parametrization in order to quantify their strength (cluster size) and their extent in η (cluster decay width). Long-range azimuthal correlations are studied differentially as a function of charged particle multiplicity and particle transverse momentum using a 980 nb -1 data set at 7TeV. In high multiplicity events, a pronounced structure emerges in the two-dimensional correlation function for particle pairs with intermediate px of 1-3 GeV/c, 2.0 < |Δη| < 4.8 and Δφ ≈0. This is the first observation of such a long-range, near-side feature in two-particle correlation functions in pp or pp̄ collisions.ISSN:1126-6708ISSN:1029-847

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV

A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC from pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 fb−1. Limits are set on the cross section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance of 3.1σ. The global significance of observing an excess with a local significance anywhere in the search range 110–150 GeV is estimated to be 1.8σ. More data are required to ascertain the origin of this excess.ISSN:0370-2693ISSN:0031-9163ISSN:1873-244

Observation of a new boson with mass near 125 GeV in pp collisions at √s=7 and 8 TeV

A detailed description is reported of the analysis used by the CMS Collaboration in the search for the standard model Higgs boson in pp collisions at the LHC, which led to the observation of a new boson. The data sample corresponds to integrated luminosities up to 5.1 fb−1 at s√=7 TeV, and up to 5.3 fb−1 at s√=8 TeV. The results for five Higgs boson decay modes γγ, ZZ, WW, ττ, and bb, which show a combined local significance of 5 standard deviations near 125 GeV, are reviewed. A fit to the invariant mass of the two high resolution channels, γγ and ZZ → 4ℓ, gives a mass estimate of 125.3 ± 0.4 (stat.) ± 0.5 (syst.) GeV. The measurements are interpreted in the context of the standard model Lagrangian for the scalar Higgs field interacting with fermions and vector bosons. The measured values of the corresponding couplings are compared to the standard model predictions. The hypothesis of custodial symmetry is tested through the measurement of the ratio of the couplings to the W and Z bosons. All the results are consistent, within their uncertainties, with the expectations for a standard model Higgs boson.ISSN:1126-6708ISSN:1029-847

Search for gluino mediated bottom- and top-squark production in multijet final states in pp collisions at 8 TeV

A search for supersymmetry is presented based on events with large missing transverse energy, no isolated electron or muon, and at least three jets with one or more identified as a bottom-quark jet. A simultaneous examination is performed of the numbers of events in exclusive bins of the scalar sum of jet transverse momentum values, missing transverse energy, and bottom-quark jet multiplicity. The sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.4fb−1, consists of proton–proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 8TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2012. The observed numbers of events are found to be consistent with the standard model expectation, which is evaluated with control samples in data. The results are interpreted in the context of two simplified supersymmetric scenarios in which gluino pair production is followed by the decay of each gluino to an undetected lightest supersymmetric particle and either a bottom or top quark–antiquark pair, characteristic of gluino mediated bottom- or top-squark production. Using the production cross section calculated to next-to-leading-order plus next-to-leading-logarithm accuracy, and in the limit of a massless lightest supersymmetric particle, we exclude gluinos with masses below 1170GeV and 1020GeV for the two scenarios, respectively.ISSN:0370-2693ISSN:0031-9163ISSN:1873-244

Search for a non-standard-model Higgs boson decaying to a pair of new light bosons in four-muon final states

Results are reported from a search for non-standard-model Higgs boson decays to pairs of new light bosons, each of which decays into the μ+μ- final state. The new bosons may be produced either promptly or via a decay chain. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.3 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions at s=7 TeV, recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2011. Such Higgs boson decays are predicted in several scenarios of new physics, including supersymmetric models with extended Higgs sectors or hidden valleys. Thus, the results of the search are relevant for establishing whether the new particle observed in Higgs boson searches at the LHC has the properties expected for a standard model Higgs boson. No excess of events is observed with respect to the yields expected from standard model processes. A model-independent upper limit of 0.86±0.06 fb on the product of the cross section times branching fraction times acceptance is obtained. The results, which are applicable to a broad spectrum of new physics scenarios, are compared with the predictions of two benchmark models as functions of a Higgs boson mass larger than 86 GeV/c2 and of a new light boson mass within the range 0.25-3.55 GeV/c2.ISSN:0370-2693ISSN:0031-9163ISSN:1873-244