Search for pair-produced resonances decaying to quark pairs in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

A general search for the pair production of resonances, each decaying to two quarks, is reported. The search is conducted separately for heavier resonances (masses above 400 GeV), where each of the four final-state quarks generates a hadronic jet resulting in a four-jet signature, and for lighter resonances (masses between 80 and 400 GeV), where the pair of quarks from each resonance is collimated and reconstructed as a single jet resulting in a two-jet signature. In addition, a b-tagged selection is applied to target resonances with a bottom quark in the final state. The analysis uses data collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb(-1), from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The mass spectra are analyzed for the presence of new resonances, and are found to be consistent with standard model expectations. The results are interpreted in the framework of R-parity-violating supersymmetry assuming the pair production of scalar top quarks decaying via the hadronic coupling lambda ''(312) or lambda ''(323) and upper limits on the cross section as a function of the top squark mass are set. These results probe a wider range of masses than previously explored at the LHC, and extend the top squark mass limits in the (t) over tilde -> qq' scenario.Peer reviewe

Observation of nuclear modifications in W± boson production in pPb collisions at sNN=8.16TeV

The production of W± bosons is studied in proton-lead (pPb) collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of sNN=8.16TeV. Measurements are performed in the W±→μ±νμ channel using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 173.4±6.1nb−1, collected by the CMS Collaboration at the LHC. The number of positively and negatively charged W bosons is determined separately in the muon pseudorapidity region in the laboratory frame |ηlabμ|25GeV/c. The W± boson differential cross sections, muon charge asymmetry, and the ratios of W± boson yields for the proton-going over the Pb-going beam directions are reported as a function of the muon pseudorapidity in the nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass frame. The measurements are compared to the predictions from theoretical calculations based on parton distribution functions (PDFs) at next-to-leading-order. The results favour PDF calculations that include nuclear modifications and provide constraints on the nuclear PDF global fits

Measurement of ttˉ\hbox {t}{\bar{\hbox {t}}} normalised multi-differential cross sections in pp{\text {p}}{\text {p}} collisions at s=13 TeV\sqrt{s}=13\,{\text {TeV}} , and simultaneous determination of the strong coupling strength, top quark pole mass, and parton distribution functions

Normalised multi-differential cross sections for top quark pair ($$\hbox {t}{\bar{\hbox {t}}}$$) production are measured in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13$$\,{\text {TeV}}$$ using events containing two oppositely charged leptons. The analysed data were recorded with the CMS detector in 2016 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of $$35.9{\,{\text {fb}}^{-1}}$$. The double-differential $$\hbox {t}{\bar{\hbox {t}}}$$ cross section is measured as a function of the kinematic properties of the top quark and of the $$\hbox {t}{\bar{\hbox {t}}}$$ system at parton level in the full phase space. A triple-differential measurement is performed as a function of the invariant mass and rapidity of the $$\hbox {t}{\bar{\hbox {t}}}$$ system and the multiplicity of additional jets at particle level. The data are compared to predictions of Monte Carlo event generators that complement next-to-leading-order (NLO) quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations with parton showers. Together with a fixed-order NLO QCD calculation, the triple-differential measurement is used to extract values of the strong coupling strength $$\alpha _{S}$$ and the top quark pole mass ($$m_{{\text {t}}}^{{\text {pole}}}$$) using several sets of parton distribution functions (PDFs). The measurement of $$m_{{\text {t}}}^{{\text {pole}}}$$ exploits the sensitivity of the $$\hbox {t}{\bar{\hbox {t}}}$$ invariant mass distribution to $$m_{{\text {t}}}^{{\text {pole}}}$$ near the production threshold. Furthermore, a simultaneous fit of the PDFs, $$\alpha _{S}$$, and $$m_{{\text {t}}}^{{\text {pole}}}$$ is performed at NLO, demonstrating that the new data have significant impact on the gluon PDF, and at the same time allow an accurate determination of $$\alpha _{S}$$ and $$m_{{\text {t}}}^{{\text {pole}}}$$. The values $$\alpha _{S}(m_{{\text {Z}}}) = 0.1135{}^{+0.0021}_{-0.0017}$$ and $$m_{{\text {t}}}^{{\text {pole}}} = 170.5 \pm 0.8 \,{\text {GeV}}$$ are extracted, which account for experimental and theoretical uncertainties, the latter being estimated from NLO scale variations. Possible effects from Coulomb and soft-gluon resummation near the $$\hbox {t}{\bar{\hbox {t}}}$$ production threshold are neglected in these parameter extractions. A rough estimate of these effects indicates an expected correction of $$m_{{\text {t}}}^{{\text {pole}}}$$ of the order of $$+1 \,{\text {GeV}}$$, which can be regarded as additional theoretical uncertainty in the current $$m_{{\text {t}}}^{{\text {pole}}}$$ extraction

Search for single production of vector-like quarks decaying to a top quark and a W boson in proton–proton collisions at s=13TeV

A search is presented for the single production of vector-like quarks in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV . The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb - 1 , were recorded with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analysis focuses on the vector-like quark decay into a top quark and a W boson, with one muon or electron in the final state. The mass of the vector-like quark candidate is reconstructed from hadronic jets, the lepton, and the missing transverse momentum. Methods for the identification of b quarks and of highly Lorentz boosted hadronically decaying top quarks and W bosons are exploited in this search. No significant deviation from the standard model background expectation is observed. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set on the product of the production cross section and branching fraction as a function of the vector-like quark mass, which range from 0.3 to 0.03 pb for vector-like quark masses of 700 to 2000 GeV . Mass exclusion limits up to 1660 GeV are obtained, depending on the vector-like quark type, coupling, and decay width. These represent the most stringent exclusion limits for the single production of vector-like quarks in this channel