The first observation of top quark production in proton-nucleus collisions is reported using proton-lead data collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s_{NN}]=8.16 TeV. The measurement is performed using events with exactly one isolated electron or muon candidate and at least four jets. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 174 nb^{-1}. The significance of the tt[over ¯] signal against the background-only hypothesis is above 5 standard deviations. The measured cross section is σ_{tt[over ¯]}=45±8 nb, consistent with predictions from perturbative quantum chromodynamics.
A search for a signal consistent with the type-III seesaw mechanism in events with three or more electrons or muons is presented. The data sample consists of proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016 and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb^{-1}. Selection criteria based on the number of leptons and the invariant mass of oppositely charged lepton pairs are used to distinguish the signal from the standard model background. The observations are consistent with the expectations from standard model processes. The results are used to place limits on the production of heavy fermions of the type-III seesaw model as a function of the branching ratio to each lepton flavor. In the scenario of equal branching fractions to each lepton flavor, heavy fermions with masses below 840 GeV are excluded. This is the most sensitive probe to date of the type-III seesaw mechanism.
The first observation of electroweak production of same-sign W boson pairs in proton-proton collisions is reported. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb^{-1} collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. Events are selected by requiring exactly two leptons (electrons or muons) of the same charge, moderate missing transverse momentum, and two jets with a large rapidity separation and a large dijet mass. The observed significance of the signal is 5.5 standard deviations, where a significance of 5.7 standard deviations is expected based on the standard model. The ratio of measured event yields to that expected from the standard model at leading order is 0.90±0.22. A cross section measurement in a fiducial region is reported. Bounds are given on the structure of quartic vector boson interactions in the framework of dimension-8 effective field theory operators and on the production of doubly charged Higgs bosons.
An inclusive search for the standard model Higgs boson (H) produced with large transverse momentum (p_{T}) and decaying to a bottom quark-antiquark pair (bb[over ¯]) is performed using a data set of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb^{-1}. A highly Lorentz-boosted Higgs boson decaying to bb[over ¯] is reconstructed as a single, large radius jet, and it is identified using jet substructure and dedicated b tagging techniques. The method is validated with Z→bb[over ¯] decays. The Z→bb[over ¯] process is observed for the first time in the single-jet topology with a local significance of 5.1 standard deviations (5.8 expected). For a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, an excess of events above the expected background is observed (expected) with a local significance of 1.5 (0.7) standard deviations. The measured cross section times branching fraction for production via gluon fusion of H→bb[over ¯] with reconstructed p_{T}>450 GeV and in the pseudorapidity range -2.5
The azimuthal anisotropy Fourier coefficients (v_{n}) in 8.16 TeV p+Pb data are extracted via long-range two-particle correlations as a function of the event multiplicity and compared to corresponding results in pp and PbPb collisions. Using a four-particle cumulant technique, v_{n} correlations are measured for the first time in pp and p+Pb collisions. The v_{2} and v_{4} coefficients are found to be positively correlated in all collision systems. For high-multiplicity p+Pb collisions, an anticorrelation of v_{2} and v_{3} is observed, with a similar correlation strength as in PbPb data at the same multiplicity. The new correlation results strengthen the case for a common origin of the collectivity seen in p+Pb and PbPb collisions in the measured multiplicity range.
A measurement of the top quark-antiquark pair production cross section σ t t ¯ in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 Te is presented. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb - 1 , recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2016. Dilepton events ( e ± μ ∓ , μ + μ - , e + e - ) are selected and the cross section is measured from a likelihood fit. For a top quark mass parameter in the simulation of m t MC = 172.5 Ge the fit yields a measured cross section σ t t ¯ = 803 ± 2 (stat) ± 25 (syst) ± 20 (lumi) pb , in agreement with the expectation from the standard model calculation at next-to-next-to-leading order. A simultaneous fit of the cross section and the top quark mass parameter in the powheg simulation is performed. The measured value of m t MC = 172.33 ± 0.14 (stat) - 0.72 + 0.66 (syst) Ge is in good agreement with previous measurements. The resulting cross section is used, together with the theoretical prediction, to determine the top quark mass and to extract a value of the strong coupling constant with different sets of parton distribution functions.
A search is presented for τ slepton pairs produced in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV . The search is carried out in events containing two τ leptons in the final state, on the assumption that each τ slepton decays primarily to a τ lepton and a neutralino. Events are considered in which each τ lepton decays to one or more hadrons and a neutrino, or in which one of the τ leptons decays instead to an electron or a muon and two neutrinos. The data, collected with the CMS detector in 2016 and 2017, correspond to an integrated luminosity of 77.2 fb - 1 . The observed data are consistent with the standard model background expectation. The results are used to set 95% confidence level upper limits on the cross section for τ slepton pair production in various models for τ slepton masses between 90 and 200 GeV and neutralino masses of 1, 10, and 20 GeV . In the case of purely left-handed τ slepton production and decay to a τ lepton and a neutralino with a mass of 1 GeV , the strongest limit is obtained for a τ slepton mass of 125 GeV at a factor of 1.14 larger than the theoretical cross section.
A search for new phenomena is performed using events with jets and significant transverse momentum imbalance, as inferred through the M T 2 variable. The results are based on a sample of proton-proton collisions collected in 2016 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the CMS detector and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb -1 . No excess event yield is observed above the predicted standard model background, and the results are interpreted as exclusion limits at 95% confidence level on the masses of predicted particles in a variety of simplified models of R-parity conserving supersymmetry. Depending on the details of the model, 95% confidence level lower limits on the gluino (light-flavor squark) masses are placed up to 2025 (1550) GeV . Mass limits as high as 1070 (1175) GeV are set on the masses of top (bottom) squarks. Information is provided to enable re-interpretation of these results, including model-independent limits on the number of non-standard model events for a set of simplified, inclusive search regions.
Central exclusive and semiexclusive production of pairs is measured with the CMS detector in proton-proton collisions at the LHC at center-of-mass energies of 5.02 and 13TeV. The theoretical description of these nonperturbative processes, which have not yet been measured in detail at the LHC, poses a significant challenge to models. The two pions are measured and identified in the CMS silicon tracker based on specific energy loss, whereas the absence of other particles is ensured by calorimeter information. The total and differential cross sections of exclusive and semiexclusive central production are measured as functions of invariant mass, transverse momentum, and rapidity of the system in the fiducial region defined as transverse momentum and pseudorapidity . The production cross sections for the four resonant channels , , , and are extracted using a simple model. These results represent the first measurement of this process at the LHC collision energies of 5.02 and 13TeV.
The structure of nucleons is multidimensional and depends on the transverse momenta, spatial geometry, and polarization of the constituent partons. Such a structure can be studied using high-energy photons produced in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions. The first measurement of the azimuthal angular correlations of exclusively produced events with two jets in photon-lead interactions at large momentum transfer is presented, a process that is considered to be sensitive to the underlying nuclear gluon polarization. This study uses a data sample of ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.38 nb^{-1}, collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measured second harmonic of the correlation between the sum and difference of the two jet transverse momentum vectors is found to be positive, and rising, as the dijet transverse momentum increases. A well-tuned model that has been successful at describing a wide range of proton scattering data from the HERA experiments fails to describe the observed correlations, suggesting the presence of gluon polarization effects.
A measurement of the top quark pair production ([Formula: see text]) cross section in proton-proton collisions at the centre-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text] is presented using data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.6[Formula: see text]. This analysis is performed in the [Formula: see text] decay channels with one isolated, high transverse momentum electron or muon and at least four jets, at least one of which is required to be identified as originating from hadronization of a b quark. The calibration of the jet energy scale and the efficiency of b jet identification are determined from data. The measured [Formula: see text] cross section is [Formula: see text]. This measurement is compared with an analysis of 7[Formula: see text] data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0[Formula: see text], to determine the ratio of 8[Formula: see text] to 7[Formula: see text] cross sections, which is found to be [Formula: see text]. The measurements are in agreement with QCD predictions up to next-to-next-to-leading order.
A measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry [Formula: see text] of oppositely charged lepton pairs ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) produced via [Formula: see text] boson exchange in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text] collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The measurement of [Formula: see text] is performed for dilepton masses between 40[Formula: see text] and 2[Formula: see text] and for dilepton rapidity up to 5. The [Formula: see text] measurements as a function of dilepton mass and rapidity are compared with the standard model predictions.
A measurement is presented of differential cross sections for t-channel single top quark and antiquark production in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 Te by the CMS experiment at the LHC. From a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb - 1 , events containing one muon or electron and two or three jets are analysed. The cross section is measured as a function of the top quark transverse momentum ( p T ), rapidity, and polarisation angle, the charged lepton p T and rapidity, and the p T of the W boson from the top quark decay. In addition, the charge ratio is measured differentially as a function of the top quark, charged lepton, and W boson kinematic observables. The results are found to be in agreement with standard model predictions using various next-to-leading-order event generators and sets of parton distribution functions. Additionally, the spin asymmetry, sensitive to the top quark polarisation, is determined from the differential distribution of the polarisation angle at parton level to be 0.440 ± 0.070 , in agreement with the standard model prediction.
Measurements of the associated production of a Z boson with at least one jet originating from a b quark in proton-proton collisions at
s
= 8
TeV
are presented. Differential cross sections are measured with data collected by the CMS experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.8
fb
- 1
. Z bosons are reconstructed through their decays to electrons and muons. Cross sections are measured as a function of observables characterizing the kinematics of the b jet and the Z boson. Ratios of differential cross sections for the associated production with at least one b jet to the associated production with any jet are also presented. The production of a Z boson with at least two b jets is investigated, and differential cross sections are measured for the dijet system. Results are compared to theoretical predictions, testing two different flavour schemes for the choice of initial-state partons.
A data sample of events from proton-proton collisions with at least two jets, and two isolated same-sign or three or more charged leptons, is studied in a search for signatures of new physics phenomena. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of
137
fb
- 1
at a center-of-mass energy of
13
TeV
, collected in 2016-2018 by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The search is performed using a total of 168 signal regions defined using several kinematic variables. The properties of the events are found to be consistent with the expectations from standard model processes. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set on cross sections for the pair production of gluinos or squarks for various decay scenarios in the context of supersymmetric models conserving or violating R parity. The observed lower mass limits are as large as
2.1
TeV
for gluinos and
0.9
TeV
for top and bottom squarks. To facilitate reinterpretations, model-independent limits are provided in a set of simplified signal regions.
A measurement is presented of electroweak (EW) production of a W boson in association with two jets in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te . The data sample was recorded by the CMS Collaboration at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb - 1 . The measurement is performed for the ℓ ν jj final state (with ℓ ν indicating a lepton-neutrino pair, and j representing the quarks produced in the hard interaction) in a kinematic region defined by invariant mass m jj > 120 Ge and transverse momenta p T j > 25 Ge . The cross section of the process is measured in the electron and muon channels yielding σ EW ( W jj ) = 6.23 ± 0.12 (stat) ± 0.61 (syst) pb per channel, in agreement with leading-order standard model predictions. The additional hadronic activity of events in a signal-enriched region is studied, and the measurements are compared with predictions. The final state is also used to perform a search for anomalous trilinear gauge couplings. Limits on anomalous trilinear gauge couplings associated with dimension-six operators are given in the framework of an effective field theory. The corresponding 95% confidence level intervals are - 2.3 < c W W W / Λ 2 < 2.5 Te - 2 , - 8.8 < c W / Λ 2 < 16 Te - 2 , and - 45 < c B / Λ 2 < 46 Te - 2 . These results are combined with the CMS EW Zjj analysis, yielding the constraint on the c W W W coupling: - 1.8 < c W W W / Λ 2 < 2.0 Te - 2 .
The production of Z boson pairs in proton-proton ( p p ) collisions, p p → ( Z / γ ∗ ) ( Z / γ ∗ ) → 2 ℓ 2 ℓ ' , where ℓ , ℓ ' = e or μ , is studied at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb - 1 , collected during 2016-2018. The Z Z production cross section, σ tot ( p p → Z Z ) = 17.4 ± 0.3 (stat) ± 0.5 (syst) ± 0.4 (theo) ± 0.3 (lumi) pb , measured for events with two pairs of opposite-sign, same-flavor leptons produced in the mass region 60 < m ℓ + ℓ - < 120 GeV is consistent with standard model predictions. Differential cross sections are also measured and agree with theoretical predictions. The invariant mass distribution of the four-lepton system is used to set limits on anomalous Z Z Z and Z Z γ couplings.
Searches are presented for direct production of top or bottom squark pairs in proton-proton collisions at the CERN LHC. Two searches, based on complementary techniques, are performed in all-jet final states that are characterized by a significant imbalance in transverse momentum. An additional search requires the presence of a charged lepton isolated from other activity in the event. The data were collected in 2015 at a centre-of-mass energy of 13[Formula: see text] with the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 2.3[Formula: see text]. No statistically significant excess of events is found beyond the expected contribution from standard model processes. Exclusion limits are set in the context of simplified models of top or bottom squark pair production. Models with top and bottom squark masses up to 830 and 890[Formula: see text], respectively, are probed for light neutralinos. For models with top squark masses of 675[Formula: see text], neutralino masses up to 260[Formula: see text] are excluded at 95% confidence level.
A measurement of the top quark mass is reported in events containing a single top quark produced via the electroweak t channel. The analysis is performed using data from proton-proton collisions collected with the CMS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb[Formula: see text]. Top quark candidates are reconstructed from their decay to a [Formula: see text] boson and a b quark, with the [Formula: see text] boson decaying leptonically to a muon and a neutrino. The final state signature and kinematic properties of single top quark events in the t channel are used to enhance the purity of the sample, suppressing the contribution from top quark pair production. A fit to the invariant mass distribution of reconstructed top quark candidates yields a value of the top quark mass of [Formula: see text]. This result is in agreement with the current world average, and represents the first measurement of the top quark mass in event topologies not dominated by top quark pair production, therefore contributing to future averages with partially uncorrelated systematic uncertainties and a largely uncorrelated statistical uncertainty.
A search for narrow resonances decaying to an electron and a muon is presented. The [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] mass spectrum is also investigated for non-resonant contributions from the production of quantum black holes (QBHs). The analysis is performed using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7[Formula: see text] collected in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8[Formula: see text] with the CMS detector at the LHC. With no evidence for physics beyond the standard model in the invariant mass spectrum of selected [Formula: see text] pairs, upper limits are set at 95 [Formula: see text] confidence level on the product of cross section and branching fraction for signals arising in theories with charged lepton flavour violation. In the search for narrow resonances, the resonant production of a [Formula: see text] sneutrino in R-parity violating supersymmetry is considered. The [Formula: see text] sneutrino is excluded for masses below 1.28[Formula: see text] for couplings [Formula: see text], and below 2.30[Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. These are the most stringent limits to date from direct searches at high-energy colliders. In addition, the resonance searches are interpreted in terms of a model with heavy partners of the [Formula: see text] boson and the photon. In a framework of TeV-scale quantum gravity based on a renormalization of Newton's constant, the search for non-resonant contributions to the [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] mass spectrum excludes QBH production below a threshold mass [Formula: see text] of 1.99[Formula: see text]. In models that invoke extra dimensions, the bounds range from 2.36[Formula: see text] for one extra dimension to 3.63[Formula: see text] for six extra dimensions. This is the first search for QBHs decaying into the [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] final state.