A new window at the LHC: BSM signals using tagged protons

TL;DR

This paper proposes using tagged forward protons at the LHC to detect BSM signals with large missing energy, offering advantages in identifying invisible particles and light pseudoscalar bosons.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of using tagged protons to improve BSM searches at the LHC, especially for invisible and light pseudoscalar particles.

Findings

Enhanced detection of invisible Higgs production.

Improved search for light pseudoscalar bosons.

Advantages over inclusive production methods.

Abstract

The signature at the LHC of many Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) scenarios is events with large missing energy. If the forward outgoing protons are measured, we show that the production and decay of BSM particles in the central rapidity interval, with gaps in rapidity either side, offers certain advantages over inclusive production, to search for signals (a) with missing longitudinal 4-momentum (typical of invisible Higgs production), and (b) for new light pseudoscalar bosons.