Search for anomalous production of multilepton events in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for unusual multilepton events in proton-proton collisions at 7 TeV, using CMS data, aiming to detect signs of new physics like supersymmetry.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive search strategy for multilepton events and sets new exclusion limits on supersymmetric particle masses.

Findings

No significant excess of multilepton events observed.

Exclusion limits set on squark, gluino, and chargino masses.

Methodology for background estimation from data and simulation.

Abstract

A search for anomalous production of events with three or more isolated leptons in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is presented. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.98 inverse femtobarns, were collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC during the 2011 run. The search is applicable to any model of new physics that enhances multiple lepton production. The observed multilepton events are categorized into exclusive search channels based on the identity and kinematics of the objects in the events. An estimate of the standard-model background rates from data is emphasized, but simulation is also used to estimate some of the background rates. The search results are interpreted in the context of supersymmetry, including both R-parity-conserving and R-parity-violating models. We derive exclusion limits as a function of squark, gluino, and chargino masses.