Search for photonic signatures of gauge-mediated supersymmetry in 8 TeV $pp$ collisions with the ATLAS detector

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for photonic signals of gauge-mediated supersymmetry in 8 TeV proton-proton collisions using the ATLAS detector, finding no significant deviations from the Standard Model and setting exclusion limits.

Contribution

It introduces a search strategy for gauge-mediated supersymmetry signatures involving photons and missing energy using 8 TeV data, extending previous analyses.

Findings

No significant excess observed over Standard Model predictions

Set 95% confidence-level exclusion limits on supersymmetry models

Explored multiple signatures including additional photons, leptons, and jets

Abstract

A search is presented for photonic signatures motivated by generalised models of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. This search makes use of $20.3{\rm fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC, and explores models dominated by both strong and electroweak production of supersymmetric partner states. Four experimental signatures incorporating an isolated photon and significant missing transverse momentum are explored. These signatures include events with an additional photon, lepton, $b$-quark jet, or jet activity not associated with any specific underlying quark flavor. No significant excess of events is observed above the Standard Model prediction and model-dependent 95% confidence-level exclusion limits are set.