Search for Dark Matter Produced in Association with a Higgs Boson Decaying to $b\bar b$ using 36 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt s=13$ TeV with the ATLAS Detector

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for dark matter particles produced alongside a Higgs boson decaying to bottom quarks, using LHC data, finding no excess and setting limits on such processes.

Contribution

First search for dark matter produced with a Higgs boson decaying to $b\bar{b}$ at 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector, providing new constraints.

Findings

Data consistent with Standard Model predictions.

Limits set on dark matter-Higgs associated production.

No significant excess observed.

Abstract

Several extensions of the Standard Model predict associated production of dark-matter particles with a Higgs boson. Such processes are searched for in final states with missing transverse momentum and a Higgs boson decaying to a $b\bar b$ pair with the ATLAS detector using 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC. The observed data are in agreement with the Standard Model predictions and limits are placed on the associated production of dark-matter particles and a Higgs boson.