Search for $WW/WZ$ resonance production in $\ell \nu qq$ final states in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

TL;DR

This paper reports a search for new heavy resonances decaying into WW or WZ boson pairs in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV, using ATLAS data, finding no significant deviations from the Standard Model and setting limits on various models.

Contribution

First search for WW/WZ resonances in lepton+jets final states at 13 TeV with ATLAS, providing constraints on new physics models.

Findings

No significant excess observed over Standard Model backgrounds.

Limits set on cross sections for scalar, vector, and graviton resonance models.

Results constrain parameter space of new physics scenarios.

Abstract

A search is conducted for new resonances decaying into a $WW$ or $WZ$ boson pair, where one $W$ boson decays leptonically and the other $W$ or $Z$ boson decays hadronically. It is based on proton-proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. The search is sensitive to diboson resonance production via vector-boson fusion as well as quark-antiquark annihilation and gluon-gluon fusion mechanisms. No significant excess of events is observed with respect to the Standard Model backgrounds. Several benchmark models are used to interpret the results. Limits on the production cross section are set for a new narrow scalar resonance, a new heavy vector-boson and a spin-2 Kaluza-Klein graviton.