New sensitivity of current LHC measurements to vector-like quarks

TL;DR

This paper investigates how existing LHC measurements can be sensitive to vector-like quarks, exploring both known limits and new parameter regions to enhance detection prospects beyond dedicated searches.

Contribution

It provides a novel analysis of LHC data sensitivity to vector-like quarks, including unstudied parameter regions, complementing existing dedicated search results.

Findings

Existing LHC measurements can constrain vector-like quarks.

Broader parameter regions show potential for detection.

Complementary to dedicated search strategies.

Abstract

Quark partners with non-chiral couplings appear in several extensions of the Standard Model. They may have non-trivial generational structure to their couplings, and may be produced either in pairs via the strong and EM interactions, or singly via the new couplings of the model. Their decays often produce heavy quarks and gauge bosons, which will contribute to a variety of already-measured "Standard Model" cross-sections at the LHC. We present a study of the sensitivity of such published LHC measurements to vector-like quarks, first comparing to limits already obtained from dedicated searches, and then broadening to some so-far unstudied parameter regions.