Searches for unusual signatures from dark sectors with the ATLAS Experiment

TL;DR

This paper reports on recent ATLAS experiment searches for rare, unusual signatures from dark sector models involving long-lived particles, addressing reconstruction challenges and background issues in high-energy proton-proton collision data.

Contribution

It presents novel search results for dark sector signatures with long-lived particles using ATLAS data, highlighting new analysis techniques and findings.

Findings

Constraints on dark sector models established

Detection of potential long-lived particle signals

Improved reconstruction methods for unusual signatures

Abstract

Various theories beyond the Standard Model predict unusual signatures, including new, long-lived particles decaying at a significant distance from the collision point. These unique signatures are difficult to reconstruct and face unusual and challenging backgrounds. This contribution will focus on recent results from searches for unusual signatures motivated by dark sector models, utilising pp collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider.