Search for soft unclustered energy patterns produced in association with a W or Z boson in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

TL;DR

This paper searches for Higgs bosons produced with W/Z bosons decaying into soft unclustered energy patterns in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV, setting limits on such processes with no significant excess found.

Contribution

It introduces the first exploration of high-multiplicity, low-momentum charged particles from Higgs decays to SUEP in association with W/Z bosons at the LHC.

Findings

No significant excess over background observed.

Limits set on Higgs to SUEP production cross section.

Analysis based on 138 fb$^{-1}$ of data from 2016-2018.

Abstract

A search for a Higgs boson produced in association with a W or Z boson and decaying via a soft unclustered energy pattern (SUEP) is presented. The analysis is based on proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ collected between 2016 and 2018 at the LHC. Final states with a leptonic W or Z boson decay associated with a high multiplicity of low-momentum charged particles are explored for the first time. The results show no significant excess over the standard model background expectation. Limits are set on the production cross section of a Higgs boson that decays to a SUEP, for a range of parameters of the SUEP model. Material is provided to facilitate further interpretation of the results.