Search for Contact Interactions in Deep Inelastic e^+p->e^+X Scattering at HERA

TL;DR

This paper investigates potential signs of physics beyond the Standard Model by analyzing high-Q^2 deep inelastic e^+p scattering data from HERA, setting limits on contact interaction scales.

Contribution

It provides new constraints on contact interaction models using the ZEUS detector data, extending the limits on new physics energy scales.

Findings

No significant contact interaction signals detected.

Limits on contact interaction scales range from 1.7 TeV to 5 TeV.

Sets 95% confidence level bounds on new physics.

Abstract

In a search for signatures of physics processes beyond the Standard Model, various eeqq vector contact-interaction hypotheses have been tested using the high-Q^2, deep inelastic neutral-current e^+p scattering data collected with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 47.7pb-1 of e^+p interactions at 300GeV center-of-mass energy. No significant evidence of a contact-interaction signal has been found. Limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the contact-interaction amplitudes. The effective mass scales Lambda corresponding to these limits range from 1.7TeV to 5TeV for the contact-interaction scenarios considered.