Abstract: Theoretical interpretations of particle physics data, such as the determination of the Wilson coefficients of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT), often involve the inference of multiple parameters from a global dataset. Optimizing such interpretations requires the identification of observables that exhibit the highest possible sensitivity to the underlying theory parameters. In this work we develop a flexible open source frame-work, ML4EFT, enabling the integration of unbinned multivariate observables into global SMEFT fits. As compared to traditional measurements, such observables enhance the sensitivity to the theory parameters by preventing the information loss incurred when binning in a subset of final-state kinematic variables. Our strategy combines machine learning regression and classification techniques to parameterize high-dimensional likelihood ratios, using the Monte Carlo replica method to estimate and propagate methodological uncertainties. As a proof of concept we construct unbinned multivariate observables for top-quark pair and Higgs+Z production at the LHC, demonstrate their impact on the SMEFT parameter space as compared to binned measurements, and study the improved constraints associated to multivariate inputs. Since the number of neural networks to be trained scales quadratically with the number of parameters and can be fully parallelized, the ML4EFT framework is well-suited to construct unbinned multivariate observables which depend on up to tens of EFT coefficients, as required in global fits.

Abstract: We study the LHC discovery potential in the search for heavy neutral leptons (HNL) with a new signature: a displaced shower in the CMS muon detector, giving rise to a large cluster of hits forming a displaced shower. A new Delphes module is used to model the CMS detector response for such displaced decays. We reinterpret a dedicated CMS search for neutral long-lived particles decaying in the CMS muon endcap detectors for the minimal HNL scenario. We demonstrate that this new strategy is particularly sensitive to active-sterile mixings with tau leptons, due to hadronic tau decays. HNL masses between similar to 1-6 GeV can be accessed for mixings as low as vertical bar V-tau N vertical bar(2) similar to 10(-7), probing unique regions of parameter space in the tau sector.

Abstract: The ratio of branching fractions of B-c(+) -> B-s(0)pi(+) and B-c(+) -> J/psi pi(+) decays is measured with proton-proton collision data of a centre-of-mass energy of 13TeV. The data were collected with the LHCb experiment during 2016-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb(-1). The B-s(0) mesons are reconstructed via the decays B-s(0) -> J/psi phi and B-s(0) -> D-s(-)pi(+). The ratio of branching fractions is measured to be B(B-c(+) -> B-s(0)pi(+))/B(B-c(+) -> J/psi pi(+)) = 91 +/- 10 +/- 8 +/- 3 where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic and the third is due to the knowledge of the branching fractions of the intermediate state decays.

Abstract: A search for pair-produced scalar and vector leptoquarks decaying into quarks and leptons of different generations is presented. It uses the full LHC Run 2 (2015-2018) data set of 139 fb(-1) collected with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13TeV. Scalar leptoquarks with charge -(1/3) e as well as scalar and vector leptoquarks with charge +(2/3) e are considered. All possible decays of the pair-produced leptoquarks into quarks of the third generation ( t, b) and charged or neutral leptons of the first or second generation ( e, mu, nu) with exactly one electron or muon in the final state are investigated. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectation are observed. Upper limits on the production cross-section are provided for eight models as a function of the leptoquark mass and the branching ratio of the leptoquark into the charged or neutral lepton. In addition, lower limits on the leptoquark masses are derived for all models across a range of branching ratios. Two of these models have the goal of providing an explanation for the recent B-anomalies. In both models, a vector leptoquark decays into charged and neutral leptons of the second generation with a similar branching fraction. Lower limits of 1980 GeV and 1710 GeV are set on the leptoquark mass for these two models.

Abstract: A generic search for resonances is performed with events containing a Z boson with transverse momentum greater than 100 GeV, decaying into e+e− or μ+μ−. The analysed data collected with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. Two invariant mass distributions are examined for a localised excess relative to the expected Standard Model background in six independent event categories (and their inclusive sum) to increase the sensitivity. No significant excess is observed. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are derived for two cases: a model-independent interpretation of Gaussian-shaped resonances with the mass width between 3% and 10% of the resonance mass, and a specific heavy vector triplet model with the decay mode W′ → ZW → ℓℓqq.