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Starling, E. (ORCID:0000000243997213)

Publications and source records attributed to Starling, E. (ORCID:0000000243997213).

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

First measurement of the forward rapidity gap distribution in pPb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV

For the first time at LHC energies, the forward rapidity gap spectra from proton-lead collisions for both proton and lead dissociation processes are presented. The analysis is performed over 10.4 units of pseudorapidity at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV , almost 300 times higher than in previous measurements of diffractive production in proton-nucleus collisions. For lead dissociation processes, which correspond to the pomeron-lead event topology, the EPOS-LHC generator predictions are a factor of 2 below the data, but the model gives a reasonable description of the rapidity gap spectrum shape. For the pomeron-proton topology, the EPOS-LHC , QGSJET II , and HIJING predictions are all at least a factor of 5 lower than the data. The latter effect might be explained by a significant contribution of ultraperipheral photoproduction events mimicking the signature of diffractive processes. These data may be of significant help in understanding the high energy limit of quantum chromodynamics and for modeling cosmic ray air showers.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

A search for new physics in central exclusive production using the missing mass technique with the CMS detector and the CMS-TOTEM precision proton spectrometer

A generic search is presented for the associated production of a Z boson or a photon with an additional unspecified massive particle X, pp → pp + Z/γ + X, in proton-tagged events from proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, recorded in 2017 with the CMS detector and the CMS-TOTEM precision proton spectrometer. The missing mass spectrum is analysed in the 600–1600 GeV range and a fit is performed to search for possible deviations from the background expectation. No significant excess in data with respect to the background predictions has been observed. Model-independent upper limits on the visible pro duction cross section of pp → pp + Z/γ + X are set

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Search for the Higgs boson decay to a pair of electrons in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A search is presented for the Higgs boson decay to a pair of electrons (Image 1) in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV . The data set was collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC between 2016 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb - 1 . The analysis uses event categories targeting Higgs boson production via gluon fusion and vector boson fusion. The observed upper limit on the Higgs boson branching fraction to an electron pair is 3.0 × 10 - 4 ( 3.0 × 10 - 4 expected) at the 95% confidence level, which is the most stringent limit on this branching fraction to date.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of differential cross sections for the production of a Z boson in association with jets in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A measurement is presented of the production of Z bosons that decay into two electrons or muons in association with jets, in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data were recorded by the CMS Collaboration at the LHC with an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The differential cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momentum ($p_\mathrm{T}$) of the Z boson and the transverse momentum and rapidities of the five jets with largest $p_\mathrm{T}$. The jet multiplicity distribution is measured for up to eight jets. The hadronic activity in the events is estimated using the scalar sum of the $p_\mathrm{T}$ of all the jets. All measurements are unfolded to the stable particle-level and compared with predictions from various Monte Carlo event generators, as well as with expectations at leading and next-to-leading orders in perturbative quantum chromodynamics.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reconstruction of decays to merged photons using end-to-end deep learning with domain continuation in the CMS detector

A novel technique based on machine learning is introduced to reconstruct the decays of highly Lorentz-boosted particles. Using an end-to-end deep learning strategy, the technique bypasses existing rule-based particle reconstruction methods typically used in high energy physics analyses. It uses minimally processed detector data as input and directly outputs particle properties of interest. The new technique is demonstrated for the reconstruction of the invariant mass of particles decaying in the CMS detector. The decay of a hypothetical scalar particle A into two photons, A → γ γ , is chosen as a benchmark decay. Lorentz boosts γ L = 60 – 600 are considered, ranging from regimes where both photons are resolved to those where the photons are closely merged as one object. A training method using domain continuation is introduced, enabling the invariant mass reconstruction of unresolved photon pairs in a novel way. The new technique is validated using π 0 → γ γ decays in LHC collision data.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

Observation of Same-Sign W W Production from Double Parton Scattering in Proton-Proton Collisions at s = 13 TeV

The first observation of the production of W$^\pm$W$^\pm$ bosons from double parton scattering processes using same-sign electron-muon and dimuon events in proton-proton collisions is reported. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. Multivariate discriminants are used to distinguish the signal process from the main backgrounds. A binned maximum likelihood fit is performed to extract the signal cross section. The measured cross section for production of same-sign W bosons decaying leptonically is 80.7 $\pm$ 11.2 (stat) $^{+9.5}_{-8.6}$ (syst) $\pm$ 12.1 (model) fb, whereas the measured fiducial cross section is 6.28 $\pm$ 0.81 (stat) $\pm$ 0.69 (syst) $\pm$ 0.37 (model) fb. The observed significance of the signal is 6.2 standard deviations above the background-only hypothesis.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurements of jet multiplicity and jet transverse momentum in multijet events in proton–proton collisions at ${\sqrt{s}=13\, \text {TeV}}$

Multijet events at large transverse momentum ($p$ T ) are measured at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV using data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb -1 . The multiplicity of jets with $p$ T > 50 GeV that are produced in association with a high-$p$ T dijet system is measured in various ranges of the $p$ T of the jet with the highest transverse momentum and as a function of the azimuthal angle difference Δ$\phi$ 1,2 between the two highest $p$ T jets in the dijet system. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momenta of the four highest $p$ T jets. The measurements are compared with leading and next-to-leading order matrix element calculations supplemented with simula tions of parton shower, hadronization, and multiparton interactions. In addition, the measurements are compared with next-to-leading order matrix element calculations combined with transverse-momentum dependent parton densities and transverse-momentum dependent parton shower.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Constraints on anomalous Higgs boson couplings to vector bosons and fermions from the production of Higgs bosons using the 𝜏⁢𝜏 final state

A study of anomalous couplings of the Higgs boson to vector bosons and fermions is presented. The data were recorded by the CMS experiment at a center-of-mass energy of pp collisions at the LHC of 13 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb −1 . The study uses Higgs boson candidates produced mainly in gluon fusion or electroweak vector boson fusion at the LHC that subsequently decay to a pair of 𝜏 leptons. Matrix-element and machine-learning techniques were employed in a search for anomalous interactions. The results are combined with those from the four-lepton and two-photon decay channels to yield the most stringent constraints on anomalous Higgs boson couplings to date. The pure 𝐶⁢𝑃-odd scenario of the Higgs boson coupling to gluons is excluded at 2.4 standard deviations. The results are consistent with the standard model predictions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Azimuthal correlations in Z +jets events in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13\,\text {Te}\text {V} $

The production of Z bosons associated with jets is measured in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13\,\text {TeV}$ with data recorded with the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb -1 . The multiplicity of jets with transverse momentum $p$ T > 30 GeV is measured for different regions of the Z boson’s $p$ T (Z ), from lower than 10 GeV to higher than 100 GeV. The azimuthal correlation $Δ\phi$ between the Z boson and the leading jet, as well as the correlations between the two leading jets are measured in three regions of $p$ T (Z ). The measurements are compared with several predictions at leading and next-to-leading orders, interfaced with parton showers. Predictions based on transverse-momentum dependent parton distributions and corresponding parton showers give a good description of the measurement in the regions where multiple parton interactions and higher jet multiplicities are not important. The effects of multiple parton interactions are shown to be important to correctly describe the measured spectra in the low $p$ T (Z ) regions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Search for Higgs Boson Decay to a Charm Quark-Antiquark Pair in Proton-Proton Collisions at s = 13 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a charm quark-antiquark pair, $H → c\bar{c}$, produced in association with a leptonically decaying $V (W \text{or} Z)$ boson is presented. The search is performed with proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13\,\text {TeV}$ collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb -1 . Novel charm jet identification and analysis methods using machine learning techniques are employed. The analysis is validated by searching for $Z → c\bar{c}$ in $VZ$ events, leading to its first observation at a hadron collider with a significance of 5.7 standard deviations. The observed (expected) upper limit on $σ(VH)\mathscr{B}(H → c\bar{c}$) is 0.94 (0.50$^{+0.22}_{– 0.15}$)pb at 95% confidence level (C.L.), corresponding to 14 (7.6$^{+3.4}_{–2.3}$) times the standard model prediction. For the Higgs-charm Yukawa coupling modifier, $κ_c$, the observed (expected) 95% C.L. interval is 1.1 < |$κ_c$| < 5.5 (|$κ_c$| < 3.4), the most stringent constraint to date.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Azimuthal Correlations within Exclusive Dijets with Large Momentum Transfer in Photon-Lead Collisions

The structure of nucleons is multidimensional and depends on the transverse momenta, spatial geometry, and polarization of the constituent partons. Such a structure can be studied using high-energy photons produced in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions. The first measurement of the azimuthal angular correlations of exclusively produced events with two jets in photon-lead interactions at large momentum transfer is presented, a process that is considered to be sensitive to the underlying nuclear gluon polarization. This study uses a data sample of ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at s NN = 5.02 TeV , corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.38 nb - 1 , collected with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measured second harmonic of the correlation between the sum and difference of the two jet transverse momentum vectors is found to be positive, and rising, as the dijet transverse momentum increases. A well-tuned model that has been successful at describing a wide range of proton scattering data from the HERA experiments fails to describe the observed correlations, suggesting the presence of gluon polarization effects.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Search for direct pair production of supersymmetric partners of τ leptons in the final state with two hadronically decaying τ leptons and missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A search for the direct production of a pair of $τ$ sleptons, the supersymmetric partners of $τ$ leptons, is presented. Each $τ$ slepton is assumed to decay to a $τ$ lepton and the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP), which is assumed to be stable and to not interact in the detector, leading to an imbalance in the total reconstructed transverse momentum. The search is carried out in events identified as containing two $τ$ leptons, each decaying to one or more hadrons and a neutrino, and significant transverse momentum imbalance. In addition to scenarios in which the $τ$ sleptons decay promptly, the search also addresses scenarios in which the $τ$ sleptons have sufficiently long lifetimes to give rise to nonprompt $τ$ leptons. The data were collected in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the CERN LHC with the CMS detector in 2016–2018, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb -1 . No significant excess is seen with respect to standard model expectations. Upper limits on cross sections for the pair production of $τ$ sleptons are obtained in the framework of simplified models. In a scenario in which the $τ$ sleptons are superpartners of left-handed $τ$ leptons, and each undergoes a prompt decay to a $τ$ lepton and a nearly massless LSP, $τ$ slepton masses between 115 and 340 GeV are excluded. In a scenario in which the lifetime of the $τ$ sleptons corresponds to c$τ$ 0 = 0.1 mm, where $τ_{0}$ represents the mean proper lifetime of the $τ$ slepton, masses between 150 and 220 GeV are excluded.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of the mass dependence of the transverse momentum of lepton pairs in Drell–Yan production in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13\,\text {TeV} $

The double differential cross sections of the Drell–Yan lepton pair ($\ell^+\ell^-$, dielectron or dimuon) production are measured as functions of the invariant mass m$_{\ell\ell}$, transverse momentum p T ($\ell\ell$), and $\varphi^{*}_{\eta}$. The observable, derived from angular measurements of the leptons and highly correlated with p T ($\ell\ell$), is used to probe the low-p T region in a complementary way. Dilepton masses up to 1 TeV are investigated. Additionally, a measurement is performed requiring at least one jet in the final state. To benefit from partial cancellation of the systematic uncertainty, the ratios of the differential cross sections for various m$_{\ell\ell}$ ranges to those in the Z mass peak interval are presented. The collected data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb -1 of proton–proton collisions recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Measurements are compared with predictions based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics, including soft-gluon resummation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Search for new heavy resonances decaying to WW, WZ, ZZ, WH, or ZH boson pairs in the all-jets final state in proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

A search for new heavy resonances decaying to WW, WZ, ZZ, WH, or ZH boson pairs in the all-jets final state is presented. The analysis is based on proton-proton collision data recorded by the CMS detector in 2016–2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb –1 . The search is sensitive to resonances with masses between 1.3 and 6 TeV, decaying to bosons that are highly Lorentz-boosted such that each of the bosons forms a single large-radius jet. Machine learning techniques are employed to identify such jets. No significant excess over the estimated standard model background is observed. A maximum local significance of 3.6 standard deviations, corresponding to a global significance of 2.3 standard deviations, is observed at masses of 2.1 and 2.9 TeV. In a heavy vector triplet model, spin-1 Z' and W' resonances with masses below 4.8 TeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level (CL). These limits are the most stringent to date. In a bulk graviton model, spin-2 gravitons and spin-0 radions with masses below 1.4 and 2.7 TeV, respectively, are excluded at 95% CL. Production of heavy resonances through vector boson fusion is constrained with upper cross section limits at 95% CL as low as 0.1 fb.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Search for narrow resonances in the b -tagged dijet mass spectrum in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV

A search is performed for narrow resonances decaying to final states of two jets, with at least one jet originating from a b quark, in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV . The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb - 1 collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. Jets originating from energetic b hadrons are identified through a b -tagging algorithm that utilizes a deep neural network or the presence of a muon inside a jet. The invariant mass spectrum of jet pairs is well described by a smooth parametrization and no evidence for the production of new particles is observed. Upper limits on the production cross section are set for excited b quarks and other resonances decaying to dijet final states containing b quarks. These limits exclude at 95% confidence level models of Z ' bosons with masses from 1.8 TeV to 2.4 TeV and of excited b quarks with masses from 1.8 TeV to 4.0 TeV. This is the most stringent exclusion of excited b quarks to date.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

CMS PYTHIA 8 colour reconnection tunes based on underlying-event data

New sets of parameter tunes for two of the colour reconnection models, quantum chromodynamics-inspired and gluon-move, implemented in the PYTHIA 8 event generator, are obtained based on the default CMS PYTHIA 8 underlying-event tune, CP5. Measurements sensitive to the underlying event performed by the CMS experiment at centre-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s}=$7 and 13 TeV, and by the CDF experiment at 1.96 TeV are used to constrain the parameters of colour reconnection models and multiple-parton interactions simultaneously. The new colour reconnection tunes are compared with various measurements at 1.96, 7, 8, and 13 TeV including measurements of the underlying-event, strange-particle multiplicities, jet substructure observables, jet shapes, and colour flow in top quark pair ($t\bar{t}$) events. The new tunes are also used to estimate the uncertainty related to colour reconnection modelling in the top quark mass measurement using the decay products of $t\bar{t}$ events in the semileptonic channel at 13 TeV .

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Probing Heavy Majorana Neutrinos and the Weinberg Operator through Vector Boson Fusion Processes in Proton-Proton Collisions at s = 13 TeV

The first search exploiting the vector boson fusion process to probe heavy Majorana neutrinos and the Weinberg operator at the LHC is presented. The search is performed in the same-sign dimuon final state using a proton-proton collision dataset recorded at s = 13 TeV , collected with the CMS detector and corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138 fb -1 . The results are found to agree with the predictions of the standard model. For heavy Majorana neutrinos, constraints on the squared mixing element between the muon and the heavy neutrino are derived in the heavy neutrino mass range 50 GeV–25 TeV; for masses above 650 GeV these are the most stringent constraints from searches at the LHC to date. A first test of the Weinberg operator at colliders provides an observed upper limit at 95% confidence level on the effective $μμ$ Majorana neutrino mass of 10.8 GeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗