Search for soft unclustered energy patterns produced in association with a W or Z boson in proton-proton collisions at √<i>s</i>=13 TeV


Hayrapetyan A., Makarenko V., Tumasyan A., Adam W., Benato L., Bergauer T., ...More

PHYSICS LETTERS B, vol.879, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 879
  • Publication Date: 2026
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.physletb.2026.140671
  • Journal Name: PHYSICS LETTERS B
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, INSPEC, MathSciNet, zbMATH, Directory of Open Access Journals, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

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.