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Constrained invariant mass distributions in cascade decays. The shape of the "m(qll)-threshold" and similar distributions


Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Lester, CG 

Abstract

Considering the cascade decay DcCcbBcbaA in which D,C,B,A are massive particles and c,b,a are massless particles, we determine for the first time the shape of the distribution of the invariant mass of the three massless particles mabc for the sub-set of decays in which the invariant mass mab of the last two particles in the chain is (optionally) constrained to lie inside an arbitrary interval, mab∈[mabcut min,mabcut max]. An example of an experimentally important distribution of this kind is the $m_{qll}$ threshold'' -- which is the distribution of the combined invariant mass of the visible standard model particles radiated from the hypothesised decay of a squark to the lightest neutralino via successive two body decay,: $\squark \to q \ntlinoTwo \to q l \slepton \to q l l \ntlinoOne $, in which the experimenter requires additionally that $m_{ll}$ be greater than ${m_{ll}^{max}}/\sqrt{2}$. The location of the foot'' of this distribution is often used to constrain sparticle mass scales. The new results presented here permit the location of this foot to be better understood as the shape of the distribution is derived. The effects of varying the position of the mll cut(s) may now be seen more easily.

Description

Keywords

cascade decays, kinematic end-points, invariant mass distributions, LHC

Journal Title

PHYS LETT B

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0370-2693
1873-2445

Volume Title

Publisher

Elsevier BV