arXiv subjects

Thomas Flacke

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Flacke.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The recasting bound atlas on pair production of vector-like quarks

We present a comprehensive recasting study of pair production of vector-like quarks. We consider decays of vector-like quarks into third generation quarks and Standard Model bosons or exotic top-philic scalars. We derive recasting bounds on all 43 combinations of decay channels. Using the efficiencies of each channel, we obtain combined limits across decay channels by adding up the contributions to each signal region. A data base of recasting results along with example codes is published, allowing for application to different models without the need for rerunning recasting tools. We demonstrate the utility of the data base by setting bounds on several sample models.

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arXiv2025

New physics in toponium's shadow?

ATLAS and CMS have recently reported enhancements in the top-antitop production rate near threshold, a region where non-perturbative QCD dynamics associated with toponium formation become relevant. We investigate how this behaviour is modified in the presence of a neutral pseudoscalar that couples to gluons and top quarks, using an effective description that consistently incorporates perturbative Standard Model and new physics contributions, their interference and non-perturbative threshold effects. We show that the combined effect of those ingredients markedly shapes the viable region of the pseudoscalar parameter space, particularly for narrow resonances with masses close to twice the top mass. While Standard Model threshold effects could explain a sizeable part of the measured enhancements, the current data remain compatible with additional contributions from pseudoscalar interactions.

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arXiv2025

Hunting and identifying coloured resonances in four top events with machine learning

We study prospects to search for pair or singly produced colour octet or colour sextet scalars which decay into two top quarks at the LHC. We focus on the same-sign lepton final state. We train a neural network comprising a simple multilayer perceptron combined with a convolutional neural network to optimize the separation of signal and background events. For LHC operated at 14 TeV and a luminosity of 3 ab$^{-1}$ we find an expected discovery reach of $m_8=1.8$ TeV and $m_6=1.92$ TeV for pair produced colour octets and sextets, respectively, and an expected exclusion reach of $m_8=2.02$ TeV and $m_6=2.14$ TeV. In a second step, we retrain the same network architecture to discriminate between signal processes. The network can clearly distinguish between the different colour representations. Moreover, we can also determine whether there is a significant contribution from single production to pair production for the same final state. The methodology can be applied to BSM candidates of different spin and colour representations.

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arXiv2023

Uncovering doubly charged scalars with dominant three-body decays using machine learning

We propose a deep learning-based search strategy for pair production of doubly charged scalars undergoing three-body decays to $W^+ t\bar b$ in the same-sign lepton plus multi-jet final state. This process is motivated by composite Higgs models with an underlying fermionic UV theory. We demonstrate that for such busy final states, jet image classification with convolutional neural networks outperforms standard fully connected networks acting on reconstructed kinematic variables. We derive the expected discovery reach and exclusion limit at the high-luminosity LHC.

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arXiv2023

Top partners and scalar dark matter -- a non-minimal reappraisal

A large set of models beyond the Standard Model of particle physics suggest that the top quark plays a special role in fundamental interactions. At the same time some of these models predict that a particle responsible for dark matter is present in the physical spectrum of the theory, and in particular cases dark matter may be specially linked to the top sector. Such a new physics configuration occurs, for instance, in composite frameworks that additionally feature vector-like quarks as mediators of the interactions of the dark matter with the Standard Model. We investigate the interplay of top-philic dark matter and the presence of several vector-like top partners. Such a non-minimal setup with several vector-like fermions is typical of composite scenarios, and we make use of an effective model to study to which extent such non-minimality modifies the collider and cosmological phenomenology of the minimal model, the latter only including one vector-like mediator of the dark matter interactions with the Standard Model.

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arXiv2022

TF08 Snowmass Report: BSM Model Building

We summarize the state of Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) model building in particle physics for Snowmass 2021, focusing mainly on several whitepaper contributions to BSM model building (TF08) and closely related areas.

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arXiv2022

Single production of vector-like quarks: the effects of large width, interference and NLO corrections

We provide a comprehensive discussion, together with a complete setup for simulations, relevant for the production of a single vector-like quark at hadron colliders. Our predictions include finite width effects, signal-background interference effects and next-to-leading order QCD corrections. We explicitly apply the framework to study the single production of a vector-like quark $T$ with charge 2/3, but the same procedure can be used to analyse the single production of vector-like quarks with charge $-4/3$, $-1/3$, $2/3$ and $5/3$, when the vector-like quark interacts with the Standard Model quarks and electroweak bosons. Moreover, this procedure can be straightforwardly extended to include additional interactions with exotic particles. We provide quantitative results for representative benchmark scenarios characterised by the $T$ mass and width, and we determine the role of the interference terms for a range of masses and widths of phenomenological significance. We additionally describe in detail, both analytically and numerically, a striking feature in the invariant mass distribution appearing only in the $T \to th$ channel.

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arXiv2022

Phenomenological aspects of composite Higgs scenarios: exotic scalars and vector-like quarks

Composite Higgs models usually contain additional pseudo Nambu Goldstone bosons and vector-like quarks. We discuss various aspects related to their LHC phenomenology and provide summary plots of exclusion limits using currently available information. We also describe a general parametrisation implemented in a software for Monte Carlo simulations and study the SU(5)/SO(5) scenario as a concrete example.

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arXiv2022

Phenomenology of unusual top partners in composite Higgs models

We consider a particular composite Higgs model which contains SU(3) color octet top partners besides the usually considered triplet representations. Moreover, color singlet top partners are present as well which can in principle serve as dark matter candidates. We investigate the LHC phenomenology of these unusual top partners. Some of these states could be confused with gluinos predicted in supersymmetric models at first glance.

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arXiv2022

Unleashing the full power of LHCb to probe Stealth New Physics

In this paper, we describe the potential of the LHCb experiment to detect Stealth physics. This refers to dynamics beyond the Standard Model that would elude searches that focus on energetic objects or precision measurements of known processes. Stealth signatures include long-lived particles and light resonances that are produced very rarely or together with overwhelming backgrounds. We will discuss why LHCb is equipped to discover this kind of physics at the Large Hadron Collider and provide examples of well-motivated theoretical models that can be probed with great detail at the experiment.

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arXiv2022

Exploring new possibilities to discover a light pseudo-scalar at LHCb

We study the possibility of observing a light pseudo-scalar $a$ at LHCb. We target the mass region $1 \lesssim m_a \lesssim 60$ GeV and various decay channels, some of which have never been considered before: muon pairs, tau pairs, $D$ meson pairs, and di-photon. We interpret the results in the context of models of 4D Composite Higgs and Partial Compositeness in particular.

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arXiv2021

Contact interactions and top-philic scalar dark matter

We investigate the phenomenology of a scalar top-philic dark matter candidate when adding a dimension-five contact interaction term, as motivated by possible underlying extensions of the Standard Model such as composite Higgs models. We show that the presence of contact interactions can have a major impact on the dark matter relic density as well as on its direct and indirect detection prospects, while the collider phenomenology of the model is unaffected. This underlines the complementarity of collider and cosmological constraints on dark matter models.

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arXiv2021

Proceedings of the second MadAnalysis 5 workshop on LHC recasting in Korea

We document the activities performed during the second MadAnalysis 5 workshop on LHC recasting, that was organised in KIAS (Seoul, Korea) on February 12-20, 2020. We detail the implementation of 12 new ATLAS and CMS searches in the MadAnalysis 5 Public Analysis Database, and the associated validation procedures. Those searches probe the production of extra gauge and scalar/pseudoscalar bosons, supersymmetry, seesaw models and deviations from the Standard Model in four-top production.

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arXiv2020

Reinterpretation of LHC Results for New Physics: Status and Recommendations after Run 2

We report on the status of efforts to improve the reinterpretation of searches and measurements at the LHC in terms of models for new physics, in the context of the LHC Reinterpretation Forum. We detail current experimental offerings in direct searches for new particles, measurements, technical implementations and Open Data, and provide a set of recommendations for further improving the presentation of LHC results in order to better enable reinterpretation in the future. We also provide a brief description of existing software reinterpretation frameworks and recent global analyses of new physics that make use of the current data.

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arXiv2019

Exotic decays of top partners with charge 5/3: bounds and opportunities

Exotic decays of top partners in new bosons are the norm in realistic models of a composite Higgs. We focus on the custodial charge-$5/3$ partner, which normally decays exclusively into $tW^+$. The new channels include a colour-sextet, $X_{5/3} \to \bar{b} π_6$, as well as singly and doubly charged scalars, $X_{5/3} \to t ϕ^+$, $b ϕ^{++}$. We use existing same-sign lepton searches to show that the new final states are constrained at the same level as the standard one. At the same time, exotic final states also offer opportunities for improvement: examples include a hard photon in $X_{5/3}\rightarrow tϕ^+\rightarrow tW^+γ$ decays, and top-rich channels which arise in several exotic $X_{5/3}$ decays.

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arXiv2019

Exotic decays of top partners: mind the search gap

Many standard model extensions, including composite Goldstone Higgs models, predict vector-like fermionic top-partners at the TeV scale. The intensive search programmes by ATLAS and CMS focus on decays into a 3$^{\rm rd}$ generation quark and an electroweak boson ($W,Z,h$). However, underlying models of partial compositeness contain additional states that give rise to exotic top partner decays. We consider a well-motivated scenario in which a charge-$2/3$ top-partner decays into a pseudo-scalar, $T\rightarrow t\ a$, with $a\rightarrow gg \mbox{ or } b\bar{b}$ dominating below the $t\bar{t}$ threshold. We show that the constraints on the top partner mass from QCD pair production are substantially weakened, still allowing a top partner mass as light as $400$ GeV.

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arXiv2019

Next-to-leading-order predictions for single vector-like quark production at the LHC

We propose simulation strategies for single production of third generation vector-like quarks at the LHC, implementing next-to-leading-order corrections in QCD and studying in detail their effect on cross sections and differential distributions. We also investigate the differences and the relative incertitudes induced by the use of the Four-Flavour Number Scheme ${\it versus}$ the Five-Flavour Number Scheme. As a phenomenological illustration, we concentrate on the production of vector-like quarks coupling to the third generation of the Standard Model in association with a jet and assuming standard couplings to gauge and Higgs bosons.

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arXiv2019

Long-Lived Particles at the Energy Frontier: The MATHUSLA Physics Case

We examine the theoretical motivations for long-lived particle (LLP) signals at the LHC in a comprehensive survey of Standard Model (SM) extensions. LLPs are a common prediction of a wide range of theories that address unsolved fundamental mysteries such as naturalness, dark matter, baryogenesis and neutrino masses, and represent a natural and generic possibility for physics beyond the SM (BSM). In most cases the LLP lifetime can be treated as a free parameter from the $μ$m scale up to the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis limit of $\sim 10^7$m. Neutral LLPs with lifetimes above $\sim$ 100m are particularly difficult to probe, as the sensitivity of the LHC main detectors is limited by challenging backgrounds, triggers, and small acceptances. MATHUSLA is a proposal for a minimally instrumented, large-volume surface detector near ATLAS or CMS. It would search for neutral LLPs produced in HL-LHC collisions by reconstructing displaced vertices (DVs) in a low-background environment, extending the sensitivity of the main detectors by orders of magnitude in the long-lifetime regime. In this white paper we study the LLP physics opportunities afforded by a MATHUSLA-like detector at the HL-LHC. We develop a model-independent approach to describe the sensitivity of MATHUSLA to BSM LLP signals, and compare it to DV and missing energy searches at ATLAS or CMS. We then explore the BSM motivations for LLPs in considerable detail, presenting a large number of new sensitivity studies. While our discussion is especially oriented towards the long-lifetime regime at MATHUSLA, this survey underlines the importance of a varied LLP search program at the LHC in general. By synthesizing these results into a general discussion of the top-down and bottom-up motivations for LLP searches, it is our aim to demonstrate the exceptional strength and breadth of the physics case for the construction of the MATHUSLA detector.

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