The impact of top-quark modelling on the exclusion limits in $\mathbf{t}\bar{\mathbf{t}}+\text{DM}$ searches at the LHC

Abstract

New Physics searches at the LHC rely very heavily on the precision and accuracy of Standard Model background predictions. Applying the spin-0 $s$-channel mediator model, we assess the importance of properly modelling such backgrounds in $t\bar{t}$ associated Dark Matter production. Specifically, we discuss higher-order corrections and off-shell effects for the two dominant background processes $t\bar{t}$ and $t\bar{t}Z$ in the presence of extremely exclusive cuts. Exclusion limits are calculated for state-of-the-art NLO full off-shell $t\bar{t}$ and $t\bar{t}Z$ predictions and compared to those computed with backgrounds in the NWA and / or at LO. We perform the same comparison for several new-physics sensitive observables and evaluate which of them are affected by the top-quark modelling. Additionally, we make suggestions as to which observables should be used to obtain the most stringent limits assuming integrated luminosities of $300$ fb${}^{-1}$ and $3000$ fb${}^{-1}$.

Comments: 27 pages, 18 figures, 4 tables - typos corrected, wording improved in several places, added additional panels to Figures 6 and 11 indicating the $t\bar{t}Z$ contribution to the background, added two more paragraphs at the end of the manuscript, version to appear in EPJC