Abstract
We perform a global fit of the effective Lagrangian for axion-like particles (ALPs) to data. By combining LHC observables from top physics, dijet and di-boson production with electroweak precision observables, we resolve the full parameter space of ALPs with flavor-universal couplings. Using the renormalization group to evolve the effective ALP couplings to low energies allows us to investigate the impact of flavor observables on the global analysis. We show that resonance searches in B → K meson decays significantly enhance the sensitivity to ALPs with sub-GeV masses. The lifetime of the ALP plays a crucial role in resolving the multi-dimensional parameter space with searches for prompt, displaced and invisible ALP decays. Our analysis points out the differences in probing an effective theory with new light particles, compared to scenarios with only non-resonant effects of heavy particles at low energies, as in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Ilaria Brivio for helpful discussions about di-boson production at the LHC. The research of SB and SW is supported by the German Research Foundation (DFG) under grant no. 396021762–TRR 257. The authors acknowledge support by the state of Baden-Württemberg through bwHPC and the German Research Foundation (DFG) through grant no INST 39/963-1 FUGG (bwForCluster NEMO). This work was performed in part at Aspen Center for Physics, which is supported by National Science Foundation grant PHY-2210452.
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Bruggisser, S., Grabitz, L. & Westhoff, S. Global analysis of the ALP effective theory. J. High Energ. Phys. 2024, 92 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP01(2024)092
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP01(2024)092