Thesis

Search for dark matter at the LHC

• Call:

  IDPASC Portugal - PHD Programme 2017

• Academic Year:

  2017 / 2018

• Domain:

  Experimental Particle Physics

• Supervisor:

  Michele Gallinaro

• Co-Supervisor:

  Joao Varela

• Institution:

  Instituto Superior Técnico

• Host Institution:

  Laboratório de Instrumentação e Física Experimental de Partículas

• Abstract:

  The subject of this thesis is the search for New Physics in events with jets, with W or a Z boson produced in association with large missing transverse energy. Dark matter (DM) is one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for physics beyond the standard model (SM). In many theories, pair production of DM particles in hadron collisions proceeds through a boson mediator of either spin-0 or spin-1. DM particles can be produced in pairs association jets or with a vector boson V (where V is either a W or a Z boson) and recoil with large missing transverse energy. This results in the `MET+Z’ final state. The thesis is placed in the context of the Portuguese participation in the CMS experiment at the LHC, and it is linked to the Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) searches in the more general context of the searches for New Physics processes at the LHC. The candidate is expected to work in a team with a group of researchers.