Constraints on $U(1)_{L_\mu-L_\tau}$ from LHC Data

Abstract

In this study, we apply LHC data to constrain the extension of the Standard Model by an anomaly-free $U(1)_{L_\mu-L_\tau}$ gauge group; this model contains a new gauge boson ($Z^\prime$) and a scalar dark matter particle ($\phi_{\rm DM}$). We recast a large number of LHC analyses from ATLAS and CMS of multi-lepton final states. We find that for $10$ GeV $< m_{Z^\prime} < 60$ GeV the strongest constraint comes from a dedicated $Z^\prime$ search in the $4\mu$ final state by the CMS collaboration; for larger $Z^\prime$ masses, searches for final states with three leptons plus missing $E_T$ are more sensitive. Searches for final states with two leptons and missing $E_T$, which are sensitive to $Z^\prime$ decays into dark matter particles, can only probe regions of parameter space that are excluded by searches in the $3$ and $4$ lepton channels. The combination of LHC data excludes values of $Z^\prime$ mass and coupling constant that can explain the deficit in $g_\mu-2$ for $4$ GeV $\leq m_{Z^\prime} \leq 500$ GeV. However, for much of this range the LHC bound is weaker than the bound that can be derived from searches for trident events in neutrino-nucleus scattering.