Electroweak production of two jets in association with a Z boson in proton–proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s}= $$s= 13$$\,\text {TeV}$$TeV

Abstract

A measurement of the electroweak (EW) production of two jets in association with a Z boson in protonproton collisions at √s = 13TeV is presented, based on data recorded in 2016 by the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9fb–1. The measurementisperformedinthe jjfinalstatewith including electrons and muons, and the jets j corresponding to the quarksproduced inthehardinteraction.Themeasuredcross section in a kinematic region defined by invariant masses m > 50GeV, mjj > 120GeV, and transverse momenta pTj > 25GeV is σEW( jj) =534±20(stat)±57(syst)fb, in agreement with leading-order standard model predictions. The final state is also used to perform a search for anomalous trilinear gauge couplings. No evidence is found and limits on anomalous trilinear gauge couplings associated with dimension-six operators are given in the framework of an effective field theory. The corresponding 95% confidence level intervals are −2.6 < cWWW/Λ2 < 2.6TeV−2 and −8.4 < cW/Λ2 < 10.1TeV−2. The additional jet activity of events in a signal-enriched region is also studied, and the measurements are in agreement with predictions.