Using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, the $\Lambda_\text{b}^0$ $\to$ J/$\psi\Xi^-$K$^+$ decay is observed for the first time, with a statistical significance exceeding 5 standard deviations. The relative branching fraction, with respect to the $\Lambda_\text{b}^0$ $\to$ $\psi$(2S)$\Lambda$ decay, is measured to be $\mathcal{B}$($\Lambda_\text{b}^0$ $\to$ J/$\psi\Xi^-$K$^+$)/$\mathcal{B}$( $\Lambda_\text{b}^0$ $\to$ $\psi$(2S)$\Lambda$) = [3.38 $\pm$ 1.02 $\pm$ 0.61 $\pm$ 0.03]%, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is related to the uncertainties in $\mathcal{B}$($\psi$(2S) $\to$ J/$\psi\pi^+\pi^-$) and $\mathcal{B}$($\Xi^-$ $\to$ $\Lambda\pi^-$).

The Large Hadron Collider at CERN, delivering proton-proton collisions at much higher energies and far higher luminosities than previous machines, has enabled a comprehensive programme of measurements of the standard model (SM) processes by the CMS experiment. These unprecedented capabilities facilitate precise measurements of the properties of a wide array of processes, the most fundamental being cross sections. The discovery of the Higgs boson and the measurement of its mass became the keystone of the SM. Knowledge of the mass of the Higgs boson allows precision comparisons of the predictions of the SM with the corresponding measurements. These measurements span the range from one of the most copious SM processes, the total inelastic cross section for proton-proton interactions, to the rarest ones, such as Higgs boson pair production. They cover the production of Higgs bosons, top quarks, single and multibosons, and hadronic jets. Associated parameters, such as coupling constants, are also measured. These cross section measurements can be pictured as a descending stairway, on which the lowest steps represent the rarest processes allowed by the SM, some never seen before.

A search is presented for heavy bosons decaying to Z($\nu\bar{\nu}$)V(qq'), where V can be a W or a Z boson. A sample of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV was collected by the CMS experiment during 2016-2018. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb$^{-1}$. The event categorization is based on the presence of high-momentum jets in the forward region to identify production through weak vector boson fusion. Additional categorization uses jet substructure techniques and the presence of large missing transverse momentum to identify W and Z bosons decaying to quarks and neutrinos, respectively. The dominant standard model backgrounds are estimated using data taken from control regions. The results are interpreted in terms of radion, W' boson, and graviton models, under the assumption that these bosons are produced via gluon-gluon fusion, Drell-Yan, or weak vector boson fusion processes. No evidence is found for physics beyond the standard model. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on various types of hypothetical new bosons. Observed (expected) exclusion limits on the masses of these bosons range from 1.2 to 4.0 (1.1 to 3.7) TeV.

Production cross sections of Υ(1S), Υ(2S), and Υ(3S) states decaying into μ^+μ^- in proton-lead (pPb) collisions are reported using data collected by the CMS experiment at √(s_NN) = 5.02 TeV. A comparison is made with corresponding cross sections obtained with pp data measured at the same collision energy and scaled by the Pb nucleus mass number. The nuclear modification factor for Υ(1S) is found to be R_pPb(Υ(1S)) = 0.806 ± 0.024 (stat) ± 0.059 (syst). Similar results for the excited states indicate a sequential suppression pattern, such that R_pPb(Υ(1S)) R_pPb(Υ(2S)) R_pPb(Υ(3S)). The suppression is much less pronounced in pPb than in PbPb collisions, and independent of transverse momentum p_T^Υ and center-of-mass rapidity y_CM^Υ of the individual Υ state in the studied range p_T^Υ 30 GeV/c and | y_CM^Υ| 1.93. Models that incorporate sequential suppression of bottomonia in pPb collisions are in better agreement with the data than those which only assume initial-state modifications.

A search for new heavy resonances decaying to pairs of bosons ($WW$, $WZ$, or $WH$) is presented. The analysis uses data from proton-proton collisions collected with the CMS detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $137\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{fb}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. One of the bosons is required to be a W boson decaying to an electron or muon and a neutrino, while the other boson is required to be reconstructed as a single jet with mass and substructure compatible with a quark pair from a $W$, $Z$, or Higgs boson decay. The search is performed in the resonance mass range between 1.0 and 4.5 TeV and includes a specific search for resonances produced via vector boson fusion. The signal is extracted using a two-dimensional maximum likelihood fit to the jet mass and the diboson invariant mass distributions. No significant excess is observed above the estimated background. Model-independent upper limits on the production cross sections of spin-0, spin-1, and spin-2 heavy resonances are derived as functions of the resonance mass and are interpreted in the context of bulk radion, heavy vector triplet, and bulk graviton models. The reported bounds are the most stringent to date.

Jets containing a prompt J$/\psi$ meson are studied in lead-lead collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV, using the CMS detector at the LHC. Jets are selected to be in the transverse momentum range of 30 $\lt p_\mathrm{T} \lt$ 40 GeV. The J$/\psi$ yield in these jets is evaluated as a function of the jet fragmentation variable $z$, the ratio of the J$/\psi$$p_\mathrm{T} $ to the jet $p_\mathrm{T}$. The nuclear modification factor, $R_\mathrm{AA}$, is then derived by comparing the yield in lead-lead collisions to the corresponding expectation based on proton-proton data, at the same nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy. The suppression of the J$/\psi$ yield shows a dependence on $z$, indicating that the interaction of the J$/\psi$ with the quark-gluon plasma formed in heavy ion collisions depends on the fragmentation that gives rise to the J$/\psi$ meson.

The first measurement of the dependence of $\\gamma\\gamma \\to \\mu^{+}\\mu^{-}$ production on the multiplicity of neutrons emitted very close to the beam direction in ultraperipheral heavy ion collisions is reported. Data for lead-lead interactions at $\\sqrt{s_\\mathrm{NN}} =$ 5.02 TeV, with an integrated luminosity of approximately 1.5 nb$^{-1}$, were collected using the CMS detector at the LHC. The azimuthal correlations between the two muons in the invariant mass region 8 $\\lt m_{\\mu\\mu} \\lt$ 60 GeV are extracted for events including zero, one, or at least two neutrons detected in the forward pseudorapidity range $|\\eta| \\lt$ 8.3. The back-to-back correlation structure from leading-order photon-photon scattering is found to be significantly broader for events with a larger number of emitted neutrons from each nucleus, corresponding to interactions with a smaller impact parameter. This observation provides a data-driven demonstration that the average transverse momentum of photons emitted from relativistic heavy ions has an impact parameter dependence. These results provide new constraints on models of photon-induced interactions in ultraperipheral collisions. They also provide a baseline to search for possible final-state effects on lepton pairs caused by traversing a quark-gluon plasma produced in hadronic heavy ion collisions.

Results of the Model Unspecific Search in CMS (MUSiC), using proton-proton collision data recorded at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$, are presented. The MUSiC analysis searches for anomalies that could be signatures of physics beyond the standard model. The analysis is based on the comparison of observed data with the standard model prediction, as determined from simulation, in several hundred final states and multiple kinematic distributions. Events containing at least one electron or muon are classified based on their final state topology, and an automated search algorithm surveys the observed data for deviations from the prediction. The sensitivity of the search is validated using multiple methods. No significant deviations from the predictions have been observed. For a wide range of final state topologies, agreement is found between the data and the standard model simulation. This analysis complements dedicated search analyses by significantly expanding the range of final states covered using a model independent approach with the largest data set to date to probe phase space regions beyond the reach of previous general searches.

Combined measurements of the production and decay rates of the Higgs boson, as well as its couplings to vector bosons and fermions, are presented. The analysis uses the LHC proton-proton collision data set recorded with the CMS detector in 2016 at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The combination is based on analyses targeting the five main Higgs boson production mechanisms (gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, and associated production with a W or Z boson, or a top quark-antiquark pair) and the following decay modes: H $\to$ $\gamma\gamma$, ZZ, WW, $\tau\tau$, bb, and $\mu\mu$. Searches for invisible Higgs boson decays are also considered. The best-fit ratio of the signal yield to the standard model expectation is measured to be $\mu$ $=$ 1.17 $\pm$ 0.10, assuming a Higgs boson mass of 125.09 GeV. Additional results are given for parametrizations with varying assumptions on the scaling behavior of the different production and decay modes, including generic ones based on ratios of cross sections and branching fractions or coupling modifiers. The results are compatible with the standard model predictions in all parametrizations considered. In addition, constraints are placed on various two Higgs doublet models.

A search for new physics using events containing an imbalance in transverse momentum and one or more energetic jets arising from initial-state radiation or the hadronic decay of W or Z bosons is presented. A data sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = $ 13 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$, is used. The observed data are found to be in agreement with the expectation from standard model processes. The results are interpreted as limits on the dark matter production cross section in simplified models with vector, axial-vector, scalar, and pseudoscalar mediators. Interpretations in the context of fermion portal and nonthermal dark matter models are also provided. In addition, the results are interpreted in terms of invisible decays of the Higgs boson and set stringent limits on the fundamental Planck scale in the Arkani-Hamed, Dimopoulos, and Dvali model with large extra spatial dimensions.

This Letter presents the observation of the rare Z boson decay Z $\to\psi\ell^+\ell^-$. Here, $\psi$ represents contributions from direct J/$\psi$ and $\psi$(2S) $\to$ J/$\psi X$, $\ell^+\ell^-$ is a pair of electrons or muons, and the J/$\psi$ meson is detected via its decay to $\mu^+\mu^-$. The sample of proton-proton collision data, collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The signal is observed with a significance in excess of 5 standard deviations. After subtraction of the $\psi$(2S) $\to$ J/$\psi X$ contribution, the ratio of the branching fraction of the exclusive decay Z $\to\psi\ell^+\ell^-$ to the decay Z $\to\mu^+\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-$ within a fiducial phase space is measured to be $\mathcal{B}($Z $\to\psi\ell^+\ell^-) / \mathcal{B}($Z $\to\mu^+\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-) =$ 0.67 $\pm$ 0.18 (stat) $\pm$ 0.05 (syst).

The algorithm developed by the CMS Collaboration to reconstruct and identify τ leptons produced in proton-proton collisions at √(s)= 7 and 8 TeV, via their decays to hadrons and a neutrino, has been significantly improved. The changes include a revised reconstruction of π^0 candidates, and improvements in multivariate discriminants to separate τ leptons from jets and electrons. The algorithm is extended to reconstruct τ leptons in highly Lorentz-boosted pair production, and in the high-level trigger. The performance of the algorithm is studied using proton-proton collisions recorded during 2016 at √(s)= 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb^-1. The performance is evaluated in terms of the efficiency for a genuine τ lepton to pass the identification criteria and of the probabilities for jets, electrons, and muons to be misidentified as τ leptons. The results are found to be very close to those expected from Monte Carlo simulation.

The angular distribution of the flavor-changing neutral current decay B+ -> K+mu(+)mu(-) is studied in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. The analysis is based on data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.5 fb(-1). The forward-backward asymmetry A(FB) of the dimuon system and the contribution F-H from the pseudoscalar, scalar, and tensor amplitudes to the decay width are measured as a function of the dimuon mass squared. The measurements are consistent with the standard model expectations.

Measurements are presented of associated production of a $mathrm {W}$ boson and a charm quark ( $mathrm {W}+mathrm {c}$ ) in proton–proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 $,text {Te}text {V}$ . The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 35.7 $,text {fb}^{-1}$ collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC. The $mathrm {W}$ bosons are identified by their decay into a muon and a neutrino. The charm quarks are tagged via the full reconstruction of ${mathrm {D}^{*}(2010)^{pm }}$ mesons that decay via ${mathrm {D}^{*}(2010)^{pm }}rightarrow mathrm {D}^0 + {pi ^{pm }}rightarrow mathrm {K}^{mp } + {pi ^{pm }}+ {pi ^{pm }}$ . A cross section is measured in the fiducial region defined by the muon transverse momentum $p_{mathrm {T}} ^{mu } u003e 26,text {Ge}text {V} $ , muon pseudorapidity $|eta ^{mu } | 5,text {Ge}text {V} $ . The inclusive cross section for this kinematic range is $sigma (mathrm {W}+mathrm {c})=1026pm 31,text {(stat)} begin{array}{c} +76 -72 end{array},text {(syst)} text { pb} $ . The cross section is also measured differentially as a function of the pseudorapidity of the muon from the $mathrm {W}$ boson decay. These measurements are compared with theoretical predictions and are used to probe the strange quark content of the proton.

A measurement of jet substructure observables is presented using $\mathrm{t\overline{t}}$ events in the lepton+jets channel from proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. Multiple jet substructure observables are measured for jets identified as bottom, light-quark, and gluon jets, as well as for inclusive jets (no flavor information). The results are unfolded to the particle level and compared to next-to-leading-order predictions from POWHEG interfaced with the parton shower generators PYTHIA 8 and HERWIG 7, as well as from SHERPA 2 and DIRE 2. A value of the strong coupling at the Z boson mass, $\alpha_S(m_\mathrm{Z}) = $ 0.115 $^{+0.015}_{-0.013}$, is extracted from the substructure data at leading-order plus leading-log accuracy.