Four-lepton Z-boson decay constraints on the SMEFT

Abstract

We discuss how four-lepton decays of the Z-boson probe currently unconstrained flat directions in the parameter space of the Standard Model Effective Field Theory (SMEFT). We derive the constraints from these decays on four-lepton operators in the SMEFT and show how the LHC data for this process complements probes from neutrino-trident production. Future differential measurements with high-luminosity data can strongly constrain four-lepton operators and remove all flat directions in the four-muon sector of the SMEFT. We comment briefly on the possibility of using rare Z-decays to tau-leptons to probe untested directions in the SMEFT parameter space.