Search for new physics ineμXdata at DØ using SLEUTH: A quasi-model-independent search strategy for new physics

We present a quasi-model-independent search for the physics responsible for electroweak symmetry breaking. We define final states to be studied, and construct a rule that identifies a set of relevant variables for any particular final state. A new algorithm (``SLEUTH'') searches for regions of excess in those variables and quantifies the significance of any detected excess. After demonstrating the sensitivity of the method, we apply it to the semi-inclusive channel eμX collected in 108 pb^-1 of pp̄ collisions at √s=1.8 TeV at the D{} experiment during 1992--1996 at the Fermilab Tevatron. We find no evidence of new high pT physics in this sample.