Invariant mass distribution of the $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow { J \mskip -3mu/\mskip -2mu\psi \mskip 2mu} \Lambda $ candidates selected with the neural network requirement used for the high- $ q^2$ region. The (black) points show data, combining downstream and long candidates, and the solid (blue) line represents the overall fit function. The dotted (red) line represents the combinatorial and the dash-dotted (brown) line the peaking background from $ B ^0 \rightarrow { J \mskip -3mu/\mskip -2mu\psi \mskip 2mu} K ^0_{\rm\scriptscriptstyle S} $ decays.

Invariant mass distribution of the $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow \Lambda \mu ^+\mu ^- $ candidates, integrated over the region $15.0 < q^2 < 20.0$ $ {\mathrm{ Ge V^2 /}c^4}$ together with the fit function described in the text. The points show data, the solid (blue) line is the overall fit function and the dotted (red) line represents the combinatorial background. The background component from $ B ^0 \rightarrow K ^0_{\rm\scriptscriptstyle S} \mu ^+\mu ^- $ decays, (brown) dashed line, is barely visibile due to the very low yield.

Invariant mass distributions of $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow \Lambda \mu ^+\mu ^- $ candidates, in eight $ q^2$ intervals, together with the fit function described in the text. The points show data, the solid (blue) line is the overall fit function and the dotted (red) line represents the combinatorial background component.

Total relative efficiency, $\varepsilon_{\mathrm{rel}}$, between $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow \Lambda \mu ^+\mu ^- $ and $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow { J \mskip -3mu/\mskip -2mu\psi \mskip 2mu} \Lambda $ decays. The uncertainties are the combination of both statistical and systematic components, and are dominated by the latter.

Measured $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow \Lambda \mu ^+\mu ^- $ branching fraction as a function of $ q^2$ with the predictions of the SM [15] superimposed. The inner error bars on data points represent the total uncertainty on the relative branching fraction (statistical and systematic); the outer error bar also includes the uncertainties from the branching fraction of the normalisation mode.

Angular efficiencies as a function of (left) $\cos\theta_\ell$ and (right) $\cos\theta_h$ for (upper) long and (lower) downstream candidates, in the interval $15 < q^2 < 20$ $ {\mathrm{ Ge V^2 /}c^4}$ , obtained using simulated events. The (blue) line shows the fit that is used to model the angular acceptance in the fit to data.

Angular distributions as a function of (left) $\cos \theta_\ell$ and (right) $\cos \theta_h$, for candidates in the integrated $15 < q^2 <20$ $ {\mathrm{ Ge V^2 /}c^4}$ interval with the overall fit function overlaid (solid blue). The (red) dotted line represents the combinatorial background.

Measured values of (left) the leptonic and (right) the hadronic forward-backward asymmetries in bins of $ q^2$ . Data points are only shown for $ q^2$ intervals where a statistically significant signal yield is found, see text for details. The (red) triangle represents the values for the $15 < q^2 < 20$ $ {\mathrm{ Ge V^2 /}c^4}$ interval. Standard Model predictions are obtained from Ref. [17].

Two-dimensional 68 % CL region (black) as a function of $A_{\rm FB}^\ell$ and $f_{\rm L}$. The shaded area represents the region where the PDF is positive over the complete $\cos \theta_{\ell}$ range. The best fit point is given by the (blue) star.

Two-dimensional 68 % CL regions (black) as a function of $A_{\rm FB}^\ell$ and $f_{\rm L}$. The shaded areas represent the regions in which the PDF is positive over the complete $\cos \theta_{\ell}$ range. The best fit points are indicated by the (blue) stars.

Animated gif made out of all figures.

Number of $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow { J \mskip -3mu/\mskip -2mu\psi \mskip 2mu} \Lambda $ decays in the long and downstream categories found using the selection for low- and high- $ q^2$ regions. Uncertainties shown are statistical only.

Signal decay yields ($N_\mathrm{S}$) obtained from the mass fit to $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow \Lambda \mu ^+\mu ^- $ candidates in each $ q^2$ interval together with their statistical significances. The yields are the sum of long and downstream categories with downstream decays comprising $\sim 80 \%$ of the total yield. The $8-11$ and $12.5-15$ $ {\mathrm{ Ge V^2 /}c^4}$ $ q^2$ intervals are excluded from the study as they are dominated by decays via charmonium resonances.

Systematic uncertainties as a function of $ q^2$ , assigned for yields and efficiencies. Values reported are the sums in quadrature of all contributions evaluated within each category.

Measured differential branching fraction of $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow \Lambda \mu ^+\mu ^- $ , where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic and due to the uncertainty on the normalisation mode, $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow { J \mskip -3mu/\mskip -2mu\psi \mskip 2mu} \Lambda $ , respectively.

Measured values of leptonic and hadronic angular observables, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic.

Differential branching fraction of the $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow \Lambda \mu ^+\mu ^- $ decay relative to $\Lambda ^0_ b \rightarrow { J \mskip -3mu/\mskip -2mu\psi \mskip 2mu} \Lambda $ decays, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.