Associated production of a Kaluza-Klein excitation of a gluon with a t(t)over-bar pair at the LHC

In certain model-realizations of the Randall-Sundrum scenario, the Kaluza-Klein (KK) excitations of the gluon, g(KK) have enhanced couplings to right-handed top quarks. In the absence of a ggg(KK) coupling in these models, the single production of a g(KK) from an initial gg state is not possible. The search for other production mechanisms at the LHC. therefore, becomes important. We suggest that the associated production of a g(KK) with a t (t) over bar pair is such a mechanism. Our parton-level study, which neglects detection efficiencies, shows that through this process the LHC can probe KK gluon masses in the range of 2.8-3.0 TeV. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.