Search

The BaBar experiment has been taking data since 1999. In 2001 the computing group started to evaluate the possibility to evolve toward a distributed computing model in a grid environment. We built a prototype system, based on the European Data Grid (EDG), to submit full-scale analysis and Monte Carlo simulation jobs. Computing elements, storage elements, and worker nodes have been installed at SLAC and at various European sites. A BaBar virtual organization (VO) and a test replica catalog (RC) are maintained in Manchester, U.K., and the experiment is using three EDG testbed resource brokers in the U.K. and in Italy. First analysis tests were performed under the assumption that a standard BaBar software release was available at the grid target sites, using RC to register information about the executable and the produced n-tuples. Hundreds of analysis jobs accessing either Objectivity or Root data files ran on the grid. We tested the Monte Carlo production using a farm of the INFN-grid testbed customized to install an Objectivity database and run BaBar simulation software. First simulation production tests were performed using standard Job Description Language commands and the output files were written on the closest storage element. A package that can be officially distributed to grid sites not specifically customized for BaBar has been prepared. We are studying the possibility to add a user friendly interface to access grid services for BaBar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for leptoquark pair production decaying into t e - t ¯ e + or t μ - t ¯ μ + in final states with multiple leptons is presented. The search is based on a dataset of pp collisions at s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb - 1 . Four signal regions, with the requirement of at least three light leptons (electron or muon) and at least two jets out of which at least one jet is identified as coming from a b-hadron, are considered based on the number of leptons of a given flavour. The main background processes are estimated using dedicated control regions in a simultaneous fit with the signal regions to data. No excess above the Standard Model background prediction is observed and 95% confidence level limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are derived as a function of the leptoquark mass. Under the assumption of exclusive decays into t e - ( t μ - ), the corresponding lower limit on the scalar mixed-generation leptoquark mass m LQ mix d is at 1.58 (1.59) TeV and on the vector leptoquark mass m U ~ 1 at 1.67 (1.67) TeV in the minimal coupling scenario and at 1.95 (1.95) TeV in the Yang–Mills scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for leptoquark pair production decaying into t e - t ¯ e + or t μ - t ¯ μ + in final states with multiple leptons is presented. The search is based on a dataset of pp collisions at s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb - 1 . Four signal regions, with the requirement of at least three light leptons (electron or muon) and at least two jets out of which at least one jet is identified as coming from a b-hadron, are considered based on the number of leptons of a given flavour. The main background processes are estimated using dedicated control regions in a simultaneous fit with the signal regions to data. No excess above the Standard Model background prediction is observed and 95% confidence level limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are derived as a function of the leptoquark mass. Under the assumption of exclusive decays into t e - ( t μ - ), the corresponding lower limit on the scalar mixed-generation leptoquark mass m LQ mix d is at 1.58 (1.59) TeV and on the vector leptoquark mass m U ~ 1 at 1.67 (1.67) TeV in the minimal coupling scenario and at 1.95 (1.95) TeV in the Yang–Mills scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a search for top-squark pair production in final states with a top quark, a charm quark and missing transverse momentum. The data were collected with the ATLAS detector during LHC Run 2 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV. The analysis is motivated by an extended Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model featuring a non-minimal flavour violation in the second- and third-generation squark sector. The top squark in this model has two possible decay modes, either t ~ 1 → c χ ~ 1 0 or t ~ 1 → t χ ~ 1 0 , where the χ ~ 1 0 is undetected. The analysis is optimised assuming that both of the decay modes are equally probable, leading to the most likely final state of tc + E T miss . Good agreement is found between the Standard Model expectation and the data in the search regions. Exclusion limits at 95% CL are obtained in the m t ~ 1 vs. m χ ~ 1 0 plane and, in addition, limits on the branching ratio of the t ~ 1 → t χ ~ 1 0 decay as a function of m( t ~ 1 ) are also produced. Top-squark masses of up to 800 GeV are excluded for scenarios with light neutralinos, and top-squark masses up to 600 GeV are excluded in scenarios where the neutralino and the top squark are almost mass degenerate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A measurement of the production of W bosons with opposite electric charges in association with two jets is presented based on 140 fb−1 of data collected by the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV. The analysis is sensitive to the scattering of W bosons, which is of particular interest in the ATLAS physics programme as it can be used to probe the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism of the Standard Model. This signal is observed with a significance of 7.1 standard deviations above the background expectation, while 6.2 standard deviations were expected. The measured cross-section is determined in a signal-enriched fiducial volume and is found to be 2.7 ± 0.5 fb, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction of 2.20 − 0.13 + 0.14 fb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a search for top-squark pair production in final states with a top quark, a charm quark and missing transverse momentum. The data were collected with the ATLAS detector during LHC Run 2 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV. The analysis is motivated by an extended Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model featuring a non-minimal flavour violation in the second- and third-generation squark sector. The top squark in this model has two possible decay modes, either t ~ 1 → c χ ~ 1 0 or t ~ 1 → t χ ~ 1 0 , where the χ ~ 1 0 is undetected. The analysis is optimised assuming that both of the decay modes are equally probable, leading to the most likely final state of tc + E T miss . Good agreement is found between the Standard Model expectation and the data in the search regions. Exclusion limits at 95% CL are obtained in the m t ~ 1 vs. m χ ~ 1 0 plane and, in addition, limits on the branching ratio of the t ~ 1 → t χ ~ 1 0 decay as a function of m( t ~ 1 ) are also produced. Top-squark masses of up to 800 GeV are excluded for scenarios with light neutralinos, and top-squark masses up to 600 GeV are excluded in scenarios where the neutralino and the top squark are almost mass degenerate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search is presented for flavour-changing neutral-current interactions involving the top quark, the Higgs boson and an up-type quark ( q = u , c ) with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis considers leptonic decays of the top quark along with Higgs boson decays into two W bosons, two Z bosons or a τ + τ - pair. It focuses on final states containing either two leptons (electrons or muons) of the same charge or three leptons. The considered processes are t t ¯ and Ht production. For the t t ¯ production, one top quark decays via t → H q . The proton–proton collision data set analysed amounts to (140 fb - 1) at (s = 13 TeV) . No significant excess beyond Standard Model expectations is observed and upper limits are set on the t → H q branching ratios at 95 % confidence level, amounting to observed (expected) limits of B (t → H u) < 2.8 (3.0) × 10 - 4 and B (t → H c) < 3.3 (3.8) × 10 - 4 . Combining this search with other searches for tHq flavour-changing neutral-current interactions previously conducted by ATLAS, considering H → b b ¯ and H → γ γ decays, as well as H → τ + τ - decays with one or two hadronically decaying τ -leptons, yields observed (expected) upper limits on the branching ratios of B (t → H u) < 2.6 (1.8) × 10 - 4 and B (t → H c) < 3.4 (2.3) × 10 - 4 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presented is the search for anomalous Higgs boson decays into two axion-like particles (ALPs) using the full Run 2 data set of 140 fb - 1 of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment. The ALPs are assumed to decay into two photons, providing sensitivity to recently proposed models that could explain the (g - 2) μ discrepancy. This analysis covers an ALP mass range from 100 to 62 GeV and ALP-photon couplings in the range 10 - 7 TeV - 1 < C a γ γ / Λ < 1 TeV - 1 , and therefore includes signatures with significantly displaced vertices and highly collinear photons. No significant excess of events above the Standard Model background is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are placed on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to two ALPs in the four-photon final state, and are in the range of 10 - 5 to 3 × 10 - 2 , depending on the hypothesized ALP mass and ALP-photon coupling strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search is reported for long-lived dark photons with masses between 0.1 GeV and 15 GeV, from exotic decays of Higgs bosons produced via vector-boson-fusion. Events that contain displaced collimated Standard Model fermions reconstructed in the calorimeter or muon spectrometer are probed. This search uses the full LHC Run 2 (2015–2018) data sample collected in proton–proton collisions at s = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 f b - 1 . Dominant backgrounds from Standard Model processes and non-collision sources are estimated using data-driven techniques. The observed event yields in the signal regions are consistent with the expected background. Upper limits on the Higgs boson to dark photon branching fraction are reported as a function of the dark photon mean proper decay length or of the dark photon mass and the coupling between the Standard Model and the potential dark sector. This search is combined with previous ATLAS searches obtained in the gluon–gluon fusion and WH production modes. A branching fraction above 10% is excluded at 95% CL for a 125 GeV Higgs boson decaying into two dark photons for dark photon mean proper decay lengths between 173 and 1296 mm and mass of 10 GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of single top quarks and top antiquarks via the t-channel exchange of a virtual W boson is measured in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC using 140 fb−1 of ATLAS data. The total cross-sections are determined to be σ tq = 137 − 8 + 8 pb and σ t ¯ q = 84 − 5 + 6 pb for top-quark and top-antiquark production, respectively. The combined cross-section is found to be σ tq + t ¯ q = 221 − 13 + 13 pb and the cross-section ratio is R t = σ tq / σ t ¯ q = 1.636 − 0.034 + 0.036 . The predictions at next-to-next-to-leading-order in quantum chromodynamics are in good agreement with these measurements. The predicted value of Rt using different sets of parton distribution functions is compared with the measured value, demonstrating the potential to further constrain the functions when using this result in global fits. The measured cross-sections are interpreted in an effective field theory approach, setting limits at the 95% confidence level on the strength of a four-quark operator and an operator coupling the third quark generation to the Higgs boson doublet: − 0.37 < C Qq 3 , 1 / Λ 2 < 0.06 and − 0.87 < C ϕQ 3 / Λ 2 < 1.42 . The constraint |Vtb| > 0.95 at the 95% confidence level is derived from the measured value of σ tq + t ¯ q , assuming that the Wtb interaction is a left-handed weak coupling and that |Vtb| ≫ |Vtd|, |Vts|. In a more general approach, pairs of CKM matrix elements involving top quarks are simultaneously constrained, leading to confidence contours in the corresponding two-dimensional parameter spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for events with one top quark and missing transverse momentum in the final state is presented. The fully hadronic decay of the top quark is explored by selecting events with a reconstructed boosted top-quark topology produced in association with large missing transverse momentum. The analysis uses 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV recorded during 2015-2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The results are interpreted in the context of simplified models for Dark Matter particle production and the single production of a vector-like T quark. Without significant excess relative to the Standard Model expectations, 95% confidence-level upper limits on the corresponding cross-sections are obtained. The production of Dark Matter particles in association with a single top quark is excluded for masses of a scalar (vector) mediator up to 4.3 (2.3) TeV, assuming mχ = 1 GeV and the model couplings λq = 0.6 and λχ = 0.4 (a = 0.5 and gχ = 1). The production of a single vector-like T quark is excluded for masses below 1.8 TeV assuming a coupling to the top quark κT = 0.5 and a branching ratio for T → Zt of 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision measurements of electron reconstruction, identification, and isolation efficiencies and photon identification efficiencies are presented. They use the full Run 2 data sample collected by the ATLAS experiment in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV during the years 2015–2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. The measured electron identification efficiencies have uncertainties that are around 30%–50% smaller than the previous Run 2 results due to an improved methodology and the inclusion of more data. A better pile-up subtraction method leads to electron isolation efficiencies that are more independent of the amount of pile-up activity. Updated photon identification efficiencies are also presented, using the full Run 2 data. When compared to the previous measurement, a 30%–40% smaller uncertainty is observed on the photon identification efficiencies, thanks to the increased amount of available data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three searches for the direct production of τ-sleptons or charginos and neutralinos in final states with at least two hadronically decaying τ-leptons are presented. For chargino and neutralino production, decays via intermediate τ-sleptons or W and h bosons are considered. The analysis uses a dataset of pp collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1, recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. No significant deviation from the expected Standard Model background is observed and supersymmetric particle mass limits at 95% confidence level are obtained in simplified models. For direct production of χ ~ 1 + χ ~ 1 − , chargino masses are excluded up to 970 GeV, while χ ~ 1 ± and χ ~ 2 0 masses up to 1160 GeV (330 GeV) are excluded for χ ~ 1 ± χ ~ 2 0 / χ ~ 1 + χ ~ 1 − production with subsequent decays via τ-sleptons (W and h bosons). Masses of τ-sleptons up to 500 GeV are excluded for mass degenerate τ ~ L , R scenarios and up to 425 GeV for τ ~ L -only scenarios. Sensitivity to τ ~ R -only scenarios from the ATLAS experiment is presented here for the first time, with τ ~ R masses excluded up to 350 GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of inclusive and differential production cross-sections of a top-quark-top-antiquark pair in association with a W boson (t t ¯ W ) are presented. They are performed by targeting final states with two same-sign or three isolated leptons (electrons or muons) and are based on s = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1, recorded from 2015 to 2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The inclusive t t ¯ W production cross-section is measured to be 880 ± 80 fb, compared to a reference theoretical prediction of 745 ± 50 (scale) ± 13 (2-loop approx.) ± 19 (PDF, αs) fb. Differential cross-section measurements characterise this process in detail for the first time. Several particle-level observables are compared with a variety of theoretical predictions, which generally agree well with the normalised differential cross-section results. Additionally, the relative charge asymmetry of t t ¯ W + and t t ¯ W − is measured inclusively to be A C rel = 0.33 ± 0.05, in very good agreement with the theoretical prediction of 0.322 ± 0.003 (scale) ± 0.007 (PDF), as well as differentially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A summary of the constraints from searches performed by the ATLAS collaboration for the electroweak production of charginos and neutralinos is presented. Results from eight separate ATLAS searches are considered, each using 140 fb−1 of proton-proton data at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV collected at the Large Hadron Collider during its second data-taking run. The results are interpreted in the context of the 19-parameter phenomenological minimal supersymmetric standard model, where R-parity conservation is assumed and the lightest supersymmetric particle is assumed to be the lightest neutralino. Constraints from previous electroweak, flavour and dark matter related measurements are also considered. The results are presented in terms of constraints on supersymmetric particle masses and are compared with limits from simplified models. Also shown is the impact of ATLAS searches on parameters such as the dark matter relic density and the spin-dependent and spin-independent scattering cross-sections targeted by direct dark matter detection experiments. The Higgs boson and Z boson ‘funnel regions’, where a low-mass neutralino would not oversaturate the dark matter relic abundance, are almost completely excluded by the considered constraints. Example spectra for non-excluded supersymmetric models with light charginos and neutralinos are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for CP violation in the decay kinematics and vector-boson fusion production of the Higgs boson is performed in the H → ZZ* → 4ℓ (ℓ = e, μ) decay channel. The results are based on proton-proton collision data produced at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector from 2015 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. Matrix element-based optimal observables are used to constrain CP-odd couplings beyond the Standard Model in the framework of Standard Model effective field theory expressed in the Warsaw and Higgs bases. Differential fiducial cross-section measurements of the optimal observables are also performed, and a new fiducial cross-section measurement for vector-boson-fusion production is provided. All measurements are in agreement with the Standard Model prediction of a CP-even Higgs boson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for R-parity-violating supersymmetry in final states with high jet multiplicity is presented. The search uses 140 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at s = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. The results are interpreted in the context of R-parity-violating supersymmetry models that feature prompt gluino-pair production decaying directly to three jets each or decaying to two jets and a neutralino which subsequently decays promptly to three jets. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed and exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level are extracted. Gluinos with masses up to 1800 GeV are excluded when decaying directly to three jets. In the cascade scenario, gluinos with masses up to 2340 GeV are excluded for a neutralino with mass up to 1250 GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clusters of topologically connected calorimeter cells around cells with large absolute signal-to-noise ratio (topo-clusters) are the basis for calorimeter signal reconstruction in the ATLAS experiment. Topological cell clustering has proven performant in LHC Runs 1 and 2. It is, however, susceptible to out-of-time pile-up of signals from soft collisions outside the 25 ns proton-bunch-crossing window associated with the event’s hard collision. To reduce this effect, a calorimeter-cell timing criterion was added to the signal-to-noise ratio requirement in the clustering algorithm. Multiple versions of this criterion were tested by reconstructing hadronic signals in simulated events and Run 2 ATLAS data. The preferred version is found to reduce the out-of-time pile-up jet multiplicity by ∼ 50 % for jet p T ∼ 20 GeV and by ∼ 80 % for jet p T ≳ 50 GeV, while not disrupting the reconstruction of hadronic signals of interest, and improving the jet energy resolution by up to 5% for 20 < p T < 30 GeV. Pile-up is also suppressed for other physics objects based on topo-clusters (electrons, photons, τ -leptons), reducing the overall event size on disk by about 6 % in early Run 3 pile-up conditions. Offline reconstruction for Run 3 includes the timing requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of searches for new heavy spin-1 resonances decaying into different pairings of W, Z, or Higgs bosons, as well as directly into leptons or quarks, is presented. The data sample used corresponds to 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV collected during 2015–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Analyses selecting quark pairs (qq, bb, t t ¯ , and tb) or third-generation leptons (τν and ττ) are included in this kind of combination for the first time. A simplified model predicting a spin-1 heavy vector-boson triplet is used. Cross-section limits are set at the 95% confidence level and are compared with predictions for the benchmark model. These limits are also expressed in terms of constraints on couplings of the heavy vector-boson triplet to quarks, leptons, and the Higgs boson. The complementarity of the various analyses increases the sensitivity to new physics, and the resulting constraints are stronger than those from any individual analysis considered. The data exclude a heavy vector-boson triplet with mass below 5.8 TeV in a weakly coupled scenario, below 4.4 TeV in a strongly coupled scenario, and up to 1.5 TeV in the case of production via vector-boson fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the measurement of fiducial and differential cross sections for both the inclusive and electroweak production of a same-sign W-boson pair in association with two jets (W±W±jj) using 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis is performed by selecting two same-charge leptons, electron or muon, and at least two jets with large invariant mass and a large rapidity difference. The measured fiducial cross sections for electroweak and inclusive W±W±jj production are 2.92 ± 0.22 (stat.) ± 0.19 (syst.) fb and 3.38 ± 0.22 (stat.) ± 0.19 (syst.) fb, respectively, in agreement with Standard Model predictions. The measurements are used to constrain anomalous quartic gauge couplings by extracting 95% confidence level intervals on dimension-8 operators. A search for doubly charged Higgs bosons H±± that are produced in vector-boson fusion processes and decay into a same-sign W boson pair is performed. The largest deviation from the Standard Model occurs for an H±± mass near 450 GeV, with a global significance of 2.5 standard deviations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search is conducted for new phenomena in events with a top quark pair and large missing transverse momentum, where the top quark pair is reconstructed in final states with one isolated electron or muon and multiple jets. The search is performed using the Large Hadron Collider proton-proton collision data sample at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. An analysis based on neural network classifiers is optimised to search for directly produced pairs of supersymmetric partners of the top quark (stop), and to search for spin-0 mediators, produced in association with a pair of top quarks, that decay into dark-matter particles. In the stop search, the analysis is designed to target models in which the mass difference between the stop and the neutralino from the stop decay is close to the top quark mass. This new search is combined with previously published searches in final states with different lepton multiplicities. No significant excess above the Standard Model background is observed, and limits at 95% confidence level are set. Models with neutralinos with masses up to 570 GeV are excluded, while for small neutralino masses models are excluded for stop masses up to 1230 GeV. Scalar (pseudoscalar) dark matter mediator masses as large as 350 (370) GeV are excluded when the coupling strengths of the mediator to Standard Model and dark-matter particles are both set to one. At lower mediator masses, models with production cross-sections as small as 0.15 (0.16) times the nominal predictions are excluded. Results of this search are also used to set constraints on effective four-fermion contact interactions between top quarks and neutrinos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents for the first time a precise measurement of the production properties of the Z boson in the full phase space of the decay leptons. This is in contrast to the many previous precise unfolded measurements performed in the fiducial phase space of the decay leptons. The measurement is obtained from proton–proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment in 2012 at s = 8 TeV at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.2 fb - 1 . The results, based on a total of 15.3 million Z-boson decays to electron and muon pairs, extend and improve a previous measurement of the full set of angular coefficients describing Z-boson decay. The double-differential cross-section distributions in Z-boson transverse momentum p T and rapidity y are measured in the pole region, defined as 80 < m ℓ ℓ < 100 GeV, over the range | y | < 3.6 . The total uncertainty of the normalised cross-section measurements in the peak region of the p T distribution is dominated by statistical uncertainties over the full range and increases as a function of rapidity from 0.5–1.0% for | y | < 2.0 to 2 - 7 % at higher rapidities. The results for the rapidity-dependent transverse momentum distributions are compared to state-of-the-art QCD predictions, which combine in the best cases approximate N 4 LL resummation with N 3 LO fixed-order perturbative calculations. The differential rapidity distributions integrated over p T are even more precise, with accuracies from 0.2–0.3% for | y | < 2.0 to 0.4–0.9% at higher rapidities, and are compared to fixed-order QCD predictions using the most recent parton distribution functions. The agreement between data and predictions is quite good in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for a heavy CP-odd Higgs boson, A, decaying into a Z boson and a heavy CP-even Higgs boson, H, is presented. It uses the full LHC Run 2 dataset of pp collisions at s = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1. The search for A → ZH is performed in the ℓ + ℓ − t t ¯ and ν ν ¯ b b ¯ final states and surpasses the reach of previous searches in different final states in the region with mH > 350 GeV and mA > 800 GeV. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is found. Upper limits are placed on the production cross-section times the decay branching ratios. Limits with less model dependence are also presented as functions of the reconstructed m(t t ¯ ) and m(b b ¯ ) distributions in the ℓ + ℓ − t t ¯ and ν ν ¯ b b ¯ channels, respectively. In addition, the results are interpreted in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a search for a new Z′ resonance decaying into a pair of dark quarks which hadronise into dark hadrons before promptly decaying back as Standard Model particles. This analysis is based on proton-proton collision data recorded at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. After selecting events containing large-radius jets with high track multiplicity, the invariant mass distribution of the two highest-transverse-momentum jets is scanned to look for an excess above a data-driven estimate of the Standard Model multijet background. No significant excess of events is observed and the results are thus used to set 95% confidence-level upper limits on the production cross-section times branching ratio of the Z′ to dark quarks as a function of the Z′ mass for various dark-quark scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for pair production of squarks or gluinos decaying via sleptons or weak bosons is reported. The search targets a final state with exactly two leptons with same-sign electric charge or at least three leptons without any charge requirement. The analysed data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Multiple signal regions are defined, targeting several SUSY simplified models yielding the desired final states. A single control region is used to constrain the normalisation of the WZ + jets background. No significant excess of events over the Standard Model expectation is observed. The results are interpreted in the context of several supersymmetric models featuring R-parity conservation or R-parity violation, yielding exclusion limits surpassing those from previous searches. In models considering gluino (squark) pair production, gluino (squark) masses up to 2.2 (1.7) TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for non-resonant Higgs boson pair (HH) production is presented, in which one of the Higgs bosons decays to a b-quark pair (b b ¯ ) and the other decays to WW*, ZZ*, or τ+τ−, with in each case a final state with ℓ+ℓ−+ neutrinos (ℓ = e, μ). The analysis targets separately the gluon-gluon fusion and vector boson fusion production modes. Data recorded by the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1, are used in this analysis. Events are selected to have exactly two b-tagged jets and two leptons with opposite electric charge and missing transverse momentum in the final state. These events are classified using multivariate analysis algorithms to separate the HH events from other Standard Model processes. No evidence of the signal is found. The observed (expected) upper limit on the cross-section for non-resonant Higgs boson pair production is determined to be 9.7 (16.2) times the Standard Model prediction at 95% confidence level. The Higgs boson self-interaction coupling parameter κλ and the quadrilinear coupling parameter κ2V are each separately constrained by this analysis to be within the ranges [−6.2, 13.3] and [−0.17, 2.4], respectively, at 95% confidence level, when all other parameters are fixed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a correction notice for a journal article titled "Observation of four-top-quark production in the multilepton final state with the ATLAS detector." The corrections involve changes to figures, tables, and corresponding numbers in the text, specifically related to systematic uncertainties. These corrections impact the limits on the top-quark Yukawa coupling, Higgs oblique parameter, and EFT operators. The document provides more accurate and updated information for researchers studying particle physics. [Extracted from the article]

Measurements of the differential production cross-sections of prompt and non-prompt J / ψ and ψ (2 S) mesons with transverse momenta between 8 and 360 GeV and rapidity in the range | y | < 2 are reported. Furthermore, measurements of the non-prompt fractions of J / ψ and ψ (2 S) , and the prompt and non-prompt ψ (2 S) -to- J / ψ production ratios, are presented. The analysis is performed using 140 fb - 1 of s = 13 TeV pp collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC during the years 2015–2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inclusive Higgs boson production cross-section is measured in the di-photon and the Z Z ∗ → 4 ℓ decay channels using 31.4 and 29.0 fb - 1 of pp collision data respectively, collected with the ATLAS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13.6 TeV . To reduce the model dependence, the measurement in each channel is restricted to a particle-level phase space that closely matches the channel's detector-level kinematic selection, and it is corrected for detector effects. These measured fiducial cross-sections are σ fid , γ γ = 76 - 13 + 14 fb, and σ fid , 4 ℓ = 2.80 ± 0.74 fb, in agreement with the corresponding Standard Model predictions of 67.6 ± 3.7 fb and 3.67 ± 0.19 fb. Assuming Standard Model acceptances and branching fractions for the two channels, the fiducial measurements are extrapolated to the full phase space yielding total cross-sections of σ (p p → H) = 67 - 11 + 12 pb and 46 ± 12 pb at 13.6 TeV from the di-photon and Z Z ∗ → 4 ℓ measurements respectively. The two measurements are combined into a total cross-section measurement of σ (p p → H) = 58.2 ± 8.7 pb, to be compared with the Standard Model prediction of σ (p p → H) SM = 59.9 ± 2.6 pb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for flavour-changing neutral interactions involving the top quark, the Higgs boson and an up-type quark q (q = c, u) is presented. The proton-proton collision data set used, with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1, was collected at s = 13 TeV by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Both the decay process t → qH in t t ¯ production and the production process pp → tH, with the Higgs boson decaying into two photons, are investigated. No significant excess is observed and upper limits are set on the t → cH and the t → uH branching ratios of 4.3 × 10−4 and 3.8 × 10−4, respectively, at the 95% confidence level, while the expected limits in the absence of signal are 4.7 × 10−4 and 3.9 × 10−4. Combining this search with ATLAS searches in the H → τ+τ− and H → b b ¯ final states yields observed (expected) upper limits on the t → cH branching ratio of 5.8 × 10−4 (3.0 × 10−4) at the 95% confidence level. The corresponding observed (expected) upper limit on the t → uH branching ratio is 4.0 × 10−4 (2.4 × 10−4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searches for electroweak production of wino-like chargino pairs, χ ~ 1 + χ ~ 1 − , and of wino-like chargino and next-to-lightest neutralino, χ ~ 1 ± χ ~ 2 0 , are presented. The models explored assume that the charginos decay into a W boson and the lightest neutralino, χ ~ 1 ± → W ± χ ~ 1 0 . The next-to-lightest neutralinos are degenerate in mass with the chargino and decay to χ ~ 1 0 and either a Z or a Higgs boson, χ ~ 2 0 → Z χ ~ 1 0 or h χ ~ 1 0 . The searches exploit the presence of a single isolated lepton and missing transverse momentum from the W boson decay products and the lightest neutralinos, and the presence of jets from hadronically decaying Z or W bosons or from the Higgs boson decaying into a pair of b-quarks. The searches use 139 fb−1 of s = 13 TeV proton-proton collisions data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018. No deviations from the Standard Model expectations are found, and 95% confidence level exclusion limits are set. Chargino masses ranging from 260 to 520 GeV are excluded for a massless χ ~ 1 0 in chargino pair production models. Degenerate chargino and next-to-lightest neutralino masses ranging from 260 to 420 GeV are excluded for a massless χ ~ 1 0 for χ ~ 2 0 → Z χ ~ 1 0 . For decays through an on-shell Higgs boson and for mass-splitting between χ ~ 1 ± / χ ~ 2 0 and χ ~ 1 0 as small as the Higgs boson mass, mass limits are improved by up to 40 GeV in the range of 200–260 GeV and 280–470 GeV compared to previous ATLAS constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the polarisation and CP properties in ZZ production is presented. The used data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The ZZ candidate events are reconstructed using two same-flavour opposite-charge electron or muon pairs. The production of two longitudinally polarised Z bosons is measured with a significance of 4.3 standard deviations, and its cross-section is measured in a fiducial phase space to be 2.45 ± 0.60 fb, consistent with the next-to-leading-order Standard Model prediction. The inclusive differential cross-section as a function of a CP-sensitive angular observable is also measured. The results are used to constrain anomalous CP-odd neutral triple gauge couplings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for new heavy scalars with flavour-violating decays in final states with multiple leptons and b-tagged jets is presented. The results are interpreted in terms of a general two-Higgs-doublet model involving an additional scalar with couplings to the top-quark and the three up-type quarks (ρtt, ρtc, and ρtu). The targeted signals lead to final states with either a same-sign top-quark pair, three top-quarks, or four top-quarks. The search is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. Events are categorised depending on the multiplicity of light charged leptons (electrons or muons), total lepton charge, and a deep-neural-network output to enhance the purity of each of the signals. Masses of an additional scalar boson mH between 200 − 630 GeV with couplings ρtt = 0.4, ρtc = 0.2, and ρtu = 0.2 are excluded at 95% confidence level. Additional interpretations are provided in models of R-parity violating supersymmetry, motivated by the recent flavour and (g − 2)μ anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for a new massive charged gauge boson, W′, is performed with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The dataset used in this analysis was collected from proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. The reconstructed tb invariant mass is used to search for a W′ boson decaying into a top quark and a bottom quark. The result is interpreted in terms of a W′ boson with purely right-handed or left-handed chirality in a mass range of 0.5–6 TeV. Different values for the coupling of the W′ boson to the top and bottom quarks are considered, taking into account interference with single-top-quark production in the s-channel. No significant deviation from the background prediction is observed. The results are expressed as upper limits on the W′ → tb production cross-section times branching ratio as a function of the W′-boson mass and in the plane of the coupling vs the W′-boson mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for heavy right-handed Majorana or Dirac neutrinos N R and heavy right-handed gauge bosons W R is performed in events with energetic electrons or muons, with the same or opposite electric charge, and energetic jets. The search is carried out separately for topologies of clearly separated final-state products ("resolved" channel) and topologies with boosted final states with hadronic and/or leptonic products partially overlapping and reconstructed as a large-radius jet ("boosted" channel). The events are selected from pp collision data at the LHC with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb - 1 collected by the ATLAS detector at s = 13 TeV. No significant deviations from the Standard Model predictions are observed. The results are interpreted within the theoretical framework of a left-right symmetric model, and lower limits are set on masses in the heavy right-handed W R boson and N R plane. The excluded region extends to about m (W R) = 6.4 TeV for both Majorana and Dirac N R neutrinos at m (N R) < 1 TeV. N R with masses of less than 3.5 (3.6) TeV are excluded in the electron (muon) channel at m (W R) = 4.8 TeV for the Majorana neutrinos, and limits of m (N R) up to 3.6 TeV for m (W R) = 5.2 (5.0) TeV in the electron (muon) channel are set for the Dirac neutrinos. These constitute the most stringent exclusion limits to date for the model considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for supersymmetry targeting the direct production of winos and higgsinos is conducted in final states with either two leptons (e or μ) with the same electric charge, or three leptons. The analysis uses 139 fb−1 of pp collision data at s = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed. Simplified and complete models with and without R-parity conservation are considered. In topologies with intermediate states including either Wh or WZ pairs, wino masses up to 525 GeV and 250 GeV are excluded, respectively, for a bino of vanishing mass. Higgsino masses smaller than 440 GeV are excluded in a natural R-parity-violating model with bilinear terms. Upper limits on the production cross section of generic events beyond the Standard Model as low as 40 ab are obtained in signal regions optimised for these models and also for an R-parity-violating scenario with baryon-number-violating higgsino decays into top quarks and jets. The analysis significantly improves sensitivity to supersymmetric models and other processes beyond the Standard Model that may contribute to the considered final states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a search for magnetic monopoles and high-electric-charge objects using LHC Run 2 s = 13 TeV proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector. A total integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1 was collected by a specialized trigger. No highly ionizing particle candidate was observed. Considering the Drell-Yan and photon-fusion pair production mechanisms as benchmark models, cross-section upper limits are presented for spin-0 and spin-1/2 magnetic monopoles of magnetic charge 1gD and 2gD and for high-electric-charge objects of electric charge 20 ≤ |z| ≤ 100, for masses between 200 GeV and 4000 GeV. The search improves by approximately a factor of three the previous cross-section limits on the Drell-Yan production of magnetic monopoles and high-electric charge objects. Also, the first ATLAS limits on the photon-fusion pair production mechanism of magnetic monopoles and high-electric-charge objects are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for pair-produced scalar or vector leptoquarks decaying into a b-quark and a τ -lepton is presented using the full LHC Run 2 (2015–2018) data sample of 139 fb - 1 collected with the ATLAS detector in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV. Events in which at least one τ -lepton decays hadronically are considered, and multivariate discriminants are used to extract the signals. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectation are observed and 95% confidence-level upper limits on the production cross-section are derived as a function of leptoquark mass and branching ratio B into a τ -lepton and b-quark. For scalar leptoquarks, masses below 1460 GeV are excluded assuming B = 100 %, while for vector leptoquarks the corresponding limit is 1650 GeV (1910 GeV) in the minimal-coupling (Yang–Mills) scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searches for long-lived particles (LLPs) are among the most promising avenues for discovering physics beyond the Standard Model at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). However, displaced signatures are notoriously difficult to identify due to their ability to evade standard object reconstruction strategies. In particular, the ATLAS track reconstruction applies strict pointing requirements which limit sensitivity to charged particles originating far from the primary interaction point. To recover efficiency for LLPs decaying within the tracking detector volume, the ATLAS Collaboration employs a dedicated large-radius tracking (LRT) pass with loosened pointing requirements. During Run 2 of the LHC, the LRT implementation produced many incorrectly reconstructed tracks and was therefore only deployed in small subsets of events. In preparation for LHC Run 3, ATLAS has significantly improved both standard and large-radius track reconstruction performance, allowing for LRT to run in all events. This development greatly expands the potential phase-space of LLP searches and streamlines LLP analysis workflows. This paper will highlight the above achievement and report on the readiness of the ATLAS detector for track-based LLP searches in Run 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search is performed for a heavy particle decaying into different-flavour, dilepton final states, using 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at s = 13 TeV collected in 2015–2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Final states with electrons, muons and hadronically decaying tau leptons are considered (eμ, eτ or μτ). No significant excess over the Standard Model predictions is observed. Upper limits on the production cross-section are set as a function of the mass of a Z′ boson, a supersymmetric τ-sneutrino, and a quantum black-hole. The observed 95% CL lower mass limits obtained on a typical benchmark model Z′ boson are 5.0 TeV (eμ), 4.0 TeV (eτ), and 3.9 TeV (μτ), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for physics beyond the Standard Model inducing periodic signals in the dielectron and diphoton invariant mass spectra is presented using 139 fb−1 of s = 13 TeV pp collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Novel search techniques based on continuous wavelet transforms are used to infer the frequency of periodic signals from the invariant mass spectra and neural network classifiers are used to enhance the sensitivity to periodic resonances. In the absence of a signal, exclusion limits are placed at the 95% confidence level in the two-dimensional parameter space of the clockwork gravity model. Model-independent searches for deviations from the background-only hypothesis are also performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A measurement of novel event shapes quantifying the isotropy of collider events is performed in 140 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions with s = 13 TeV centre-of-mass energy recorded with the ATLAS detector at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. These event shapes are defined as the Wasserstein distance between collider events and isotropic reference geometries. This distance is evaluated by solving optimal transport problems, using the 'Energy-Mover's Distance'. Isotropic references with cylindrical and circular symmetries are studied, to probe the symmetries of interest at hadron colliders. The novel event-shape observables defined in this way are infrared- and collinear-safe, have improved dynamic range and have greater sensitivity to isotropic radiation patterns than other event shapes. The measured event-shape variables are corrected for detector effects, and presented in inclusive bins of jet multiplicity and the scalar sum of the two leading jets' transverse momenta. The measured distributions are provided as inputs to future Monte Carlo tuning campaigns and other studies probing fundamental properties of QCD and the production of hadronic final states up to the TeV-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for a new heavy scalar particle X decaying into a Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson and a new singlet scalar particle S is presented. The search uses a proton-proton (pp) collision data sample with an integrated luminosity of 140 fb−1 recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The most sensitive mass parameter space is explored in X mass ranging from 500 to 1500 GeV, with the corresponding S mass in the range 200–500 GeV. The search selects events with two hadronically decaying τ-lepton candidates from H → τ+τ− decays and one or two light leptons (ℓ = e, μ) from S → VV (V = W, Z) decays while the remaining V boson decays hadronically or to neutrinos. A multivariate discriminant based on event kinematics is used to separate the signal from the background. No excess is observed beyond the expected SM background and 95% confidence level upper limits between 72 fb and 542 fb are derived on the cross-section σ(pp → X → SH) assuming the same SM-Higgs boson-like decay branching ratios for the S → VV decay. Upper limits on the visible cross-sections σ(pp → X → SH → WWττ) and σ(pp → X → SH → ZZττ) are also set in the ranges 3–26 fb and 6–33 fb, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for leptoquarks decaying into the bτ final state is performed using Run 2 proton-proton collision data from the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1 at s = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector. The benchmark models considered in this search are vector leptoquarks with electric charge of 2/3e and scalar leptoquarks with an electric charge of 4/3e. No significant excess above the Standard Model prediction is observed, and 95% confidence level upper limits are set on the cross-section times branching fraction of leptoquarks decaying into bτ. For the vector leptoquark production two models are considered: the Yang-Mills and Minimal coupling models. In the Yang-Mills (Minimal coupling) scenario, vector leptoquarks with a mass below 1.58 (1.35) TeV are excluded for a gauge coupling of 1.0 and below 2.05 (1.99) TeV for a gauge coupling of 2.5. In the case of scalar leptoquarks, masses below 1.28 (1.53) TeV are excluded for a Yukawa coupling of 1.0 (2.5). Finally, an interpretation of the results with minimal model dependence is performed for each of the signal region categories, and limits on the visible cross-section for beyond the Standard Model processes are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The luminosity determination for the ATLAS detector at the LHC during Run 2 is presented, with pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy s = 13 TeV. The absolute luminosity scale is determined using van der Meer beam separation scans during dedicated running periods in each year, and extrapolated to the physics data-taking regime using complementary measurements from several luminosity-sensitive detectors. The total uncertainties in the integrated luminosity for each individual year of data-taking range from 0.9% to 1.1%, and are partially correlated between years. After standard data-quality selections, the full Run 2 pp data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140.1 ± 1.2 fb - 1 , i.e. an uncertainty of 0.83%. A dedicated sample of low-pileup data recorded in 2017–2018 for precision Standard Model physics measurements is analysed separately, and has an integrated luminosity of 338.1 ± 3.1 pb - 1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson in final states with two hadronically decaying τ-leptons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis uses 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at s = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018. No evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model is found. The results are interpreted in terms of a 2HDM+a model featuring two scalar Higgs doublets and a pseudoscalar singlet field. Exclusion limits on the parameters of the model in selected benchmark scenarios are derived at 95% confidence level. Model-independent limits are also set on the visible cross-section for processes beyond the Standard Model producing missing transverse momentum in association with a Higgs boson decaying into τ-leptons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the first ATLAS measurement of the B s 0 → μμ effective lifetime. The measurement is based on the data collected in 2015–2016, amounting to 26.3 fb−1 of 13 TeV LHC proton-proton collisions. The proper decay-time distribution of 58 ± 13 background-subtracted signal candidates is fit with simulated signal templates parameterised as a function of the B s 0 effective lifetime, with statistical uncertainties extracted through a Neyman construction. The resulting effective measurement of the B s 0 → μμ lifetime is 0.99 − 0.07 + 0.42 (stat.) ± 0.17 (syst.) ps and it is found to be consistent with the Standard Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for Majorana neutrinos in same-sign WW scattering events is presented. The analysis uses s = 13 TeV proton–proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 140 fb - 1 recorded during 2015–2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis targets final states including exactly two same-sign muons and at least two hadronic jets well separated in rapidity. The modelling of the main backgrounds, from Standard Model same-sign WW scattering and WZ production, is constrained with data in dedicated signal-depleted control regions. The distribution of the transverse momentum of the second-hardest muon is used to search for signals originating from a heavy Majorana neutrino with a mass between 50 GeV and 20 TeV. No significant excess is observed over the background expectation. The results are interpreted in a benchmark scenario of the Phenomenological Type-I Seesaw model. In addition, the sensitivity to the Weinberg operator is investigated. Upper limits at the 95% confidence level are placed on the squared muon-neutrino–heavy-neutrino mass-mixing matrix element | V μ N | 2 as a function of the heavy Majorana neutrino's mass m N , and on the effective μ μ Majorana neutrino mass | m μ μ | . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higgs boson production via gluon–gluon fusion is measured in the W W ∗ → e ν μ ν decay channel. The dataset utilized corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb - 1 collected by the ATLAS detector from s = 13 TeV proton–proton collisions delivered by the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018. Differential cross sections are measured in a fiducial phase space restricted to the production of at most one additional jet. The results are consistent with Standard Model expectations, derived using different Monte Carlo generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]