Search

This paper presents a search for a new Z′ vector gauge boson with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider using pp collision data collected at s = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. The new gauge boson Z′ is predicted by Lμ − Lτ models to address observed phenomena that can not be explained by the Standard Model. The search examines the four-muon (4μ) final state, using a deep learning neural network classifier to separate the Z′ signal from the Standard Model background events. The di-muon invariant masses in the 4μ events are used to extract the Z′ resonance signature. No significant excess of events is observed over the predicted background. Upper limits at a 95% confidence level on the Z′ production cross-section times the decay branching fraction of pp → Z′μμ → 4μ are set from 0.31 to 4.3 fb for the Z′ mass ranging from 5 to 81 GeV. The corresponding common coupling strengths, gZ′, of the Z′ boson to the second and third generation leptons above 0.003 – 0.2 have been excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of differential cross sections are presented for inclusive isolated-photon production in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV provided by the LHC and using 139 fb−1 of data recorded by the ATLAS experiment. The cross sections are measured as functions of the photon transverse energy in different regions of photon pseudorapidity. The photons are required to be isolated by means of a fixed-cone method with two different cone radii. The dependence of the inclusive-photon production on the photon isolation is investigated by measuring the fiducial cross sections as functions of the isolation-cone radius and the ratios of the differential cross sections with different radii in different regions of photon pseudorapidity. The results presented in this paper constitute an improvement with respect to those published by ATLAS earlier: the measurements are provided for different isolation radii and with a more granular segmentation in photon pseudorapidity that can be exploited in improving the determination of the proton parton distribution functions. These improvements provide a more in-depth test of the theoretical predictions. Next-to-leading-order QCD predictions from JETPHOX and SHERPA and next-to-next-to-leading-order QCD predictions from NNLOJET are compared to the measurements, using several parameterisations of the proton parton distribution functions. The measured cross sections are well described by the fixed-order QCD predictions within the experimental and theoretical uncertainties in most of the investigated phase-space region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of transverse energy-energy correlations and their associated azimuthal asymmetries in multijet events are presented. The analysis is performed using a data sample corresponding to 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV, collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The measurements are presented in bins of the scalar sum of the transverse momenta of the two leading jets and unfolded to particle level. They are then compared to next-to-next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations for the first time, which feature a significant reduction in the theoretical uncertainties estimated using variations of the renormalisation and factorisation scales. The agreement between data and theory is good, thus providing a precision test of QCD at large momentum transfers Q. The strong coupling constant αs is extracted as a function of Q, showing a good agreement with the renormalisation group equation and with previous analyses. A simultaneous fit to all transverse energy-energy correlation distributions across different kinematic regions yields a value of α s m Z = 0.1175 ± 0.0006 exp. − 0.0017 + 0.0034 theo. , while the global fit to the asymmetry distributions yields α s m Z = 0.1185 ± 0.0009 exp. − 0.0012 + 0.0025 theo. . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents measurements of charged-hadron spectra obtained in pp, p+Pb, and Pb+Pb collisions at s or s NN = 5.02 TeV, and in Xe+Xe collisions at s NN = 5.44 TeV. The data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC have total integrated luminosities of 25 pb−1, 28 nb−1, 0.50 nb−1, and 3 μb−1, respectively. The nuclear modification factors RpPb and RAA are obtained by comparing the spectra in heavy-ion and pp collisions in a wide range of charged-particle transverse momenta and pseudorapidity. The nuclear modification factor RpPb shows a moderate enhancement above unity with a maximum at pT ≈ 3 GeV; the enhancement is stronger in the Pb-going direction. The nuclear modification factors in both Pb+Pb and Xe+Xe collisions feature a significant, centrality-dependent suppression. They show a similar distinct pT-dependence with a local maximum at pT ≈ 2 GeV and a local minimum at pT ≈ 7 GeV. This dependence is more distinguishable in more central collisions. No significant |η|-dependence is found. A comprehensive comparison with several theoretical predictions is also provided. They typically describe RAA better in central collisions and in the pT range from about 10 to 100 GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differential cross-section measurements of Zγ production in association with hadronic jets are presented, using the full 139 fb−1 dataset of s = 13 TeV proton–proton collisions collected by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the LHC. Distributions are measured using events in which the Z boson decays leptonically and the photon is usually radiated from an initial-state quark. Measurements are made in both one and two observables, including those sensitive to the hard scattering in the event and others which probe additional soft and collinear radiation. Different Standard Model predictions, from both parton-shower Monte Carlo simulation and fixed-order QCD calculations, are compared with the measurements. In general, good agreement is observed between data and predictions from MATRIX and MiNNLOPS, as well as next-to-leading-order predictions from MadGraph5_aMC@NLO and Sherpa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for the leptonic charge asymmetry ( A c ℓ ) of top-quark-antiquark pair production in association with a W boson (t t ¯ W ) is presented. The search is performed using final states with exactly three charged light leptons (electrons or muons) and is based on s = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN during the years 2015–2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. A profile-likelihood fit to the event yields in multiple regions corresponding to positive and negative differences between the pseudorapidities of the charged leptons from top-quark and top-antiquark decays is used to extract the charge asymmetry. At reconstruction level, the asymmetry is found to be −0.12 ± 0.14 (stat.) ± 0.05 (syst.). An unfolding procedure is applied to convert the result at reconstruction level into a charge-asymmetry value in a fiducial volume at particle level with the result of −0.11 ± 0.17 (stat.) ± 0.05 (syst.). The Standard Model expectations for these two observables are calculated using Monte Carlo simulations with next-to-leading-order plus parton shower precision in quantum chromodynamics and including next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections. They are − 0.084 − 0.003 + 0.005 (scale) ± 0.006 (MC stat.) and − 0.063 − 0.004 + 0.007 (scale) ± 0.004 (MC stat.) respectively, and in agreement with the measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flavour-tagging algorithms developed by the ATLAS Collaboration and used to analyse its dataset of s = 13 TeV pp collisions from Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider are presented. These new tagging algorithms are based on recurrent and deep neural networks, and their performance is evaluated in simulated collision events. These developments yield considerable improvements over previous jet-flavour identification strategies. At the 77% b-jet identification efficiency operating point, light-jet (charm-jet) rejection factors of 170 (5) are achieved in a sample of simulated Standard Model t t ¯ events; similarly, at a c-jet identification efficiency of 30%, a light-jet (b-jet) rejection factor of 70 (9) is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exclusive production of pion pairs in the process p p → p p π + π - has been measured at s = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, using 80 μ b - 1 of low-luminosity data. The pion pairs were detected in the ATLAS central detector while outgoing protons were measured in the forward ATLAS ALFA detector system. This represents the first use of proton tagging to measure an exclusive hadronic final state at the LHC. A cross-section measurement is performed in two kinematic regions defined by the proton momenta, the pion rapidities and transverse momenta, and the pion–pion invariant mass. Cross-section values of 4.8 ± 1.0 (stat) - 0.2 + 0.3 (syst) μ b and 9 ± 6 (stat) - 2 + 2 (syst) μ b are obtained in the two regions; they are compared with theoretical models and provide a demonstration of the feasibility of measurements of this type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for supersymmetry involving the pair production of gluinos decaying via off-shell third-generation squarks into the lightest neutralino (χ ~ 1 0) is reported. It exploits LHC proton–proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s = 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb - 1 collected with the ATLAS detector from 2015 to 2018. The search uses events containing large missing transverse momentum, up to one electron or muon, and several energetic jets, at least three of which must be identified as containing b-hadrons. Both a simple kinematic event selection and an event selection based upon a deep neural-network are used. No significant excess above the predicted background is found. In simplified models involving the pair production of gluinos that decay via off-shell top (bottom) squarks, gluino masses less than 2.44 TeV (2.35 TeV) are excluded at 95% CL for a massless χ ~ 1 0. Limits are also set on the gluino mass in models with variable branching ratios for gluino decays to b b ¯ χ ~ 1 0 , t t ¯ χ ~ 1 0 and t b ¯ χ ~ 1 - / t ¯ b χ ~ 1 +. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the charge conjugation and parity (CP ) properties of the interaction between the Higgs boson and τ -leptons is presented. The study is based on a measurement of CP -sensitive angular observables defined by the visible decay products of τ -leptons produced in Higgs boson decays. The analysis uses 139 fb - 1 of proton–proton collision data recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Contributions from CP -violating interactions between the Higgs boson and τ -leptons are described by a single mixing angle parameter ϕ τ in the generalised Yukawa interaction. Without constraining the H → τ τ signal strength to its expected value under the Standard Model hypothesis, the mixing angle ϕ τ is measured to be 9 ∘ ± 16 ∘ , with an expected value of 0 ∘ ± 28 ∘ at the 68% confidence level. The pure CP -odd hypothesis is disfavoured at a level of 3.4 standard deviations. The results are compatible with the predictions for the Higgs boson in the Standard Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for long-lived particles decaying into hadrons is presented. The analysis uses 139 fb−1 of pp collision data collected at s = 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the LHC using events that contain multiple energetic jets and a displaced vertex. The search employs dedicated reconstruction techniques that significantly increase the sensitivity to long-lived particles decaying in the ATLAS inner detector. Background estimates for Standard Model processes and instrumental effects are extracted from data. The observed event yields are compatible with those expected from background processes. The results are used to set limits at 95% confidence level on model-independent cross sections for processes beyond the Standard Model, and on scenarios with pair-production of supersymmetric particles with long-lived electroweakinos that decay via a small R-parity-violating coupling. The pair-production of electroweakinos with masses below 1.5 TeV is excluded for mean proper lifetimes in the range from 0.03 ns to 1 ns. When produced in the decay of m g ~ = 2.4 TeV gluinos, electroweakinos with m χ ~ 1 0 = 1.5 TeV are excluded with lifetimes in the range of 0.02 ns to 4 ns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search is reported for excited τ-leptons and leptoquarks in events with two hadronically decaying τ-leptons and two or more jets. The search uses proton-proton (pp) collision data at s = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment during the Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider in 2015–2018. The total integrated luminosity is 139 fb−1. The excited τ-lepton is assumed to be produced and to decay via a four-fermion contact interaction into an ordinary τ-lepton and a quark-antiquark pair. The leptoquarks are assumed to be produced in pairs via the strong interaction, and each leptoquark is assumed to couple to a charm or lighter quark and a τ-lepton. No excess over the background prediction is observed. Excited τ-leptons with masses below 2.8 TeV are excluded at 95% CL in scenarios with the contact interaction scale Λ set to 10 TeV. At the extreme limit of model validity where Λ is set equal to the excited τ-lepton mass, excited τ-leptons with masses below 4.6 TeV are excluded. Leptoquarks with masses below 1.3 TeV are excluded at 95% CL if their branching ratio to a charm quark and a τ-lepton equals 1. The analysis does not exploit flavour-tagging in the signal region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A measurement of single top-quark production in the s-channel is performed in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. The analysis is performed on events with an electron or muon, missing transverse momentum and exactly two b-tagged jets in the final state. A discriminant based on matrix element calculations is used to separate single-top-quark s-channel events from the main background contributions, which are top-quark pair production and W-boson production in association with jets. The observed (expected) signal significance over the background-only hypothesis is 3.3 (3.9) standard deviations, and the measured cross-section is σ = 8.2 − 2.9 + 3.5 pb, consistent with the Standard Model prediction of σ SM = 10.32 − 0.36 + 0.40 pb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inclusive top-quark pair (t t ¯ ) production cross-section σ t t ¯ is measured in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy s = 5.02 TeV, using 257 pb−1 of data collected in 2017 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The t t ¯ cross-section is measured in both the dilepton and single-lepton final states of the t t ¯ system and then combined. The combination of the two measurements yields σ t t ¯ = 67.5 ± 0.9 stat. ± 2.3 syst. ± 1.1 lumi. ± 0.2 beam pb , where the four uncertainties reflect the limited size of the data sample, experimental and theoretical systematic effects, and imperfect knowledge of both the integrated luminosity and the LHC beam energy, giving a total uncertainty of 3.9%. The result is in agreement with theoretical quantum chromodynamic calculations at next-to-next-to-leading order in the strong coupling constant, including the resummation of next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic soft-gluon terms, and constrains the parton distribution functions of the proton at large Bjorken-x. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electroweak production of Z ν ν ¯ γ in association with two jets is studied in a regime with a photon of high transverse momentum above 150 GeV using proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis uses a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1 collected by the ATLAS detector during the 2015–2018 LHC data-taking period. This process is an important probe of the electroweak symmetry breaking mechanism in the Standard Model and is sensitive to quartic gauge boson couplings via vector-boson scattering. The fiducial Z ν ν ¯ γjj cross section for electroweak production is measured to be 0.77 − 0.30 + 0.34 fb and is consistent with the Standard Model prediction. Evidence of electroweak Z ν ν ¯ γjj production is found with an observed significance of 3.2σ for the background-only hypothesis, compared with an expected significance of 3.7σ. The combination of this result with the previously published ATLAS observation of electroweak Z ν ν ¯ γjj production yields an observed (expected) signal significance of 6.3σ (6.6σ). Limits on anomalous quartic gauge boson couplings are obtained in the framework of effective field theory with dimension-8 operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A generic search for resonances is performed with events containing a Z boson with transverse momentum greater than 100 GeV, decaying into e+e− or μ+μ−. The analysed data collected with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. Two invariant mass distributions are examined for a localised excess relative to the expected Standard Model background in six independent event categories (and their inclusive sum) to increase the sensitivity. No significant excess is observed. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are derived for two cases: a model-independent interpretation of Gaussian-shaped resonances with the mass width between 3% and 10% of the resonance mass, and a specific heavy vector triplet model with the decay mode W′ → ZW →ℓℓqq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the observation of four-top-quark ( t t ¯ t t ¯ ) production in proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 140 fb - 1 at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected using the ATLAS detector. Events containing two leptons with the same electric charge or at least three leptons (electrons or muons) are selected. Event kinematics are used to separate signal from background through a multivariate discriminant, and dedicated control regions are used to constrain the dominant backgrounds. The observed (expected) significance of the measured t t ¯ t t ¯ signal with respect to the standard model (SM) background-only hypothesis is 6.1 (4.3) standard deviations. The t t ¯ t t ¯ production cross section is measured to be 22. 5 - 5.5 + 6.6 fb, consistent with the SM prediction of 12.0 ± 2.4 fb within 1.8 standard deviations. Data are also used to set limits on the three-top-quark production cross section, being an irreducible background not measured previously, and to constrain the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling and effective field theory operator coefficients that affect t t ¯ t t ¯ production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-sections for the production of a Z boson in association with two photons are measured in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb - 1 recorded by the ATLAS experiment during Run 2 of the LHC. The measurements use the electron and muon decay channels of the Z boson, and a fiducial phase-space region where the photons are not radiated from the leptons. The integrated Z (→ ℓ ℓ) γ γ cross-section is measured with a precision of 12% and differential cross-sections are measured as a function of six kinematic variables of the Z γ γ system. The data are compared with predictions from MC event generators which are accurate to up to next-to-leading order in QCD. The cross-section measurements are used to set limits on the coupling strengths of dimension-8 operators in the framework of an effective field theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a search for Higgs boson pair (hh) production in association with a vector boson ( W o r Z ) using 139 fb - 1 of proton–proton collision data at s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search is performed in final states in which the vector boson decays leptonically ( W → ℓ ν , Z → ℓ ℓ , ν ν with ℓ = e , μ ) and the Higgs bosons each decay into a pair of b-quarks. It targets Vhh signals from both non-resonant hh production, present in the Standard Model (SM), and resonant hh production, as predicted in some SM extensions. A 95% confidence-level upper limit of 183 (87) times the SM cross-section is observed (expected) for non-resonant Vhh production when assuming the kinematics are as expected in the SM. Constraints are also placed on Higgs boson coupling modifiers. For the resonant search, upper limits on the production cross-sections are derived for two specific models: one is the production of a vector boson along with a neutral heavy scalar resonance H, in the mass range 260–1000 GeV, that decays into hh, and the other is the production of a heavier neutral pseudoscalar resonance A that decays into a Z boson and H boson, where the A boson mass is 360–800 GeV and the H boson mass is 260–400 GeV. Constraints are also derived in the parameter space of two-Higgs-doublet models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A measurement of observables sensitive to effects of colour reconnection in top-quark pair-production events is presented using 139 fb - 1 of 13 TeV proton–proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are selected by requiring exactly one isolated electron and one isolated muon with opposite charge and two or three jets, where exactly two jets are required to be b-tagged. For the selected events, measurements are presented for the charged-particle multiplicity, the scalar sum of the transverse momenta of the charged particles, and the same scalar sum in bins of charged-particle multiplicity. These observables are unfolded to the stable-particle level, thereby correcting for migration effects due to finite detector resolution, acceptance and efficiency effects. The particle-level measurements are compared with different colour reconnection models in Monte Carlo generators. These measurements disfavour some of the colour reconnection models and provide inputs to future optimisation of the parameters in Monte Carlo generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total and differential Higgs boson production cross-sections are measured through a combined statistical analysis of the H → ZZ* → 4ℓ and H → γγ decay channels. The results are based on a dataset of 139 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 measured total Higgs boson production cross-section is 55.5 − 3.8 + 4.0 pb, consistent with the Standard Model prediction of 55.6 ± 2.5 pb. All results from the two decay channels are compatible with each other, and their combination agrees with the Standard Model predictions. A combined statistical interpretation of the measured fiducial cross-sections as a function of the Higgs boson transverse momentum is performed in order to probe the Yukawa couplings to the bottom and charm quarks. A similar interpretation is performed by including also the constraints from the measurements of Higgs boson production in association with a W or Z boson in the H → b b ¯ and c c ¯ decay channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a special run of the LHC with β ⋆ = 2.5 km, proton–proton elastic-scattering events were recorded at s = 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 340 μ b - 1 using the ALFA subdetector of ATLAS in 2016. The elastic cross section was measured differentially in the Mandelstam t variable in the range from - t = 2.5 · 10 - 4 GeV 2 to - t = 0.46 GeV 2 using 6.9 million elastic-scattering candidates. This paper presents measurements of the total cross section σ tot , parameters of the nuclear slope, and the ρ -parameter defined as the ratio of the real part to the imaginary part of the elastic-scattering amplitude in the limit t → 0 . These parameters are determined from a fit to the differential elastic cross section using the optical theorem and different parameterizations of the t-dependence. The results for σ tot and ρ are σ tot (p p → X) = 104.7 ± 1.1 mb , ρ = 0.098 ± 0.011. The uncertainty in σ tot is dominated by the luminosity measurement, and in ρ by imperfect knowledge of the detector alignment and by modelling of the nuclear amplitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standard method used for tagging b-hadrons in the DELPHI experiment at the CERN LEP Collider is discussed in detail. The main ingredient of b-tagging is the impact parameters of tracks, which relies mostly on the vertex detector. Additional information, such as the mass of particles associated to a secondary vertex, significantly improves the selection efficiency and the background suppression. The paper describes various discriminating variables used for the tagging and the procedure of their combination. In addition, applications of b-tagging to some physics analyses, which depend crucially on the performance and reliability of b-tagging, are described briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The jet energy scale, jet energy resolution, and their systematic uncertainties are measured for jets reconstructed with the ATLAS detector in 2012 using proton–proton data produced at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 20 fb - 1 . Jets are reconstructed from clusters of energy depositions in the ATLAS calorimeters using the anti- k t algorithm. A jet calibration scheme is applied in multiple steps, each addressing specific effects including mitigation of contributions from additional proton–proton collisions, loss of energy in dead material, calorimeter non-compensation, angular biases and other global jet effects. The final calibration step uses several in situ techniques and corrects for residual effects not captured by the initial calibration. These analyses measure both the jet energy scale and resolution by exploiting the transverse momentum balance in γ + jet, Z + jet, dijet, and multijet events. A statistical combination of these measurements is performed. In the central detector region, the derived calibration has a precision better than 1% for jets with transverse momentum 150 GeV < p T < 1500 GeV, and the relative energy resolution is (8.4 ± 0.6) % for p T = 100 GeV and (23 ± 2) % for p T = 20 GeV . The calibration scheme for jets with radius parameter R = 1.0 , for which jets receive a dedicated calibration of the jet mass, is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search is presented for the pair production of heavy vector-like B quarks, primarily targeting B quark decays into a W boson and a top quark. The search is based on 36.1 fb-1 of pp collisions at √ s = 13 TeV recorded in 2015 and 2016 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Data are analysed in the lepton-plus-jets final state, characterised by a high-transverse-momentum isolated electron or muon, large missing transverse momentum, and multiple jets, of which at least one is b-tagged. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. The 95% confidence level lower limit on the B mass is 1350 GeV assuming a 100% branching ratio to W t. In the SU(2) singlet scenario, the lower mass limit is 1170 GeV. The 100% branching ratio limits are found to be also applicable to heavy vector-like X production, with charge +5/3, that decay into W t. This search is also sensitive to a heavy vector-like B quark decaying into other final states (Zb and Hb) and thus mass limits on B production are set as a function of the decay branching ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for pair production of up-type vector-like quarks (T) with a significant branching ratio into a top quark and either a Standard Model Higgs boson or a Z boson is presented. The same analysis is also used to search for four-top-quark production in several new physics scenarios. The search is based on a dataset of pp collisions at √s=13 TeV recorded in 2015 and 2016 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb-1. Data are analysed in the lepton+jets final state, characterised by an isolated electron or muon with high transverse momentum, large missing transverse momentum and multiple jets, as well as the jets+EmissT final state, characterised by multiple jets and large missing transverse momentum. The search exploits the high multiplicity of jets identified as originating from b-quarks, and the presence of boosted, hadronically decaying top quarks and Higgs bosons reconstructed as large-radius jets, characteristic of signal events. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed, and 95% CL upper limits are set on the production cross sections for the different signal processes considered. These cross-section limits are used to derive lower limits on the mass of a vector-like T quark under several branching ratio hypotheses assuming contributions from T→Wb, Zt, Ht decays. The 95% CL observed lower limits on the T quark mass range between 0.99 TeV and 1.43 TeV for all possible values of the branching ratios into the three decay modes considered, significantly extending the reach beyond that of previous searches. Additionally, upper limits on anomalous four-top-quark production are set in the context of an effective field theory model, as well as in an universal extra dimensions model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a measurement of the triple-differential cross section for the Drell-Yan process Z/ γ → ℓ ℓ where ℓ is an electron or a muon. The measurement is performed for invariant masses of the lepton pairs, m , between 46 and 200 GeV using a sample of 20.2 fb of pp collisions data at a centre-of-mass energy of $$ \sqrt{s}=8 $$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2012. The data are presented in bins of invariant mass, absolute dilepton rapidity, | y |, and the angular variable cos θ between the outgoing lepton and the incoming quark in the Collins-Soper frame. The measurements are performed in the range | y | < 2.4 in the muon channel, and extended to | y | < 3.6 in the electron channel. The cross sections are used to determine the Z boson forward-backward asymmetry as a function of | y | and m . The measurements achieve high-precision, below the percent level in the pole region, excluding the uncertainty in the integrated luminosity, and are in agreement with predictions. These precision data are sensitive to the parton distribution functions and the effective weak mixing angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electroweak production and subsequent decay of single top quarks in the t-channel is determined by the properties of the Wtb vertex, which can be described by the complex parameters of an effective Lagrangian. An analysis of a triple-differential decay rate in t-channel production is used to simultaneously determine five generalised helicity fractions and phases, as well as the polarisation of the produced top quark. The complex parameters are then constrained. This analysis is based on 20.2 fb of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The fraction of decays containing transversely polarised W bosons is measured to be f = 0.30 ± 0.05. The phase between amplitudes for transversely and longitudinally polarised W bosons recoiling against left-handed b-quarks is measured to be δ = 0.002 π , giving no indication of CP violation. The fractions of longitudinal or transverse W bosons accompanied by right-handed b-quarks are also constrained. Based on these measurements, limits are placed at 95% CL on the ratio of the complex coupling parameters Re [ g /V ∈ [−0.12, 0.17] and Im [ g /V ∈ [−0.07, 0.06]. Constraints are also placed on the ratios | V / V | and | g / V |. In addition, the polarisation of single top quarks in the t-channel is constrained to be P > 0.72 (95% CL). None of the above measurements make assumptions about the value of any of the other parameters or couplings and all of them are in agreement with the Standard Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for the decay of the Standard Model Higgs boson into a $$ b\overline{b} $$ pair when produced in association with a W or Z boson is performed with the ATLAS detector. The analysed data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb, were collected in proton-proton collisions in Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Final states containing zero, one and two charged leptons (electrons or muons) are considered, targeting the decays Z → νν, W → ℓν and Z → ℓℓ. For a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, an excess of events over the expected background from other Standard Model processes is found with an observed significance of 3.5 standard deviations, compared to an expectation of 3.0 standard deviations. This excess provides evidence for the Higgs boson decay into b-quarks and for its production in association with a vector boson. The combination of this result with that of the Run 1 analysis yields a ratio of the measured signal events to the Standard Model expectation equal to 0.90 ± 0.18(stat.)(syst.). Assuming the Standard Model production cross-section, the results are consistent with the value of the Yukawa coupling to b-quarks in the Standard Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for pair production of a scalar partner of the top quark in events with four or more jets plus missing transverse momentum is presented. An analysis of 36.1 fb of $$ \sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV proton-proton collisions collected using the ATLAS detector at the LHC yields no significant excess over the expected Standard Model background. To interpret the results a simplified supersymmetric model is used where the top squark is assumed to decay via $$ {\tilde{t}}_1\to {t}^{\left(\ast \right)}{\tilde{\upchi}}_1^0 $$ and $$ {\tilde{t}}_1\to b{\tilde{\upchi}}_1^{\pm}\to b{W}^{\left(\ast \right)}{\tilde{\upchi}}_1^0 $$ , where χ(χ) denotes the lightest neutralino (chargino). Exclusion limits are placed in terms of the top-squark and neutralino masses. Assuming a branching ratio of 100% to $$ t{\tilde{\upchi}}_1^0 $$ , top-squark masses in the range 450-1000 GeV are excluded for $$ {\tilde{\upchi}}_1^0 $$ masses below 160 GeV. In the case where $$ {m}_{{\tilde{t}}_1}\sim {m}_t+{m}_{{\tilde{\chi}}_1^0} $$ , top-squark masses in the range 235-590 GeV are excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search is presented for particles that decay producing a large jet multiplicity and invisible particles. The event selection applies a veto on the presence of isolated electrons or muons and additional requirements on the number of b-tagged jets and the scalar sum of masses of large-radius jets. Having explored the full ATLAS 2015-2016 dataset of LHC proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV, which corresponds to 36.1 fb of integrated luminosity, no evidence is found for physics beyond the Standard Model. The results are interpreted in the context of simplified models inspired by R-parity-conserving and R-parity-violating supersymmetry, where gluinos are pair-produced. More generic models within the phenomenological minimal supersymmetric Standard Model are also considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of transverse energy-energy correlations and their associated asymmetries in multi-jet events using the ATLAS detector at the LHC are presented. The data used correspond to $$\sqrt{s} = 8~\hbox {TeV}$$ proton-proton collisions with an integrated luminosity of 20.2 $$~\hbox {fb}^{-1}$$ . The results are presented in bins of the scalar sum of the transverse momenta of the two leading jets, unfolded to the particle level and compared to the predictions from Monte Carlo simulations. A comparison with next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD is also performed, showing excellent agreement within the uncertainties. From this comparison, the value of the strong coupling constant is extracted for different energy regimes, thus testing the running of $$\alpha _{\mathrm {s}}(\mu )$$ predicted in QCD up to scales over $$1~\hbox {TeV}$$ . A global fit to the transverse energy-energy correlation distributions yields $$\alpha _{\mathrm {s}}(m_Z) = 0.1162 \pm 0.0011 \text{(exp.) }^{+0.0084}_{-0.0070} \text{(theo.) }$$ , while a global fit to the asymmetry distributions yields a value of $$\alpha _{\mathrm {s}}(m_Z) = 0.1196 \pm 0.0013 \text{(exp.) }^{+0.0075}_{-0.0045} \text{(theo.) }$$ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a search for direct pair production of top squarks in events with two opposite-charge leptons (electrons or muons) are reported, using $$36.1~\hbox {fb}^{-1}$$ of integrated luminosity from proton-proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s}=13$$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. To cover a range of mass differences between the top squark $$\tilde{t}$$ and lighter supersymmetric particles, four possible decay modes of the top squark are targeted with dedicated selections: the decay $$\tilde{t} \rightarrow b \tilde{\chi }_{1}^{\pm }$$ into a b-quark and the lightest chargino with $$\tilde{\chi }_{1}^{\pm } \rightarrow W \tilde{\chi }_{1}^{0}$$ , the decay $$\tilde{t} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi }_{1}^{0}$$ into an on-shell top quark and the lightest neutralino, the three-body decay $$\tilde{t} \rightarrow b W \tilde{\chi }_{1}^{0}$$ and the four-body decay $$\tilde{t} \rightarrow b \ell \nu \tilde{\chi }_{1}^{0}$$ . No significant excess of events is observed above the Standard Model background for any selection, and limits on top squarks are set as a function of the $$\tilde{t}$$ and $$\tilde{\chi }_{1}^{0}$$ masses. The results exclude at 95% confidence level $$\tilde{t}$$ masses up to about 720 GeV, extending the exclusion region of supersymmetric parameter space covered by previous searches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observables sensitive to the anomalous production of events containing hadronic jets and missing momentum in the plane transverse to the proton beams at the Large Hadron Collider are presented. The observables are defined as a ratio of cross sections, for events containing jets and large missing transverse momentum to events containing jets and a pair of charged leptons from the decay of a $$Z/\gamma ^*$$ boson. This definition minimises experimental and theoretical systematic uncertainties in the measurements. This ratio is measured differentially with respect to a number of kinematic properties of the hadronic system in two phase-space regions; one inclusive single-jet region and one region sensitive to vector-boson-fusion topologies. The data are found to be in agreement with the Standard Model predictions and used to constrain a variety of theoretical models for dark-matter production, including simplified models, effective field theory models, and invisible decays of the Higgs boson. The measurements use 3.2 fb $$^{-1}$$ of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 $$\text {TeV}$$ and are fully corrected for detector effects, meaning that the data can be used to constrain new-physics models beyond those shown in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents single lepton and dilepton kinematic distributions measured in dileptonic $$t\bar{t}$$ events produced in 20.2 $$\hbox {fb}^{-1}$$ of $$\sqrt{s}=8$$ TeV pp collisions recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Both absolute and normalised differential cross-sections are measured, using events with an opposite-charge $$e\mu $$ pair and one or two b-tagged jets. The cross-sections are measured in a fiducial region corresponding to the detector acceptance for leptons, and are compared to the predictions from a variety of Monte Carlo event generators, as well as fixed-order QCD calculations, exploring the sensitivity of the cross-sections to the gluon parton distribution function. Some of the distributions are also sensitive to the top quark pole mass; a combined fit of NLO fixed-order predictions to all the measured distributions yields a top quark mass value of $${m_t^{\mathrm {pole}}}=173.2\pm 0.9\pm 0.8\pm 1.2$$ GeV, where the three uncertainties arise from data statistics, experimental systematics, and theoretical sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increase in energy of the Large Hadron Collider to a centre-of-mass energy of 13 $$\text {TeV}$$ for Run 2, events with dense environments, such as in the cores of high-energy jets, became a focus for new physics searches as well as measurements of the Standard Model. These environments are characterized by charged-particle separations of the order of the tracking detectors sensor granularity. Basic track quantities are compared between 3.2 fb $$^{-1}$$ of data collected by the ATLAS experiment and simulation of proton-proton collisions producing high-transverse-momentum jets at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 $$\text {TeV}$$ . The impact of charged-particle separations and multiplicities on the track reconstruction performance is discussed. The track reconstruction efficiency in the cores of jets with transverse momenta between 200 and 1600 $$\text {GeV}$$ is quantified using a novel, data-driven, method. The method uses the energy loss, $${\text { d}}{} \textit{E}/d\textit{x}$$ , to identify pixel clusters originating from two charged particles. Of the charged particles creating these clusters, the measured fraction that fail to be reconstructed is $$0.061 \pm 0.006\ {\text {(stat.)}} \pm 0.014\ {\text {(syst.)}}$$ and $$0.093 \pm 0.017\ {\text {(stat.)}}\pm 0.021\ {\text {(syst.)}}$$ for jet transverse momenta of 200-400 $$\text {GeV}$$ and 1400-1600 $$\text {GeV}$$ , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for new phenomena in final states characterized by high jet multiplicity, an isolated lepton (electron or muon) and either zero or at least three b-tagged jets is presented. The search uses 36.1 fb of $$ \sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016. The dominant sources of background are estimated using parameterized extrapolations, based on observables at medium jet multiplicity, to predict the b-tagged jet multiplicity distribution at the higher jet multiplicities used in the search. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed and 95% confidence-level limits are extracted constraining four simplified models of R-parity-violating supersymmetry that feature either gluino or top-squark pair production. The exclusion limits reach as high as 2.1 TeV in gluino mass and 1.2 TeV in top-squark mass in the models considered. In addition, an upper limit is set on the cross-section for Standard Model $$ t\overline{t}t\overline{t} $$ production of 60 fb (6.5 × the Standard Model prediction) at 95% confidence level. Finally, model-independent limits are set on the contribution from new phenomena to the signal-region yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inclusive jet production cross-sections are measured in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $$ \sqrt{s}=8 $$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The total integrated luminosity of the analysed data set amounts to 20 .2 fb. Double-differential cross-sections are measured for jets defined by the anti- k jet clustering algorithm with radius parameters of R = 0 .4 and R = 0 .6 and are presented as a function of the jet transverse momentum, in the range between 70 GeV and 2.5 TeV and in six bins of the absolute jet rapidity, between 0 and 3 .0. The measured cross-sections are compared to predictions of quantum chromodynamics, calculated at next-to-leading order in perturbation theory, and corrected for non-perturbative and electroweak effects. The level of agreement with predictions, using a selection of different parton distribution functions for the proton, is quantified. Tensions between the data and the theory predictions are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for strongly produced supersymmetric particles using signatures involving multiple energetic jets and either two isolated same-sign leptons ( e or μ), or at least three isolated leptons, is presented. The analysis relies on the identification of b-jets and high missing transverse momentum to achieve good sensitivity. A data sample of proton-proton collisions at $$ \sqrt{s}=13 $$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb, is used for the search. No significant excess over the Standard Model prediction is observed. The results are interpreted in several simplified supersymmetric models featuring R-parity conservation or R-parity violation, extending the exclusion limits from previous searches. In models considering gluino pair production, gluino masses are excluded up to 1.87 TeV at 95% confidence level. When bottom squarks are pair-produced and decay to a chargino and a top quark, models with bottom squark masses below 700 GeV and light neutralinos are excluded at 95% confidence level. In addition, model-independent limits are set on a possible contribution of new phenomena to the signal region yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The top-quark mass is measured in the all-hadronic top-antitop quark decay channel using proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $$ \sqrt{s}=8 $$ TeV with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The data set used in the analysis corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20 .2 fb. The large multi-jet background is modelled using a data-driven method. The top-quark mass is obtained from template fits to the ratio of the three-jet to the dijet mass. The three-jet mass is obtained from the three jets assigned to the top quark decay. From these three jets the dijet mass is obtained using the two jets assigned to the W boson decay. The top-quark mass is measured to be 173 .72 ± 0 .55 (stat .) ± 1 .01 (syst .) GeV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]