Search

Fiducial and differential cross-section measurements of W+W- production in association with at least one hadronic jet are presented. These measurements are sensitive to the properties of electroweak-boson self-interactions and provide a test of perturbative quantum chromodynamics and the electroweak theory. The analysis is performed using proton-proton collision data collected at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1). Events are selected with exactly one oppositely charged electron-muon pair and at least one hadronic jet with a transverse momentum of p(T)> 30 GeV and a pseudorapidity of |eta| 4.5. After subtracting the background contributions and correcting for detector effects, the jet-inclusive W+W-+ >= 1 jet fiducial cross-section and W+W-+ jets differential cross-sections with respect to several kinematic variables are measured. These measurements include leptonic quantities, such as the lepton transverse momenta and the transverse mass of the W+W- system, as well as jet-related observables such as the leading jet transverse momentum and the jet multiplicity. Limits on anomalous triple-gauge-boson couplings are obtained in a phase space where interference between the Standard Model amplitude and the anomalous amplitude is enhanced.

Ratios of top-quark pair to Z-boson cross sections measured from proton-proton-collisions at the LHC centre-of-mass energies of root S = 13 TeV, 8 TeV, and 7 TeV are presented by the ATLAS Collaboration. Single ratios, at a given root S for the two processes and at different root S , for each process, as well as double ratios of the two processes at different root S , are evaluated. The ratios are constructed using previously published ATLAS measurements of the t (t) over bar and Z-boson production cross sections, corrected to a common phase space where required, and a new analysis of Z -> l(+)l(-) where l = e, mu at root S = 13 TeV performed with data collected in 2015 with an integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb(-1). Correlations of systematic uncertainties are taken into account when evaluating the uncertainties in the ratios. The correlation model is also used to evaluate the combined cross section of the Z -> e (+) e (-) and the Z -> mu (+) mu (-) channels for each value. The results are compared to calculations performed at next-to-next-to-leading-order accuracy using recent sets of parton distribution functions. The data demonstrate significant power to constrain the gluon distribution function for the Bjorken-x values near 0.1 and the light-quark sea for x 0.02.

Measurements of the production cross section of a Z boson in association with jets in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13TeV are presented, using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.16 fb(-1) collected by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in 2015. Inclusive and differential cross sections are measured for events containing a Z boson decaying to electrons or muons and produced in association with up to seven jets with p(T) > 30GeV and vertical bar y vertical bar 2.5. Predictions from different Monte Carlo generators based on leading-order and nextto-leading-order matrix elements for up to two additional partons interfaced with parton shower and fixed-order predictions at next-to-leading order and next-to-next-to-leading order are compared with the measured cross sections. Good agreement within the uncertainties is observed for most of the modelled quantities, in particular with the generators which use next-to-leading-order matrix elements and the more recent next-to-next-to-leading-order fixed-order predictions.

A selection of searches by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC for the electroweak production of SUSY particles are used to study their impact on the constraints on dark matter candidates. The searches use 20 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 8 TeV. A likelihood-driven scan of a five-dimensional effective model focusing on the gaugino-higgsino and Higgs sector of the phenomenological minimal supersymmetric Standard Model is performed. This scan uses data from direct dark matter detection experiments, the relic dark matter density and precision flavour physics results. Further constraints from the ATLAS Higgs mass measurement and SUSY searches at LEP are also applied. A subset of models selected from this scan are used to assess the impact of the selected ATLAS searches in this five-dimensional parameter space. These ATLAS searches substantially impact those models for which the mass m((chi) over tilde (0)(1)) of the lightest neutralino is less than 65 GeV, excluding 86% of such models. The searches have limited impact on models with larger m((chi) over tilde (0)(1)) due to either heavy electroweakinos or compressed mass spectra where the mass splittings between the produced particles and the lightest supersymmetric particle is small.

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(-1) 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(1) = 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 delta = 0.002 pi(+0.016 pi)(+0.017 pi), 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(R)/V-L is an element of [-0.12, 0.17] and Im [g(R)/V-L is an element of [-0.07, 0.06]. Constraints are also placed on the ratios vertical bar V-R/V-L vertical bar and vertical bar g(L)/V-L vertical bar. 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.

The production cross sections of top-quark pairs in association with massive vector bosons have been measured using data from pp collisions at root s = 8 TeV. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1) collected by the ATLAS detector in 2012 at the LHC. Final states with two, three or four leptons are considered. A fit to the data considering the t (t) over barW and t (t) over barZ processes simultaneously yields a significance of 5.0 sigma (4.2 sigma) over the background-only hypothesis for t (t) over barW (t (t) over barZ) production. The measured cross sections are sigma(t (t) over barW) = 369(-91)(+100) fb and sigma(t (t) over barZ) = 176(-52)(+58) fb. The background-only hypothesis with neither t (t) over barW nor t (t) over barZ production is excluded at 7.1 sigma. All measurements are consistent with next-to-leading-order calculations for the t (t) over barW and t (t) over barZ processes.

The ATLAS experiment has performed extensive searches for the electroweak production of charginos, neutralinos, and staus. This article summarizes and extends the search for electroweak supersymmetry with new analyses targeting scenarios not covered by previously published searches. New searches use vector-boson fusion production, initial-state radiation jets, and low-momentum lepton final states, as well as multivariate analysis techniques to improve the sensitivity to scenarios with small mass splittings and low-production cross sections. Results are based on 20 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess beyond Standard Model expectations is observed. The new and existing searches are combined and interpreted in terms of 95% confidence-level exclusion limits in simplified models, where a single production process and decay mode is assumed, as well as within phenomenological supersymmetric models.

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 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity from proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. To cover a range of mass differences between the top squark (t) over tilde and lighter supersymmetric particles, four possible decay modes of the top squark are targeted with dedicated selections: the decay (t) over tilde -> b (chi) over tilde (+/-)(1) into a b-quark and the lightest chargino with (chi) over tilde (+/-)(1) W (chi) over tilde (0)(1),the decay (t) over tilde -> t (chi) over tilde (0)(1) into an on-shell top quark and the lightest neutralino, the three-body decay (t) over tilde -> bW (chi) over tilde (0)(1) and the four-body decay (t) over tilde -> bl nu(chi) over tilde (0)(1). 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 (t) over tilde and (chi) over tilde (0)(1) masses. The results exclude at 95% confidence level (t) over tilde masses up to about 720 GeV, extending the exclusion region of supersymmetric parameter space covered by previous searches.

Fiducial and differential cross-section measurements of W+W- production in association with at least one hadronic jet are presented. These measurements are sensitive to the properties of electroweak-boson self-interactions and provide a test of perturbative quantum chromodynamics and the electroweak theory. The analysis is performed using proton-proton collision data collected at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1). Events are selected with exactly one oppositely charged electron-muon pair and at least one hadronic jet with a transverse momentum of p(T)> 30 GeV and a pseudorapidity of |eta| 4.5. After subtracting the background contributions and correcting for detector effects, the jet-inclusive W+W-+ >= 1 jet fiducial cross-section and W+W-+ jets differential cross-sections with respect to several kinematic variables are measured. These measurements include leptonic quantities, such as the lepton transverse momenta and the transverse mass of the W+W- system, as well as jet-related observables such as the leading jet transverse momentum and the jet multiplicity. Limits on anomalous triple-gauge-boson couplings are obtained in a phase space where interference between the Standard Model amplitude and the anomalous amplitude is enhanced.

A search is presented for the direct pair production of a chargino and a neutralino pp -> (X) over tilde (+/-)(1)(X) over tilde (0)(2), where the chargino decays to the lightest neutralino and the W boson, (X) over tilde (+/-)(1) -> (X) over tilde (0)(1) (W-+/- -> l(+/-)nu), while the neutralino decays to the lightest neutralino and the 125 GeV Higgs boson, (X) over tilde (0)(2) -> (X) over tilde (0)(1) (h -> bb/gamma gamma/l(+/-)nu qq). The final states considered for the search have large missing transverse momentum, an isolated electron or muon, and one of the following: either two jets identified as originating from bottom quarks, or two photons, or a second electron or muon with the same electric charge. The analysis is based on 20.3 fb(-1) of root s = 8 TeV proton-proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with the Standard Model expectations, and limits are set in the context of a simplified supersymmetric model.

The identification of jets containing b hadrons is important for the physics programme of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Several algorithms to identify jets containing b hadrons are described, ranging from those based on the reconstruction of an inclusive secondary vertex or the presence of tracks with large impact parameters to combined tagging algorithms making use of multi-variate discriminants. An independent b-tagging algorithm based on the reconstruction of muons inside jets as well as the b-tagging algorithm used in the online trigger are also presented. The b-jet tagging efficiency, the c-jet tagging efficiency and the mistag rate for light flavour jets in data have been measured with a number of complementary methods. The calibration results are presented as scale factors defined as the ratio of the efficiency (or mistag rate) in data to that in simulation. In the case of b jets, where more than one calibration method exists, the results from the various analyses have been combined taking into account the statistical correlation as well as the correlation of the sources of systematic uncertainty.

A search for the pair production of heavy leptons as predicted by the type-III seesaw mechanism is presented. The search uses proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13TeV, corresponding to 139 fb-1 of integrated luminosity recorded by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis focuses on the final state with two light leptons (electrons or muons) of different flavour and charge combinations, with at least two jets and large missing transverse momentum. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed. The results are translated into exclusion limits on heavy-lepton masses, and the observed lower limit on the mass of the type-III seesaw heavy leptons is 790GeV at 95% confidence level.

A search for the flavour-changing neutral-current decay is presented. Data collected by the ATLAS detector during 2012 from proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1), are analysed. Top-quark pair-production events with one top quark decaying through the t -> qZ (q = u,c) channel and the other through the dominant Standard Model mode t -> bW are considered as signal. Only the decays of the Z boson to charged leptons and leptonic W boson decays are used. No evidence for a signal is found and an observed (expected) upper limit on the t -> qZ branching ratio of 7 x 10(-4) (8 x 10(-4)) is set at the 95 % confidence level.

This Letter presents evidence for single top-quark production in the s-channel using proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The analysis is performed on events containing one isolated electron or muon, large missing transverse momentum and exactly two b-tagged jets in the final state. The analysed data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1). The signal is extracted using a maximum-likelihood fit of a discriminant which is based on the matrix element method and optimized in order 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 heavy-flavour jets. The measurement leads to an observed signal significance of 3.2 standard deviations and a measured cross-section of sigma s = 4.8 +/- 0.8(stat.)(-1.3)(+1.6)(syst.) pb, which is consistent with the Standard Model expectation. The expected significance for the analysis is 3.9 standard deviations. (C) 2016 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.

A test of CP invariance in Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion using the method of the Optimal Observable is presented. The analysis exploits the decay mode of the Higgs boson into a pair of t leptons and is based on 20.3 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 8 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Contributions from CP-violating interactions between the Higgs boson and electroweak gauge bosons are described in an effective field theory framework, in which the strength of CP violation is governed by a single parameter (d) over tilde. The mean values and distributions of CP-odd observables agree with the expectation in the Standard Model and show no sign of CP violation. The CP-mixing parameter (d) over tilde is constrained to the interval (-0.11, 0.05) at 68% confidence level, consistent with the Standard Model expectation of (d) over tilde = 0.

Measurements of the ZZ and WW final states in the mass range above the 2m(Z) and 2m(W) thresholds provide a unique opportunity to measure the off-shell coupling strength of the Higgs boson. This paper presents constraints on the off-shell Higgs boson event yields normalised to the Standard Model prediction (signal strength) in the ZZ -> 4l, ZZ -> 2l2 nu and WW -> e nu mu nu final states. The result is based on pp collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1) at a collision energy of root s = 8 TeV. Using the CLs method, the observed 95 % confidence level (CL) upper limit on the off-shell signal strength is in the range 5.1-8.6, with an expected range of 6.7-11.0. In each case the range is determined by varying the unknown gg -> ZZ and gg -> WW background K-factor from higher-order quantum chromodynamics corrections between half and twice the value of the known signal K-factor. Assuming the relevant Higgs boson couplings are independent of the energy scale of the Higgs boson production, a combination with the on-shell measurements yields an observed (expected) 95 % CL upper limit on Gamma(H)/Gamma(SM)(H) in the range 4.5-7.5 (6.5-11.2) using the same variations of the background K-factor. Assuming that the unknown gg -> VV background K-factor is equal to the signal K-factor, this translates into an observed (expected) 95 % CL upper limit on the Higgs boson total width of 22.7 (33.0) MeV.

Measurements of the production cross section of a Z boson in association with jets in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13TeV are presented, using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.16 fb(-1) collected by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in 2015. Inclusive and differential cross sections are measured for events containing a Z boson decaying to electrons or muons and produced in association with up to seven jets with p(T) > 30GeV and vertical bar y vertical bar 2.5. Predictions from different Monte Carlo generators based on leading-order and nextto-leading-order matrix elements for up to two additional partons interfaced with parton shower and fixed-order predictions at next-to-leading order and next-to-next-to-leading order are compared with the measured cross sections. Good agreement within the uncertainties is observed for most of the modelled quantities, in particular with the generators which use next-to-leading-order matrix elements and the more recent next-to-next-to-leading-order fixed-order predictions.

The ATLAS experiment at the LHC has measured the Higgs boson couplings and mass, and searched for invisible Higgs boson decays, using multiple production and decay channels with up to 4.7 fb(-1) of pp collision data at root S = 7 TeV and 20.3 fb(-1) at root s = 8 TeV. In the current study, the measured production and decay rates of the observed Higgs boson in the gamma gamma, ZZ, WW, Z gamma, bb, tau tau, and mu mu decay channels, along with results from the associated production of a Higgs boson with a top-quark pair, are used to probe the scaling of the couplings with mass. Limits are set on parameters in extensions of the Standard Model including a composite Higgs boson, an additional electroweak singlet, and two-Higgs-doublet models. Together with the measured mass of the scalar Higgs boson in the gamma gamma and ZZ decay modes, a lower limit is set on the pseudoscalar Higgs boson mass of m(A) > 370 GeV in the hMSSM simplified Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model. Results from direct searches for heavy Higgs bosons are also interpreted in the hMSSM. Direct searches for invisible Higgs boson decays in the vector-boson fusion and associated production of a Higgs boson with W/Z (Z -> ll, W/Z -> jj) modes are statistically combined to set an upper limit on the Higgs boson invisible branching ratio of 0.25. The use of the measured visible decay rates in a more general coupling fit improves the upper limit to 0.23, constraining a Higgs portal model of dark matter.

Ratios of top-quark pair to Z-boson cross sections measured from proton-proton-collisions at the LHC centre-of-mass energies of root S = 13 TeV, 8 TeV, and 7 TeV are presented by the ATLAS Collaboration. Single ratios, at a given root S for the two processes and at different root S , for each process, as well as double ratios of the two processes at different root S , are evaluated. The ratios are constructed using previously published ATLAS measurements of the t (t) over bar and Z-boson production cross sections, corrected to a common phase space where required, and a new analysis of Z -> l(+)l(-) where l = e, mu at root S = 13 TeV performed with data collected in 2015 with an integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb(-1). Correlations of systematic uncertainties are taken into account when evaluating the uncertainties in the ratios. The correlation model is also used to evaluate the combined cross section of the Z -> e (+) e (-) and the Z -> mu (+) mu (-) channels for each value. The results are compared to calculations performed at next-to-next-to-leading-order accuracy using recent sets of parton distribution functions. The data demonstrate significant power to constrain the gluon distribution function for the Bjorken-x values near 0.1 and the light-quark sea for x 0.02.

The production of opposite-charge W-boson pairs in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV is measured using data corresponding to 3.16 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in 2015. Candidate W-boson pairs are selected by identifying their leptonic decays into an electron, a muon and neutrinos. Events with reconstructed jets are not included in the candidate event sample. The cross-section measurement is performed in a fiducial phase space close to the experimental acceptance and is compared to theoretical predictions. Agreement is found between the measurement and the most accurate calculations available. (C) 2017 The Author. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A search for a heavy neutral Higgs boson, A, decaying into a Z boson and another heavy Higgs boson, H, is performed using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1) from proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The search considers the Z boson decaying into electrons or muons and the H boson into a pair of b-quarks or W bosons. The mass range considered is 230-800 GeV for the A boson and 130-700 GeV for the H boson. The data are in good agreement with the background predicted by the Standard Model, and therefore 95% confidence-level upper limits for sigma x B( A -> ZH) x B(H -> bb or H -> WW) are set. The upper limits are in the range 0.0062-0.380 pb for the H. bb channel and in the range 0.023-8.9 pb for the H -> WW channel. An interpretation of the results in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models is also given.

A search for non-resonant Higgs boson pair production, as predicted by the Standard Model, is presented, where one of the Higgs bosons decays via the H -> bb channel and the other via one of the H -> WW*/ZZ*/tau tau channels. The analysis selection requires events to have at least two b-tagged jets and exactly two leptons (electrons or muons) with opposite electric charge in the final state. Candidate events consistent with Higgs boson pair production are selected using a multi-class neural network discriminant. The analysis uses 139 fb(-1) of pp collision data recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. An observed (expected) upper limit of 1.2 (0.9(-0.3)(+0.4)) pb is set on the non-resonant Higgs boson pair production cross-section at 95% confidence level, which is equivalent to 40 (29(-9)(+14)) times the value predicted in the Standard Model. (C) 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.

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(-1) 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(1) = 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 delta = 0.002 pi(+0.016 pi)(+0.017 pi), 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(R)/V-L is an element of [-0.12, 0.17] and Im [g(R)/V-L is an element of [-0.07, 0.06]. Constraints are also placed on the ratios vertical bar V-R/V-L vertical bar and vertical bar g(L)/V-L vertical bar. 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.

This paper presents a measurement of the polarisation of W bosons from t (t) over bar t decays, reconstructed in events with one high-p(T) lepton and at least four jets. Data from pp collisions at the LHC were collected at root s = 8 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 20.2 fb(-1). The angle theta* between the b-quark from the top quark decay and a direct W boson decay product in the W boson rest frame is sensitive to the W boson polarisation. Two different W decay products are used as polarisation analysers: the charged lepton and the down-type quark for the leptonically and hadronically decaying W boson, respectively. The most precise measurement of the W boson polarisation via the distribution of cos theta* is obtained using the leptonic analyser and events in which at least two of the jets are tagged as b-quark jets. The fitted fractions of longitudinal, left-and right-handed polarisation states are F-0 = 0.709 +/- 0.019, F-L = 0.299 +/- 0.015 and F-R = - 0.008 +/- 0.014, and are the most precisely measured W boson polarisation fractions to date. Limits on anomalous couplings of the W tb vertex are set.

A search for heavy neutral Higgs bosons is performed using the LHC Run 2 data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector. The search for heavy resonances is performed over the mass range 0.2-2.5 TeV for the tau(+)tau(-) decay with at least one tau-lepton decaying into final states with hadrons. The data are in good agreement with the background prediction of the standard model. In the M-h(125) scenario of the minimal supersymmetric standard model, values of tan beta > 8 and tan beta > 21 are excluded at the 95% confidence level for neutral Higgs boson masses of 1.0 and 1.5 TeV, respectively, where tan beta is the ratio of the vacuum expectation values of the two Higgs doublets.

A search for direct pair production of the supersymmetric partner of the top quark, decaying via a scalar tau to a nearly massless gravitino, has been performed using 20 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 8 TeV. The data were collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2012. Top squark candidates are searched for in events with either two hadronically decaying tau leptons, one hadronically decaying tau and one light lepton, or two light leptons. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is found. Exclusion limits at 95 % confidence level are set as a function of the top squark and scalar tau masses. Depending on the scalar tau mass, ranging from the 87 GeV LEP limit to the top squark mass, lower limits between 490 and 650 GeV are placed on the top squark mass within the model considered.

Combined ATLAS and CMS measurements of the Higgs boson production and decay rates, as well as constraints on its couplings to vector bosons and fermions, are presented. The combination is based on the analysis of five production processes, namely gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, and associated production with a W or a Z boson or a pair of top quarks, and of the six decay modes H -> ZZ; WW, gamma gamma; tau tau; bb, and mu mu. All results are reported assuming a value of 125: 09 GeV for the Higgs boson mass, the result of the combined measurement by the ATLAS and CMS experiments. The analysis uses the CERN LHC proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS and CMS experiments in 2011 and 2012, corresponding to integrated luminosities per experiment of approximately 5 fb(-1) at root s = 7TeV and 20 fb(-1) at root s = 8TeV. The Higgs boson production and decay rates measured by the two experiments are combined within the context of three generic parameterisations: two based on cross sections and branching fractions, and one on ratios of coupling modifiers. Several interpretations of the measurements with more model-dependent parameterisations are also given. The combined signal yield relative to the Standard Model prediction is measured to be 1.09 +/- 0.11. The combined measurements lead to observed significances for the vector boson fusion production process and for the H -> tau tau decay of 5.4 and 5.5 standard deviations, respectively. The data are consistent with the Standard Model predictions for all parameterisations considered.

A search is presented for the pair production of heavy vector-like T quarks, primarily targeting the T quark decays to a W boson and a b-quark. The search is based on 36: 1 fb(-1) of pp collisions at root s = 13TeV 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, including at least one b-tagged jet and a large-radius jet identified as originating from the hadronic decay of a high-momentum W boson. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed in the reconstructed T mass distribution. The observed 95% confidence level lower limit on the T mass are 1350 GeV assuming 100% branching ratio to Wb. In the SU(2) singlet scenario, the lower mass limit is 1170 GeV. This search is also sensitive to a heavy vector-like B quark decaying to Wt and other final states. The results are thus reinterpreted to provide a 95% con fidence level lower limit on the B quark mass at 1250 GeV assuming 100% branching ratio to Wt; in the SU(2) singlet scenario, the limit is 1080 GeV. Mass limits on both T and B production are also set as a function of the decay branching ratios. The 100% branching ratio limits are found to be applicable to heavy vector-like Y and X production that decay to Wb and Wt, respectively.

This paper presents a search for direct top squark pair production in events with missing transverse momentum plus either a pair of jets consistent with Standard Model Higgs boson decay into b-quarks or a same-flavour opposite-sign dilepton pair with an invariant mass consistent with a Z boson. The analysis is performed using the proton-proton collision data at root s = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector during the LHC Run-2, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1). No excess is observed in the data above the Standard Model predictions. The results are interpreted in simplified models featuring direct production of pairs of either the lighter top squark ((t) over tilde (1)) or the heavier top squark ((t) over tilde (2)), excluding at 95% confidence level (t) over tilde (1) and (t) over tilde2 masses up to about 1220 and 875 GeV, respectively.

The production cross sections of top-quark pairs in association with massive vector bosons have been measured using data from pp collisions at root s = 8 TeV. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1) collected by the ATLAS detector in 2012 at the LHC. Final states with two, three or four leptons are considered. A fit to the data considering the t (t) over barW and t (t) over barZ processes simultaneously yields a significance of 5.0 sigma (4.2 sigma) over the background-only hypothesis for t (t) over barW (t (t) over barZ) production. The measured cross sections are sigma(t (t) over barW) = 369(-91)(+100) fb and sigma(t (t) over barZ) = 176(-52)(+58) fb. The background-only hypothesis with neither t (t) over barW nor t (t) over barZ production is excluded at 7.1 sigma. All measurements are consistent with next-to-leading-order calculations for the t (t) over barW and t (t) over barZ processes.