The inclusive WZ production cross section is measured in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13.6 TeV, using data collected during 2022 with the CMS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34.7 fb$^{-1}$. The measurement uses multileptonic final states and a simultaneous likelihood fit to the number of events in four different lepton flavour categories: eee, ee$\mu$, $\mu\mu $e, and $\mu\mu\mu$. The selection is optimized to minimize the number of background events, and relies on an efficient prompt lepton discrimination strategy. The WZ production cross section is measured in a phase space defined within a 30 GeV window around the Z boson mass, as $\sigma_{\text{total}}$(pp $\to$ WZ) = 55.2 $\pm$ 1.2 (stat) $\pm$ 1.2 (syst) $\pm$ 0.8 (lumi) $\pm$ 0.3 (theo) pb. In addition, the cross section is measured in a fiducial phase space closer to the detector-level requirements. All the measurements presented in this paper are in agreement with standard model predictions.
Number of events for the different lepton flavour categories in the ZZ control region accounting for the fit to data. The hatched band includes all systematic uncertainties in the MC prediction. The vertical bars of the data account for the statistical uncertainty. The ratio panels show the ratio between data (black markers) with respect to the total prediction after the fit to data. Processes with a small contribution to this region are grouped in the ``Other" category
Number of events for the different lepton flavour categories in the ttZ control region accounting for the fit to data. The hatched band includes all systematic uncertainties in the MC prediction. The vertical bars of the data account for the statistical uncertainty. The ratio panels show the ratio between data (black markers) with respect to the total prediction after the fit to data. Processes with a small contribution to this region are grouped in the ``Other" category
Number of events for the different lepton flavour categories in the X+#gamma control region accounting for the fit to data. The hatched band includes all systematic uncertainties in the MC prediction. The vertical bars of the data account for the statistical uncertainty. The ratio panels show the ratio between data (black markers) with respect to the total prediction after the fit to data. Processes with a small contribution to this region are grouped in the ``Other" category
A direct search for new heavy neutral Higgs bosons A and H in the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$Z channel is presented, targeting the process pp $\to$ A $\to$ ZH with H $\to$$\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$. For the first time, the channel with decays of the Z boson to muons or electrons in association with all-hadronic decays of the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$ system is targeted. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data collected at the CERN LHC with the CMS experiment at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, which correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. No signal is observed. Upper limits on the product of the cross section and branching fractions are derived for narrow resonances A and H with masses up to 2100 and 2000 GeV, respectively, assuming A boson production through gluon fusion. The results are also interpreted within two-Higgs-doublet models, where A and H are CP-odd and CP-even states, respectively, complementing and substantially extending the reach of previous searches.
Distributions of p_T(Z) × ∆m in the SR after the fit to data with a (mA , mH) signal hypothesis of (1000, 350) GeV. The post-fit signal yields are compatible with zero events in all bins. The pre-fit signal is arbitrarily scaled and therefore omitted.
Distributions of p_T(Z) × ∆m in the SR after the fit to data with a (mA , mH) signal hypothesis of (1000, 350) GeV. The post-fit signal yields are compatible with zero events in all bins. The pre-fit signal is arbitrarily scaled and therefore omitted.
Distributions of p_T(Z) × ∆m in the SR after the fit to data with a (mA , mH) signal hypothesis of (1000, 850) GeV. The pre-fit signal is arbitrarily scaled and therefore omitted.
The STAR Collaboration reports precise measurements of the longitudinal double-spin asymmetry, $A_{LL}$, for dijet production with at least one jet at intermediate pseudorapidity $0.8 < η_{\rm jet} < 1.8$ in polarized proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 200 GeV. This study explores partons scattered with a longitudinal momentum fraction ($x$) from 0.01 to 0.5, which are predominantly characterized by interactions between high-$x$ valence quarks and low-$x$ gluons. The results are in good agreement with previous measurements at 200 GeV with improved precision and are found to be consistent with the predictions of global analyses that find the gluon polarization to be positive. In contrast, the negative gluon polarization solution from the JAM Collaboration is found to be strongly disfavored.
$A_{LL}$ as a function of parton-level invariant mass for dijets with the East barrel-endcap.
$A_{LL}$ as a function of parton-level invariant mass for dijets with the West barrel-endcap.
$A_{LL}$ as a function of parton-level invariant mass for dijets with the endcap-endcap.
A standard model effective field theory (SMEFT) analysis with dimension-six operators probing nonresonant new physics effects is performed in the Higgs-strahlung process, where the Higgs boson is produced in association with a W or Z boson, in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The final states in which the W or Z boson decays leptonically and the Higgs boson decays to a pair of bottom quarks are considered. The analyzed data were collected by the CMS experiment between 2016 and 2018 and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. An approach designed to simultaneously optimize the sensitivity to Wilson coefficients of multiple SMEFT operators is employed. Likelihood scans as functions of the Wilson coefficients that carry SMEFT sensitivity in this final state are performed for different expansions in SMEFT. The results are consistent with the predictions of the standard model.
Summary of results in terms of best fit value of the Wilson coefficients and the intervals where the test statistic is below 1 and 4, with up to the linear and quadratic terms in the SMEFT parameterization.
Profiled limits on the energy scale $\Lambda$ for three different assumptions for each Wilson coefficient while fixing the other Wilson coefficients to their SM values with up to the linear and quadratic terms in SMEFT parameterization.
Observed two-dimensional likelihood scans for $c_{Hq}^{(1)}$ vs. $c_{Hq}^{(3)}$ while allowing the other coefficients to float freely at each point of the sca.
A search is presented for rare decays of the Z and Higgs bosons to a photon and a J/$\psi$ or a $\psi$(2S) meson, with the charmonium state subsequentially decaying to a pair of muons. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 123 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. No evidence for branching fractions of these rare decay channels larger than predicted in the standard model is observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set: $\mathcal{B}$(H $\to$ J/$\psi \gamma$) $\lt$ 2.6 $\times$ 10$^{-4}$, $\mathcal{B}$(H $\to$ $\psi$(2S)$\gamma$) $\lt$ 9.9 $\times$ 10$^{-4}$, $\mathcal{B}$(Z $\to$ J/$\psi \gamma$) $\lt$ 0.6 $\times$ 10$^{-6}$, and $\mathcal{B}$(Z $\to$ $\psi$(2S)$\gamma$) $\lt$ 1.3 $\times$ 10$^{-6}$. The ratio of the Higgs boson coupling modifiers $\kappa_\mathrm{c} / \kappa_\gamma$ is constrained to be in the interval ($-$157, $+$199) at 95% confidence level. Assuming $\kappa_\gamma = 1$, this interval becomes ($-$166, $+$208).
Invariant mass distribution of final state particles in SR1 ggF-HP category ($\text{H}\to\text{J}/\psi\gamma$ signal)
Invariant mass distribution of final state particles in SR1 ggF-LP category ($\text{H}\to\text{J}/\psi\gamma$ signal)
Invariant mass distribution of final state particles in SR1 VBF category ($\text{H}\to\text{J}/\psi\gamma$ signal)
A full set of optimized observables is measured in an angular analysis of the decay B$^0$$\to$ K$^*$(892)$^0\mu^+\mu^-$ using a sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis is performed in six bins of the squared invariant mass of the dimuon system, $q^2$, over the range 1.1 $\lt$$q^2$$\lt$ 16 GeV$^2$. The results are among the most precise experimental measurements of the angular observables for this decay and are compared to a variety of predictions based on the standard model. Some of these predictions exhibit tension with the measurements.
Results for the $F_\mathrm{L}$ angular observable. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic.
Results for the $P_1$ angular observable. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic.
Results for the $P_2$ angular observable. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic.
Top-quark pair production is observed in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}=5.02$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider with the ATLAS detector. The data sample was recorded in 2015 and 2018, amounting to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. Events with exactly one electron and one muon and at least two jets are selected. Top-quark pair production is measured with an observed (expected) significance of 5.0 (4.1) standard deviations. The measured top-quark pair production cross-section is $\sigma_{t\bar{t}} = 3.6\;^{+1.0}_{-0.9}\;\mathrm{(stat.)}\;^{+0.8}_{-0.5}\;\mathrm{(syst.)} ~\mathrm{\mu b}$, with a total relative uncertainty of 31%, and is consistent with theoretical predictions using a range of different nuclear parton distribution functions. The observation of this process consolidates the evidence of the existence of all quark flavors in the pre-equilibrium stage of the quark-gluon plasma at very high energy densities, similar to the conditions present in the early universe.
The figure shows the post-fit distribution of events as a function of the dilepton invariant mass ($m_{e\mu}$), in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the SR1 (Signal Region 1 (SR\(_1\)):} Events with exactly one muon and one oppositely charged electron, a dilepton invariant mass \( m_{e\mu} \geq 30 \, \mathrm{GeV} \), at least two jets with \( p_T \geq 35 \, \mathrm{GeV} \), and a dilepton transverse momentum \( p_T^{e\mu} > 40 \, \mathrm{GeV} \). This region is expected to be signal-dominated) channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield.
The figure shows the post-fit distribution of events as a function of the dilepton invariant mass ($m_{e\mu}$), in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the SR2 (Signal Region 2 (SR\(_2\)):} Events meeting the same criteria as SR\(_1\), but with a dilepton transverse momentum \( p_T^{e\mu} \leq 40 \, \mathrm{GeV} \). This region includes events with a lower \( p_T^{e\mu} \) and has a larger background contribution) channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield.
The impact of systematic uncertainties on the fitted signal-strength parameter $\hat{\mu}$ for the combined fit of all channels. Only the 10 most significant systematic uncertainties are shown and listed in decreasing order of their impact on $\mu$ on the $y$-axis. The empty (filled) blue/cyan boxes correspond to the pre-fit (post-fit) impact on $\mu$, referring to the upper $x$-axis. The impact of each systematic uncertainty, $\Delta \mu$, is calculated by comparing the nominal best-fit value of $\mu$ with the result of the fit when fixing the corresponding nuisance parameter $\theta$ to its best-fit value $\hat{\theta}$ shifted by its pre-fit (post-fit) uncertainties $\hat{\theta} \pm \Delta \theta(\hat{\theta} \pm \Delta \hat{\theta})$. The black points, which refer to the lower $x$-axis, show the pulls of the fitted nuisance parameters, i.e., the deviations of the fitted parameters $\hat{\theta}$ from their nominal values $\theta_0$, normalized to their nominal uncertainties $\Delta \theta$. The black lines show the post-fit uncertainties of the nuisance parameters, relative to their nominal uncertainties, which are indicated by the dashed lines.
A measurement of the $B^{0}$ meson lifetime and related properties using $B^0 \to J/ψK^{*0}$ decays in data from 13 TeV proton-proton collisions with an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented. The measured effective lifetime is $$ τ= 1.5053 \pm 0.0012 ~\mathrm{(stat.)} \pm 0.0035 ~\mathrm{(syst.)~ps}. $$ The average decay width extracted from the effective lifetime, using parameters from external sources, is $$ Γ_d = 0.6639 \pm 0.0005 ~\mathrm{(stat.)} \pm 0.0016 ~\mathrm{(syst.)}\pm 0.0038 ~\textrm{(ext.)} \textrm{ ps}^{-1}, $$ where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic and from external sources. The earlier ATLAS measurement of $Γ_s$ in the $B^0_s \to J/ψϕ$ decay was used to derive a value for the ratio of the average decay widths $Γ_d$ and $Γ_s$ for $B^{0}$ and $B_s^{0}$ mesons respectively, of $$ \frac{Γ_d }{Γ_s } = 0.9905 \pm 0.0022 ~\textrm{(stat.)} \pm 0.0036 ~\textrm{(syst.)} \pm 0.0057 ~\textrm{(ext.)}. $$ The measured lifetime, average decay width and decay width ratio are in agreement with theoretical predictions and with measurements by other experiments. This measurement provides the most precise result of the effective lifetime of the $B^{0}$ meson to date.
The measured effective lifetime for the $B^0 \rightarrow J/\psi\,K^{*0}$ decay.
The measured average decay width $\Gamma_{d}\,$ extracted from the average lifetime.
The measured ratio $\Gamma_{d} / \Gamma_{s}\,$ of the average decay widths.
This article presents a search for a heavy charged Higgs boson produced in association with a top quark and a bottom quark, and decaying into a $W$ boson and a $125$ GeV Higgs boson $h$. The search is performed in final states with one charged lepton, missing transverse momentum, and jets using proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the LHC at CERN. This data set corresponds to a total integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The search is conducted by examining the reconstructed invariant mass distribution of the $Wh$ candidates for evidence of a localised excess in the charged Higgs boson mass range from $250$ GeV to $3$ TeV. No significant excess is observed and 95% confidence-level upper limits between $2.8$ pb and $1.2$ fb are placed on the production cross-section times branching ratio for charged Higgs bosons decaying into $Wh$.
Upper limit at the 95% CL on the product of the cross-section for the $pp \rightarrow tb H^{\pm}$ process and the branching ratio $B(W^{\pm} \times B (h \rightarrow b \bar{b} ))$ from the combined fit to all signal and control regions of the resolved analysis.
Upper limit at the 95% CL on the product of the cross-section for the $pp \rightarrow tb H^{\pm}$ process and the branching ratio $B(W^{\pm} \times B (h \rightarrow b \bar{b} ))$ from the combined fit to all signal and control regions of the merged analysis.
Product of acceptance and efficiency for pp->tbH(->Wh) as function of the charged Higgs boson mass for the resolved qqbb low-purity signal region.
A search for the production of three Higgs bosons ($HHH$) in the $b\bar{b}b\bar{b}b\bar{b}$ final state is presented. The search uses $126~\text{fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis targets both non-resonant and resonant production of $HHH$. The resonant interpretations primarily consider a cascade decay topology of $X\rightarrow SH\rightarrow HHH$ with masses of the new scalars $X$ and $S$ up to 1.5 TeV and 1 TeV, respectively. In addition to scenarios where $S$ is off-shell, the non-resonant interpretation includes a search for standard model (SM) $HHH$ production, with limits on the tri-linear and quartic Higgs self-coupling set. No evidence for $HHH$ production is observed. An upper limit of 59 fb is set, at 95% confidence level, on the cross-section for Standard-Model $HHH$ production.
Jet pairing efficiencies over the parameter space for the SM-like $(\kappa_3,\kappa_4)$ scan. The pairing efficiency is evaluated in the 6$b$ region when a correct pairing is possible — that is, the six leading jets are geometrically matched to truth-level b-quarks.
Jet pairing efficiencies over the parameter space for the TRSM signals. The pairing efficiency is evaluated in the 6$b$ region when a correct pairing is possible — that is, the six leading jets are geometrically matched to truth-level b-quarks.
Jet pairing efficiencies over the parameter space for the narrow-width heavy resonance signals. The pairing efficiency is evaluated in the 6$b$ region when a correct pairing is possible — that is, the six leading jets are geometrically matched to truth-level b-quarks.