This Letter presents a normalized differential cross-section measurement in a fiducial phase-space region where interference effects between top-quark pair production and associated production of a single top quark with a $W$ boson and a $b$-quark are significant. Events with exactly two leptons ($ee$, $\mu\mu$, or $e\mu$) and two $b$-tagged jets that satisfy a multi-particle invariant mass requirement are selected from $36.1$ fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data taken at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2015 and 2016. The results are compared with predictions from simulations using various strategies for the interference. The standard prescriptions for interference modeling are significantly different from each other but are within $2\sigma$ of the data. State-of-the-art predictions that naturally incorporate interference effects provide the best description of the data in the measured region of phase space most sensitive to these effects. These results provide an important constraint on interference models and will guide future model development and tuning.
The minimax-mbl distribution in the three-b-tag region, constructed from the two b-jets with largest transverse momentum. The predicted tt+HF contribution from simulation is scaled to match observed data in this region. The hashed band indicates the uncertainty on the total number of predicted events, where the DR scheme is used to estimate the minor contribution from the tW process. Uncertainties include all statistical and systematic sources.
The detector-level minimax-mbl distribution, with signal selection and background estimation as described in the text. The total predicted events are shown for both the DR and DS definitions of the tW process, with uncertainties on the respective estimates indicated by separate error bars. Uncertainties include all statistical and systematic sources.
The unfolded, normalized differential minimax-mbl cross-section compared with theoretical models of the tt+tWb signal with various implementations of interference effects. The uncertainty of each data point includes all statistical and systematic sources, while uncertainties for each of the MC predictions correspond to variations of the PDF set and renormalization and factorization scales.
A search for pair production of the supersymmetric partners of the Higgs boson (higgsinos $\tilde{H}$) in gauge-mediated scenarios is reported. Each higgsino is assumed to decay to a Higgs boson and a gravitino. Two complementary analyses, targeting high- and low-mass signals, are performed to maximize sensitivity. The two analyses utilize LHC $pp$ collision data at a center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV, the former with an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ and the latter with 24.3 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016. The search is performed in events containing missing transverse momentum and several energetic jets, at least three of which must be identified as $b$-quark jets. No significant excess is found above the predicted background. Limits on the cross-section are set as a function of the mass of the $\tilde{H}$ in simplified models assuming production via mass-degenerate higgsinos decaying to a Higgs boson and a gravitino. Higgsinos with masses between 130 and 230 GeV and between 290 and 880 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. Interpretations of the limits in terms of the branching ratio of the higgsino to a $Z$ boson or a Higgs boson are also presented, and a 45% branching ratio to a Higgs boson is excluded for $m_{\tilde{H}} \approx 400$ GeV.
Distribution of m(h1) for events passing the preselection criteria of the high-mass analysis.
Distribution of effective mass for events passing the preselection criteria of the high-mass analysis.
Exclusion limits on higgsino pair production. The results of the low-mass analysis are used below m(higgsino) = 300 GeV, while those of the high-mass analysis are used above. The figure shows the observed and expected 95% upper limits on the higgsino pair production cross-section as a function of m(higgsino).
This Letter presents the observation of the rare Z boson decay Z $\to\psi\ell^+\ell^-$. Here, $\psi$ represents contributions from direct J/$\psi$ and $\psi$(2S) $\to$ J/$\psi X$, $\ell^+\ell^-$ is a pair of electrons or muons, and the J/$\psi$ meson is detected via its decay to $\mu^+\mu^-$. The sample of proton-proton collision data, collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. The signal is observed with a significance in excess of 5 standard deviations. After subtraction of the $\psi$(2S) $\to$ J/$\psi X$ contribution, the ratio of the branching fraction of the exclusive decay Z $\to\psi\ell^+\ell^-$ to the decay Z $\to\mu^+\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-$ within a fiducial phase space is measured to be $\mathcal{B}($Z $\to\psi\ell^+\ell^-) / \mathcal{B}($Z $\to\mu^+\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-) =$ 0.67 $\pm$ 0.18 (stat) $\pm$ 0.05 (syst).
branching fraction ratio of Z->J/psi+2 leptons over Z->4muons for the phase space defined above
A search for electroweak production of supersymmetric particles is performed in two-lepton and three-lepton final states using recursive jigsaw reconstruction. The search uses data collected in 2015 and 2016 by the ATLAS experiment in $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV proton--proton collisions at the CERN Large Hadron Collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$. Chargino-neutralino pair production, with decays via W/Z bosons, is studied in final states involving leptons and jets and missing transverse momentum for scenarios with large and intermediate mass-splittings between the parent particle and lightest supersymmetric particle, as well as for the scenario where this mass splitting is close to the mass of the Z boson. The latter case is challenging since the vector bosons are produced with kinematic properties that are similar to those in Standard Model processes. Results are found to be compatible with the Standard Model expectations in the signal regions targeting large and intermediate mass-splittings, and chargino-neutralino masses up to 600 GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level for a massless lightest supersymmetric particle. Excesses of data above the expected background are found in the signal regions targeting low mass-splittings, and the largest local excess amounts to 3.0 standard deviations.
Distributions of kinematic variables in the signal regions for the $2\ell$ channels after applying all selection requirements. The histograms show the post-fit background predictions. The last bin includes the overflow. The distribution for $H_{4,1}^{\textrm{PP}}$ in SR$2\ell$_Low is plotted. The expected distribution for a benchmark signal model, normalized to the NLO+NLL cross-section times integrated luminosity, is also shown for comparison.
Distributions of kinematic variables in the signal regions for the $2\ell$ channels after applying all selection requirements. The histograms show the post-fit background predictions. The last bin includes the overflow. The distribution for $\textrm{min}(H^{\textrm{P}_{\textrm{a}}}_{1,1},H^{\textrm{P}_{\textrm{b}}}_{1,1})/\textrm{min}(H^{\textrm{P}_{\textrm{a}}}_{2,1},H^{\textrm{P}_{\textrm{b}}}_{2,1})$ in SR$2\ell$_Low is plotted. The expected distribution for a benchmark signal model, normalized to the NLO+NLL cross-section times integrated luminosity, is also shown for comparison.
Distributions of kinematic variables in the signal regions for the $2\ell$ channels after applying all selection requirements. The histograms show the post-fit background predictions. The last bin includes the overflow. The distribution for $p_{\mathrm{T\ ISR}}^{~\textrm{CM}}$ in SR2$\ell$_ISR is plotted. The expected distribution for a benchmark signal model, normalized to the NLO+NLL cross-section times integrated luminosity, is also shown for comparison.
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 $\sqrt{s}$ = 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 $Wt$. 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 into other final states ($Zb$ and $Hb$) and thus mass limits on $B$ production are set as a function of the decay branching ratios. The 100% branching ratio limits are found to be also applicable to heavy vector-like $X$ production, with charge $+$5/3, that decay into $Wt$.
The hadronically decaying VLB candidate mass in the RECOSR region after the maximum likelihood fit in the two signal regions overlayed with the pre-fit VLB signal
The BDT discriminant in the BDTSR region after the maximum likelihood fit in the two signal regions overlayed with the pre-fit VLB signal
Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the BB cross section as a function of B quark mass under the assumption of BR(B->Wt)=1.
A search for a heavy resonance decaying into $WZ$ in the fully leptonic channel (electrons and muons) is performed. It is based on proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$. No significant excess is observed over the Standard Model predictions and limits are set on the production cross section times branching ratio of a heavy vector particle produced either in quark-antiquark fusion or through vector-boson fusion. Constraints are also obtained on the mass and couplings of a singly charged Higgs boson, in the Georgi-Machacek model, produced through vector-boson fusion.
The signal selection acceptance times efficiency (A$\times\epsilon$), defined as the ratio of the number of MC signal events in the category to the number of generated signal events, is presented as a function of the Georgi-Machacek Model $H_5^\pm$ resonance mass in the VBF category. The A$\times\epsilon$ is shown for the combination of all decay channels. For the Georgi-Machacek Model $H_5^\pm$ samples, generator cuts are: $p_{\mathrm T}$ (jets) $>$ 15 GeV, $p_{\mathrm T}$ (leptons) $>$ 10 GeV, $|\eta|$(jets) $<$ 5 and $|\eta|$(leptons) $<$ 2.7. The decay of $W$ is to all flavors of leptons and of $Z$ to $e^+e^−$ and $\mu^+\mu^-$. The $Z$ to $\tau^+\tau-$ decays give a negligible contribution and were not included in the simulation, however the acceptancs shown here was scaled to include all decays. A systematic uncertainty was applied to cover the scaling uncertainty. The uncertainty shown represents the total statistical and systematic uncertainties.
The signal selection acceptance times efficiency (A$\times\epsilon$), defined as the ratio of the number of MC signal events in the category to the number of generated signal events, is presented as a function of the Georgi-Machacek Model $H_5^\pm$ resonance mass in the VBF category. The A$\times\epsilon$ is shown for the combination of all decay channels. For the Georgi-Machacek Model $H_5^\pm$ samples, generator cuts are: $p_{\mathrm T}$ (jets) $>$ 15 GeV, $p_{\mathrm T}$ (leptons) $>$ 10 GeV, $|\eta|$(jets) $<$ 5 and $|\eta|$(leptons) $<$ 2.7. The decay of $W$ is to all flavors of leptons and of $Z$ to $e^+e^−$ and $\mu^+\mu^-$. The $Z$ to $\tau^+\tau-$ decays give a negligible contribution and were not included in the simulation, however the acceptancs shown here was scaled to include all decays. A systematic uncertainty was applied to cover the scaling uncertainty. The uncertainty shown represents the total statistical and systematic uncertainties.
The signal selection acceptance times efficiency (A$\times \epsilon$), defined as the ratio of the number of MC signal events in the category to the number of generated signal events, is presented as a function of the HVT resonance mass in the VBF category. The A$\times \epsilon$ is shown for the combination of all decay channels. For the HVT VBF samples, generator cuts are: m$_{jj} >$ 150 GeV. The decay of $W$ and $Z$ are to all flavors of leptons. The uncertainty shown represents the total statistical and systematic uncertainties.
A search for new phenomena in final states containing an $e^+e^-$ or $\mu^+\mu^-$ pair, jets, and large missing transverse momentum is presented. This analysis makes use of proton--proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of $36.1 \; \mathrm{fb}^{-1}$, collected during 2015 and 2016 at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search targets the pair production of supersymmetric coloured particles (squarks or gluinos) and their decays into final states containing an $e^+e^-$ or $\mu^+\mu^-$ pair and the lightest neutralino ($\tilde{\chi}_1^0$) via one of two next-to-lightest neutralino ($\tilde{\chi}_2^0$) decay mechanisms: $\tilde{\chi}_2^0 \rightarrow Z \tilde{\chi}_1^0$, where the $Z$ boson decays leptonically leading to a peak in the dilepton invariant mass distribution around the $Z$ boson mass; and $\tilde{\chi}_2^0 \rightarrow \ell^+\ell^- \tilde{\chi}_1^0$ with no intermediate $\ell^+\ell^-$ resonance, yielding a kinematic endpoint in the dilepton invariant mass spectrum. The data are found to be consistent with the Standard Model expectation. Results are interpreted using simplified models, and exclude gluinos and squarks with masses as large as 1.85 TeV and 1.3 TeV at 95% confidence level, respectively.
Observed and expected dilepton mass distributions, with the bin boundaries considered for the interpretation, in SR-low. All statistical and systematic uncertainties of the expected background are included in the hatched band. An example signal from the slepton model with m(gluino) = 1200 GeV and m(neutralino1) = 900 GeV is overlaid.
Observed and expected dilepton mass distributions, with the bin boundaries considered for the interpretation, in SR-med. All statistical and systematic uncertainties of the expected background are included in the hatched band. An example signal from the slepton model with m(gluino) = 1600 GeV and m(neutralino1) = 900 GeV, and from an on-$Z$ model with m(gluino) = 1640 GeV and m(neutralino1) = 1160 GeV, is overlaid.
Observed and expected dilepton mass distributions, with the bin boundaries considered for the interpretation, in SR-high. All statistical and systematic uncertainties of the expected background are included in the hatched band. An example signal from the slepton model with m(gluino) = 1800 GeV and m(neutralino1) = 500 GeV, and from an on-$Z$ model with m(gluino) = 1650 GeV and m(neutralino1) = 550 GeV, is overlaid.
Photoproduction of mesons off quasi-free nucleons bound in the deuteron allows to study the electromagnetic excitation spectrum of the neutron and the isospin structure of the excitation of nucleon resonances. The database for such reactions is much more sparse than for free proton targets. Single $\pi^0$ photoproduction off quasi-free nucleons from the deuteron was experimentally studied. Nuclear effects were investigated by a comparison of the results for free protons and quasi-free protons and used as a correction for the quasi-free neutron data. The experiment was performed at the tagged photon beam of the Mainz MAMI accelerator for photon energies between 0.45~GeV and 1.4~GeV, using an almost $4\pi$ electromagnetic calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors. A complete kinematic reconstruction of the final state removed the effects of Fermi motion. Reaction model predictions and PWA for $\gamma n\rightarrow n\pi^{0}$, based on fits to data for the other isospin channels, disagreed between themselves and no model provided a good description of the new data. The results demonstrate clearly the importance of a measurement of the fully neutral final state for the isospin decomposition of the cross section. Model refits, for example from the Bonn-Gatchina analysis, show that the new and the previous data for the other three isospin channels can be simultaneously described when the contributions of several partial waves are modified. The results are also relevant for the suppression of the higher resonance bumps in total photoabsorption on nuclei, which are not well understood.
Excitation function at cos(Theta_pi0)cm = -0.95
Excitation function at cos(Theta_pi0)cm = -0.85
Excitation function at cos(Theta_pi0)cm = -0.75
A combined measurement of differential and inclusive total cross sections of Higgs boson production is performed using 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of 13 TeV proton-proton collision data produced by the LHC and recorded by the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016. Cross sections are obtained from measured $H \rightarrow \gamma \gamma$ and $H \rightarrow ZZ^* \rightarrow 4\ell$ event yields, which are combined taking into account detector efficiencies, resolution, acceptances and branching fractions. The total Higgs boson production cross section is measured to be 57.0$^{+6.0}_{-5.9}$ (stat.) $^{+4.0}_{-3.3}$ (syst.) pb, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction. Differential cross-section measurements are presented for the Higgs boson transverse momentum distribution, Higgs boson rapidity, number of jets produced together with the Higgs boson, and the transverse momentum of the leading jet. The results from the two decay channels are found to be compatible, and their combination agrees with the Standard Model predictions.
Differential cross sections in the full phase space obtained from the H->gammagamma and H->4l combined measurement for Higgs boson transverse momentum ptH. The NNLOPS ggF prediction scaled to the N3LO cross section is also provided.
Differential cross sections in the full phase space obtained from the H->gammagamma and H->4l combined measurement for the Higgs boson rapidity |yH|. The NNLOPS ggF prediction scaled to the N3LO cross section is also provided.
Differential cross sections in the full phase space obtained from the H->gammagamma and H->4l combined measurement for the number of jets Njets with pT > 30 GeV. The NNLOPS ggF prediction scaled to the N3LO cross section is also provided.
A search for new resonances decaying into jets containing b-hadrons in $pp$ collisions with the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented in the dijet mass range from 0.57 TeV to 7 TeV. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of up to 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ collected in 2015 and 2016 at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV. No evidence of a significant excess of events above the smooth background shape is found. Upper cross-section limits and lower limits on the corresponding signal mass parameters for several types of signal hypotheses are provided at 95% CL. In addition, 95% CL upper limits are set on the cross-sections for new processes that would produce Gaussian-shaped signals in the di-b-jet mass distributions.
The per-event b-tagging efficiencies after the event selection, as a function of the reconstructed invariant mass, for both single b-tagged and double b-tagged categories. The efficiencies are shown for simulated event samples corresponding to seven different b and Z' resonance masses in the high-mass region.
The per-event b-tagging efficiencies after the event selection, as a function of the reconstructed invariant mass, for double b-tagged category. The efficiencies are shown for simulated event samples corresponding to four different Z' resonance masses in the low-mass region. The efficiencies of identifying an event with two b-jets at trigger level only (Online) and when requiring offline confirmation (Online+offline) are shown.
Dijet mass spectra after the background only fit with the background prediction in the inclusive 1-b-tag high-mass region.
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