A search for the decay of the Higgs boson to a $Z$ boson and a light, pseudoscalar particle, $a$, decaying respectively to two leptons and to two photons is reported. The search uses the full LHC Run 2 proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the ATLAS detector. This is one of the first searches for this specific decay mode of the Higgs boson, and it probes unexplored parameter space in models with axion-like particles (ALPs) and extended scalar sectors. The mass of the $a$ particle is assumed to be in the range 0.1-33 GeV. The data are analysed in two categories: a merged category where the photons from the $a$ decay are reconstructed in the ATLAS calorimeter as a single cluster, and a resolved category in which two separate photons are detected. The main background processes are from Standard Model $Z$ boson production in association with photons or jets. The data are in agreement with the background predictions, and upper limits on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to $Za$ times the branching ratio $a\to\gamma\gamma$ are derived at the 95% confidence level and they range from 0.08% to 2% depending on the mass of the $a$ particle. The results are also interpreted in the context of ALP models.
Post-fit distribution for $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ for the resolved category in number of events per 0.2 GeV for data. The figure uses $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$.
Post-fit distribution for $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ for the resolved category in number of events per 0.2 GeV for a signal distribution for $m_a = 9$ GeV, and the signal plus background fit with its background component. The branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to $Za$ times the branching ratio $a $->$ \gamma \gamma$ is assumed to be 50%. The figure uses $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$.
Post-fit final discriminating variable $\Delta R_{Z\gamma}$ in the signal region of the merged category. Signal distributions for $m_a$ values used in this category are overlayed for comparison, assuming a branching ratio of the Higgs boson decay to $Za$ times the branching ratio $a $->$ \gamma \gamma$ of 100%. The signal yields have been multiplied by 10 for better visibility. The figure uses $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to 139 fb$^{-1}$.
This paper presents a search for a new $Z^\prime$ resonance decaying into a pair of dark quarks which hadronise into dark hadrons before promptly decaying back as Standard Model particles. This analysis is based on proton-proton collision data recorded at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. After selecting events containing large-radius jets with high track multiplicity, the invariant mass distribution of the two highest-transverse-momentum jets is scanned to look for an excess above a data-driven estimate of the Standard Model multijet background. No significant excess of events is observed and the results are thus used to set 95 % confidence-level upper limits on the production cross-section times branching ratio of the $Z^\prime$ to dark quarks as a function of the $Z^\prime$ mass for various dark-quark scenarios.
Distribution of the di-jet invariant mass, $m_{\mathrm{JJ}}$ for the data, the simulated multi-jet background and of some representative signals (models A, B, C and D with $m_{Z'}=2.5$ TeV), shown after applying the preselections described in the text. The simulated background is normalised to the data and the signals are normalised to a production cross-section of 10 fb.
Distributions of the number of tracks associated to the leading jet, $n_{track,1}$, for the data, the simulated multi-jet background and of some representative signals (models A, B, C and D with $m_{Z^\prime}=2.5$ TeV), shown after applying the preselections described in the text. All distributions are normalised to unity. The uncertainty band around the background prediction corresponds to the modelling uncertainty described in Section 6.
Distributions of the number of tracks associated to the subleading jet, $n_{track,2}$, for the data, the simulated multi-jet background and of some representative signals (models A, B, C and D with $m_{Z^\prime}=2.5$ TeV), shown after applying the preselections described in the text. All distributions are normalised to unity. The uncertainty band around the background prediction corresponds to the modelling uncertainty described in Section 6.
A search for diphoton resonances in the mass range between 10 and 70 GeV with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is presented. The analysis is based on $pp$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded from 2015 to 2018. Previous searches for diphoton resonances at the LHC have explored masses down to 65 GeV, finding no evidence of new particles. This search exploits the particular kinematics of events with pairs of closely spaced photons reconstructed in the detector, allowing examination of invariant masses down to 10 GeV. The presented strategy covers a region previously unexplored at hadron colliders because of the experimental challenges of recording low-energy photons and estimating the backgrounds. No significant excess is observed and the reported limits provide the strongest bound on promptly decaying axion-like particles coupling to gluons and photons for masses between 10 and 70 GeV.
The expected and observed upper limits at 95\% CL on the fiducial cross-section times branching ratio to two photons of a narrow-width ($\Gamma_{X}$ = 4 MeV) scalar resonance as a function of its mass $m_{X}$.
Diphoton invariant mass in the signal region using a 0.1 GeV binning.
Parametrization of the $C_{X}$ factor, defined as the ratio between the number of reconstructed signal events passing the analysis cuts and the number of signal events at the particle level generated within the fiducial volume, as function of $m_{X}$ obtained from the narrow width simulated signal samples produced in gluon fusion.
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 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ from proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded in 2015 and 2016 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The search considers the $Z$ boson decaying to electrons or muons and the $H$ boson into a pair of $b$-quarks. No evidence for the production of an $A$ boson is found. Considering each production process separately, the 95% confidence-level upper limits on the $pp\rightarrow A\rightarrow ZH$ production cross-section times the branching ratio $H\rightarrow bb$ are in the range of 14-830 fb for the gluon-gluon fusion process and 26-570 fb for the $b$-associated process for the mass ranges 130-700 GeV of the $H$ boson and process for the mass ranges 130-700 GeV of the $H$ boson and 230-800 GeV of the $A$ boson. The results are interpreted in the context of the two-Higgs-doublet model.
The signal efficiency for the production modes (gluon-gluon fusion and b-associated production) and the signal regions used in the analysis. The efficiency denominator has the total number of generated MC events. The numerator includes the events passing the full signal region selection, including the mbb window cuts. The table shows for each signal mass pair (mA, mH) 3 efficiencies corresponding to the two production modes in the two categories, 2tag and 3tag. These corresponds to "nb = 2 category" and "nb >= 3 category", respectively, of the preprint. No numbers for gluon-gluon fusion in the 3tag category are provided since those are not used in the analysis. The efficiencies are given in fractions.
The cross section times BR(A->ZH) times BR(H->bb) limits for a narrow width A boson produced via gluon-gluon fusion. For each signal point, characterised by the mass pair (mA, mH), two limits are provided, the observed and the expected. The result refers to the nb=2 category only.
The cross section times BR(A->ZH) times BR(H->bb) limits for a narrow width A boson produced in association with b-quarks. For each signal point, characterised by the mass pair (mA, mH), two limits are provided, the observed and the expected. The result refers to the combination of the nb=2 and nb>=3 categories.
Results of a search for physics beyond the Standard Model in events containing an energetic photon and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. As the number of events observed in data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 $\textrm fb^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, is in agreement with the Standard Model expectations, exclusion limits in models where dark-matter candidates are pair-produced are determined. For dark-matter production via an axial-vector or a vector mediator in the s-channel, this search excludes mediator masses below 750-1200 GeV for dark-matter candidate masses below 230-480 GeV at 95% confidence level, depending on the couplings. In an effective theory of dark-matter production, the limits restrict the value of the suppression scale $M_{*}$ to be above 790 GeV at 95% confidence level. A limit is also reported on the production of a high-mass scalar resonance by processes beyond the Standard Model, in which the resonance decays to $Z\gamma$ and the Z boson subsequently decays into neutrinos.
Observed event yields in 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of data compared to expected yields from SM backgrounds in all signal regions, as predicted from the simultaneous fit to their respective CRs. The first three lines report the yields obtained from the inclusive-SR fit, while the two last lines report the yields obtained from the multiple-bin fit. The uncertainty includes both the statistical and systematic uncertainties.
The observed 95% CL exclusion contour for a simplified model of dark-matter production involving an axial-vector operator, Dirac DM and couplings $g_{q}$ = 0.25, $g_{\chi}$ = 1 and $g_{l}$ = 0 as a function of the dark-matter mass $m_{\chi}$ and the mediator mass $m_{\mathrm{med}}$. The plane under the limit curve is excluded.
The expected 95% CL exclusion contour (+1$\sigma$) for a simplified model of dark-matter production involving an axial-vector operator, Dirac DM and couplings $g_{q}$ = 0.25, $g_{\chi}$ = 1 and $g_{l}$ = 0 as a function of the dark-matter mass $m_{\chi}$ and the mediator mass $m_{\mathrm{med}}$. The plane under the limit curve is excluded.
Results of a search for new phenomena in events with an energetic photon and large missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV are reported. Data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb-1 are used. Good agreement is observed between the data and the Standard Model predictions. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with large extra spatial dimensions and on pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates.
95% CL observed and expected upper limits on M_D as a function of the number of extra-dimensions considering LO signal cross sections. The impact of the +-1sigma theoretical uncertainty on the observed limits and the expected +-1sigma range of limits in the absence of a signal are also given.
95% CL observed and expected upper limits on M_D as a function of the number of extra-dimensions considering NLO signal cross sections. The impact of the +-1sigma theoretical uncertainty on the observed limits and the expected +-1sigma range of limits in the absence of a signal are also given.
95% CL observed and expected upper limits on M_* for spin-independent (D1) WIMP models. The impact of the +-1sigma theoretical uncertainty on the observed limits and the expected +-1sigma range of limits in the absence of a signal are also given.
A search for diphoton events with large missing transverse momentum has been performed using proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 fb^-1. No excess of events was observed above the Standard Model prediction and model-dependent 95% confidence level exclusion limits are set. In the context of a generalised model of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking with a bino-like lightest neutralino of mass above 50 GeV, gluinos (squarks) below 1.07 TeV (0.87 TeV) are excluded, while a breaking scale Lambda below 196 TeV is excluded for a minimal model of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. For a specific model with one universal extra dimension, compactification scales 1/R < 1.40 TeV are excluded. These limits provide the most stringent tests of these models to date.
Observeded limit on gluino mass as function of LSP mass for the GGM model.
Limit on squark mass as function of LSP mass for the GGM model.
Cross section limit for the SPS8 model.
This letter reports the results of a search for top and bottom squarks from gluino pair production in 4.7 fb^-1 of pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The search is performed in events with large missing transverse momentum and at least three jets identified as originating from a b-quark. Exclusion limits are presented for a variety of gluino-mediated models with gluino masses up to 1 TeV excluded.
Figure 2-a. Observed limit +1sigma-th.
Figure 2-a. Observed limit.
Figure 2-a. Observed limit -1sigma-th.
Recent studies have highlighted the potential of jet substructure techniques to identify the hadronic decays of boosted heavy particles. These studies all rely upon the assumption that the internal substructure of jets generated by QCD radiation is well understood. In this article, this assumption is tested on an inclusive sample of jets recorded with the ATLAS detector in 2010, which corresponds to 35 pb^-1 of pp collisions delivered by the LHC at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV. In a subsample of events with single pp collisions, measurementes corrected for detector efficiency and resolution are presented with full systematic uncertainties. Jet invariant mass, kt splitting scales and n-subjettiness variables are presented for anti-kt R = 1.0 jets and Cambridge-Aachen R = 1.2 jets. Jet invariant-mass spectra for Cambridge-Aachen R = 1.2 jets after a splitting and filtering procedure are also presented. Leading-order parton-shower Monte Carlo predictions for these variables are found to be broadly in agreement with data. The dependence of mean jet mass on additional pp interactions is also explored.
Normalised cross-section as a function of the mass of Cambridge-Aachen jets with R=1.2.
Normalised cross-section as a function of the mass of Cambridge-Aachen jets with R=1.2.
Normalised cross-section as a function of the mass of Cambridge-Aachen jets with R=1.2.
A search for events with large missing transverse momentum, jets, and at least two tau leptons has been performed using 2 fb^-1 of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. No excess above the Standard Model background expectation is observed and a 95% CL visible cross section upper limit for new phenomena is set. A 95% CL lower limit of 32 TeV is set on the GMSB breaking scale Lambda independent of tan(beta). These limits provide the most stringent tests to date in a large part of the considered parameter space.
The observed PT spectrum of the leading TAU candidates and the estimated SM background after pre-selection of candidate events, soft multi-jet rejection and the requirement of two or more TAUS and no light leptons.
The distribution of the effective mass of the two leading TAU candidates in data (with statistical uncertainties only) and the estimated SM background after pre-selection of candidate events, soft multi-jet rejection and the requirement of two or more TAUS and no light leptons.
The distribution of the sum of the transverse masses of the two leading TAU candidates in data (with statistical uncertainties only) and the estimated SM background after pre-selection of candidate events, soft multi-jet rejection and the requirement of two or more TAUS and no light leptons.
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