The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider reports a search for charged-lepton-flavour violation in decays of $Z$ bosons into a τ lepton and an electron or muon of opposite charge.
The best-fit expected and observed distributions of the combined NN output in the CRZ$\tau\tau$ for the $\mu\tau$ channel for events with 1-prong $\tau_\text{had-vis}$ candidates. The last bin in each plot includes overflow events.
The best-fit expected and observed distributions of the combined NN output in the CRZ$\tau\tau$ for the $\mu\tau$ channel for events with 3-prong $\tau_\text{had-vis}$ candidates. The last bin in each plot includes overflow events.
The best-fit expected and observed distributions of the combined NN output in the VRSS for the $e\tau$ channel for events with 1-prong $\tau_\text{had-vis}$ candidates. The last bin in each plot includes overflow events.
Several extensions of the Standard Model predict the production of dark matter particles at the LHC. An uncharted signature of dark matter particles produced in association with $VV=W^\pm W^\mp$ or $ZZ$ pairs from a decay of a dark Higgs boson $s$ is searched for using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The $s\to V(q\bar q)V(q\bar q)$ decays are reconstructed with a novel technique aimed at resolving the dense topology from boosted $VV$ pairs using jets in the calorimeter and tracking information. Dark Higgs scenarios with $m_s > 160$ GeV are excluded.
Data overlaid on SM background post-fit yields stacked in each SR and CR category and E<sub>T</sub><sup>miss</sup> bin with the maximum-likelihood estimators set to the conditional values of the CR-only fit, and propagated to SR and CRs. Pre-fit uncertainties cover differences between the data and pre-fit background prediction.
Dominant sources of uncertainty for three dark Higgs scenarios after the fit to Asimov data generated from the expected values of the maximum-likelihood estimators including predicted signals with m<sub>Z'</sub> = 1 TeV and m<sub>s</sub> of (a) 160 GeV, (b) 235 GeV, and (c) 310 GeV. The uncertainty in the fitted signal yield relative to the theory prediction is presented. Total is the quadrature sum of statistical and total systematic uncertainties, which consider correlations.
The ratios (μ) of the 95% C.L. upper limits on the combined s→ W<sup>±</sup>W<sup>∓</sup> and s→ ZZ cross section to simplified model expectations for the m<sub>Z'</sub>=0.5 TeV scenario, for various m<sub>s</sub> hypotheses. The observed limits (solid line) are consistent with the expectation under the SM-only hypothesis (dashed line) within uncertainties (filled band), except for a small excess for m<sub>s</sub>=160 GeV, discussed in the text.
The production cross section of 30.92 GeV/$c$ protons on carbon is measured by the NA61/SHINE spectrometer at the CERN SPS by means of beam attenuation in a copy (replica) of the 90-cm-long target of the T2K neutrino oscillation experiment. The employed method for direct production cross-section estimation minimizes model corrections for elastic and quasi-elastic interactions. The obtained production cross section is $\sigma_\mathrm{prod}~=~227.6~\pm~0.8\mathrm{(stat)}~_{-~3.2}^{+~1.9}\mathrm{(sys)}~{-~0.8}\mathrm{(mod)}$ mb. It is in agreement with previous NA61/SHINE results obtained with a thin carbon target, while providing improved precision with a total fractional uncertainty of less than 2$\%$. This direct measurement is performed to reduce the uncertainty on the T2K neutrino flux prediction associated with the re-weighting of the interaction rate of neutrino-yielding hadrons.
Production cross section in p+C interactions at different incident beam momenta.
Production cross section in p+C interactions at different beam momenta. The total uncertainty is the statistical, systematic and model uncertainties added in quadrature.
Angular distributions of the decay B$^+$$\to$ K$^*$(892)$^+\mu^+\mu^-$ are studied using events collected with the CMS detector in $\sqrt{s} =$ 8 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.0 fb$^{-1}$. The forward-backward asymmetry of the muons and the longitudinal polarization of the K$^*$(892)$^+$ meson are determined as a function of the square of the dimuon invariant mass. These are the first results from this exclusive decay mode and are in agreement with a standard model prediction.
The measured signal yields, FL, AFB in bins of the dimuon invariant mass squared. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.
A search for the supersymmetric partners of quarks and gluons (squarks and gluinos) in final states containing jets and missing transverse momentum, but no electrons or muons, is presented. The data used in this search were recorded by the ATLAS experiment in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The results are interpreted in the context of various $R$-parity-conserving models where squarks and gluinos are produced in pairs or in association and a neutralino is the lightest supersymmetric particle. An exclusion limit at the 95% confidence level on the mass of the gluino is set at 2.30 TeV for a simplified model containing only a gluino and the lightest neutralino, assuming the latter is massless. For a simplified model involving the strong production of mass-degenerate first- and second-generation squarks, squark masses below 1.85 TeV are excluded if the lightest neutralino is massless. These limits extend substantially beyond the region of supersymmetric parameter space excluded previously by similar searches with the ATLAS detector.
Observed $m_{\mathrm{eff}}$ distributions in signal regions MB-SSd. The histograms show the MC background predictions normalised by the background-only fit. The hatched (red) error bands indicate experimental and MC statistical uncertainties. Expected distributions for benchmark signal model points, normalised using the approximate NNLO+NNLL cross-section times integrated luminosity, are also shown for comparison (masses in GeV).
Observed metSig distributions in signal regions MB-SSd. The histograms show the MC background predictions normalised by the background-only fit. The hatched (red) error bands indicate experimental and MC statistical uncertainties. Expected distributions for benchmark signal model points, normalised using the approximate NNLO+NNLL cross-section times integrated luminosity, are also shown for comparison (masses in GeV).
Observed $m_{\mathrm{eff}}$ distributions in signal regions MB-GGd. The histograms show the MC background predictions normalised by the background-only fit. The hatched (red) error bands indicate experimental and MC statistical uncertainties. Expected distributions for benchmark signal model points, normalised using the approximate NNLO+NNLL cross-section times integrated luminosity, are also shown for comparison (masses in GeV).
Charged particle multiplicity distributions in positron-proton deep inelastic scattering at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}=319$ GeV are measured. The data are collected with the H1 detector at HERA corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $136$ pb${}^{-1}$. Charged particle multiplicities are measured as a function of photon virtuality $Q^2$, inelasticity $y$ and pseudorapidity $\eta$ in the laboratory and the hadronic centre-of-mass frames. Predictions from different Monte Carlo models are compared to the data. The first and second moments of the multiplicity distributions are determined and the KNO scaling behaviour is investigated. The multiplicity distributions as a function of $Q^2$ and the Bjorken variable $x_{\rm Bj}$ are converted to the hadron entropy $S_{\rm hadron}$, and predictions from a quantum entanglement model are tested.
Charged particle multiplicity distribution $P(N)$ measured as a function of the number of charged particles $N$ in 4x4 kinematic bins of $Q^2$ and $y$.
Charged particle multiplicity distribution $P(N)$ measured as a function of the number of charged particles $N$ in three overlapping pseudorapidity ranges $-1.2<\eta_{lab}\vert<0.2$, $-0.5<\eta_{lab}\vert<0.9$ and $0.2<\eta_{lab}\vert<1.6$, subdivided into 4x4 kinematic bins of $Q^2$ and $y$.
Charged particle multiplicity distribution $P(N)$ measured as a function of the number of charged particles $N$ with the additional restriction to select only particles from the current region of the Breit frame $0<\eta^{*}<4$, in 4x4 kinematic bins of $Q^2$ and $y$.
The rate for Higgs (H) bosons production in association with either one (tH) or two ($\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H) top quarks is measured in final states containing multiple electrons, muons, or tau leptons decaying to hadrons and a neutrino, using proton-proton collisions recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the CMS experiment. The analyzed data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis is aimed at events that contain H $\to$ WW, H $\to$$\tau\tau$, or H $\to$ ZZ decays and each of the top quark(s) decays either to lepton+jets or all-jet channels. Sensitivity to signal is maximized by including ten signatures in the analysis, depending on the lepton multiplicity. The separation among the tH, the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H, and the backgrounds is enhanced through machine-learning techniques and matrix-element methods. The measured production rates for the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H and tH signals correspond to 0.92 $\pm$ 0.19 (stat) $^{+0.17}_{-0.13}$ (syst) and 5.7 $\pm$ 2.7 (stat) $\pm$ 3.0 (syst) of their respective standard model (SM) expectations. The corresponding observed (expected) significance amounts to 4.7 (5.2) standard deviations for $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H, and to 1.4 (0.3) for tH production. Assuming that the Higgs boson coupling to the tau lepton is equal in strength to its expectation in the SM, the coupling $y_{\mathrm{t}}$ of the Higgs boson to the top quark divided by its SM expectation, $\kappa_\mathrm{t}$ = $y_\mathrm{t} / y_\mathrm{t}^\mathrm{SM}$, is constrained to be within $-$0.9 $\lt$$\kappa_\mathrm{t}$$\lt$$-$0.7 or 0.7 $\lt$$\kappa_\mathrm{t}$$\lt$ 1.1, at 95% confidence level. This result is the most sensitive measurement of the $\mathrm{t\bar{t}}$H production rate to date.
Number of events selected in the $3\ell$- and $4\ell$-CRs and in the CR for the ttW background, compared to the event yields expected from different types of background and from the ttH and tH signals, after the fit to data is performed. Uncertainties shown include all systematic components.
Summary of the sources of systematic and statistical uncertainties and their impact on the measurement of the ttH and tH signal rates, and the measured value of the unconstrained nuisance parameters. The quantity $\Delta r_{x}/r_{x}$ corresponds to the change in uncertainty when fixing the nuisance parameters associated with that uncertainty in the fit. Under the label "MC and sideband statistical uncertainty" are the uncertainties associated with the limited number of simulated MC events and the amount of data events in the application region of the MP method.
Number of events selected in the 2$\ell$ss+0$\tau_{\mathrm{h}}$, 3$\ell$+0$\tau_{\mathrm{h}}$, and 2$\ell$ss+1$\tau_{\mathrm{h}}$ analysis channels compared to the event yields expected from the $ tH$ and $ H$ signals and from background processes. The expected event yields are computed for the values of nuisance parameters and of the POI obtained from the ML fit. The best fit values of the POI amount to $\hat{r_{ttH}} = 0.92$ and $\hat{r_{tH}} = 5.7$. Quoted uncertainties represent the sum of statistical and systematic components.
A search for dark matter is conducted in final states containing a photon and missing transverse momentum in proton$-$proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The data, collected during 2015$-$2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN LHC, correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. No deviations from the predictions of the Standard Model are observed and 95% confidence-level upper limits between 2.45 fb and 0.5 fb are set on the visible cross section for contributions from physics beyond the Standard Model, in different ranges of the missing transverse momentum. The results are interpreted as 95% confidence-level limits in models where weakly interacting dark-matter candidates are pair-produced via an s-channel axial-vector or vector mediator. Dark-matter candidates with masses up to 415 (580) GeV are excluded for axial-vector (vector) mediators, while the maximum excluded mass of the mediator is 1460 (1470) GeV. In addition, the results are expressed in terms of 95% confidence-level limits on the parameters of a model with an axion-like particle produced in association with a photon, and are used to constrain the coupling $g_{aZ\gamma}$ of an axion-like particle to the electroweak gauge bosons.
Distribution of $E^{miss}_T$ in data and for the expected SM background in the SRs after performing the 'simplified shape fit'. Overflows are included in the fourth bin of each distribution. The error bars are statistical, and the dashed band includes statistical and systematic uncertainties determined by the fit. The expectations for the simplified model for two different values of $m_{\chi}$ and $m_{med}$, and with $g_{q}=0.25$ and $g_{\chi}=1.0$ and for the ALP model are also shown. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to expected background event yields.
Distribution of $E^{miss}_T$ in data and for the expected SM background in the Single-Muon CR after performing the 'simplified shape fit'. Overflows are included in the fourth bin of each distribution. The $E^{miss}_T$ calculation in this CR does not include the muon contribution. The error bars are statistical, and the dashed band includes statistical and systematic uncertainties determined by the fit. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to expected background event yields.
Distribution of $E^{miss}_T$ in data and for the expected SM background in the Two-Muon CR after performing the 'simplified shape fit'. Overflows are included in the fourth bin of each distribution. The $E^{miss}_T$ calculation in this CR does not include the muon contribution. The error bars are statistical, and the dashed band includes statistical and systematic uncertainties determined by the fit. The lower panel shows the ratio of data to expected background event yields.
The first measurement of the dependence of $\gamma\gamma$$\to$$\mu^{+}\mu^{-}$ production on the multiplicity of neutrons emitted very close to the beam direction in ultraperipheral heavy ion collisions is reported. Data for lead-lead interactions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} =$ 5.02 TeV, with an integrated luminosity of approximately 1.5 nb$^{-1}$, were collected using the CMS detector at the LHC. The azimuthal correlations between the two muons in the invariant mass region 8 $\lt$$m_{\mu\mu}$$\lt$ 60 GeV are extracted for events including 0, 1, or at least 2 neutrons detected in the forward pseudorapidity range $|\eta|$$\gt$ 8.3. The back-to-back correlation structure from leading-order photon-photon scattering is found to be significantly broader for events with a larger number of emitted neutrons from each nucleus, corresponding to interactions with a smaller impact parameter. This observation provides a data-driven demonstration that the average transverse momentum of photons emitted from relativistic heavy ions has an impact parameter dependence. These results provide new constraints on models of photon-induced interactions in ultraperipheral collisions. They also provide a baseline to search for possible final-state effects on lepton pairs caused by traversing a quark-gluon plasma produced in hadronic heavy ion collisions.
Neutron multiplicity dependence of acoplanarity ($\alpha$) from process $\gamma\gamma$ to $\mu^+\mu^-$ in ultraperipheral PbPb at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5.02$ TeV.
Neutron multiplicity dependence of acoplanarity ($\alpha$) from process $\gamma\gamma$ to $\mu^+\mu^-$ in ultraperipheral PbPb at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5.02$ TeV.
Neutron multiplicity dependence of acoplanarity ($\alpha$) from process $\gamma\gamma$ to $\mu^+\mu^-$ in ultraperipheral PbPb at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5.02$ TeV.
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 $\sqrt{s}$ = 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 $\sigma \times B(A\rightarrow ZH) \times B(H\rightarrow bb$ or $H\rightarrow WW)$ are set. The upper limits are in the range 0.0062-0.380 pb for the $H\rightarrow bb$ channel and in the range 0.023-8.9 pb for the $H\rightarrow WW$ channel. An interpretation of the results in the context of two-Higgs-Doublet models is also given.
The mass distribution of the bb system before any mbb window cuts for the 2 tag category in b-associated production. The signal distribution for (mA, mH) = (600, 300) GeV is also shown, and is normalised such that the production cross-section times the branching ratios B(A->ZH)xB(H->bb) corresponds to 1 pb. Background components are displayed separately.
The mass distribution of the bb system before any mbb window cuts for the 3 tag category in b-associated production. The signal distribution for (mA, mH) = (600, 300) GeV is also shown, and is normalised such that the production cross-section times the branching ratios B(A->ZH)xB(H->bb) corresponds to 1 pb. Background components are displayed separately.
The mllbb mass distribution for the mbb window defined for (mA, mH)=(600, 300) GeV in the 2 tag category with gluon-gluon fusion production is shown. The number of entries shown in each bin is the number of events in that bin divided by the width of the bin. The signal distribution for (mA, mH) = (600, 300) GeV is also shown, and is normalised such that the production cross-section times the branching ratios B(A->ZH)xB(H->bb) corresponds to 1 pb. Background components are displayed separately.
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