Distributions of transverse momentum $p_T^{ll}$ and the angular variable $\phi^*_\eta$ of Drell--Yan lepton pairs are measured in 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Measurements in electron-pair and muon-pair final states are corrected for detector effects and combined. Compared to previous measurements in proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV, these new measurements benefit from a larger data sample and improved control of systematic uncertainties. Measurements are performed in bins of lepton-pair mass above, around and below the Z-boson mass peak. The data are compared to predictions from perturbative and resummed QCD calculations. For values of $\phi^*_\eta < 1$ the predictions from the Monte Carlo generator ResBos are generally consistent with the data within the theoretical uncertainties. However, at larger values of $\phi^*_\eta$ this is not generally the case. Monte Carlo generators based on the parton-shower approach are unable to describe the data over the full range of $p_T^{ll}$ and the fixed-order prediction of DYNNLO falls below the data at high values of $p_T^{ll}$. ResBos and the parton-shower Monte Carlo generators provide a much better description of the evolution of the $\phi^*_\eta$ and $p_T^{ll}$ distributions as a function of lepton-pair mass and rapidity.
Fiducial cross sections at Born level in the electron- and muon-pair channels as well as the combined value. The statistical and systematic uncertainties are given as a percentage of the cross section. An additional uncertainty of 2.8% on the integrated luminosity, which is fully correlated between channels and among all $m_{\ell\ell}$ bins, pertains to these measurements. The individual uncertainty sources after the combination are not necessarily orthogonal and also do not include uncertainties uncorrelated between bins of $m_{\ell\ell}$. Therefore their quadratic sum may not give the total systematic uncertainty.
The values of $(1/\sigma)\,\mathrm{d}\sigma/\mathrm{d}\phi^*_{\eta}$ in each bin of $\phi^*_{\eta}$ for the electron and muon channels separately (for various particle-level definitions) and for the Born-level combination in the kinematic region $46\textrm{ GeV} \leq m_{\ell\ell} < 66\textrm{ GeV},\ 0 \leq |y_{\ell\ell}| < 0.8$. The associated statistical and systematic (both uncorrelated and correlated between bins of $\phi^*_{\eta}$) are provided in percentage form.
The values of $(1/\sigma)\,\mathrm{d}\sigma/\mathrm{d}\phi^*_{\eta}$ in each bin of $\phi^*_{\eta}$ for the electron and muon channels separately (for various particle-level definitions) and for the Born-level combination in the kinematic region $46\textrm{ GeV} \leq m_{\ell\ell} < 66\textrm{ GeV},\ 0.8 \leq |y_{\ell\ell}| < 1.6$. The associated statistical and systematic (both uncorrelated and correlated between bins of $\phi^*_{\eta}$) are provided in percentage form.
The consistency of the spin correlation strength in top quark pair production with the standard model (SM) prediction is tested in the muon + jets final state. The events are selected from pp collisions, collected by the CMS detector, at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. The data are compared with the expectation for the spin correlation predicted by the SM and with the expectation of no correlation. Using a template fit method, the fraction of events that show SM spin correlations is measured to be 0.72 +/- 0.08 (stat) +0.15 -0.13 (syst), representing the most precise measurement of this quantity in the lepton + jets final state to date.
The result of the template fit of distributions for uncorrelated and SM-like correlated ttbar spins.
Measurements of normalized differential cross-sections of top-quark pair production are presented as a function of the top-quark, $t\bar{t}$ system and event-level kinematic observables in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV}. The observables have been chosen to emphasize the $t\bar{t}$ production process and to be sensitive to effects of initial- and final-state radiation, to the different parton distribution functions, and to non-resonant processes and higher-order corrections. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$, recorded in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Events are selected in the lepton+jets channel, requiring exactly one charged lepton and at least four jets with at least two of the jets tagged as originating from a $b$-quark. The measured spectra are corrected for detector effects and are compared to several Monte Carlo simulations. The results are in fair agreement with the predictions over a wide kinematic range. Nevertheless, most generators predict a harder top-quark transverse momentum distribution at high values than what is observed in the data. Predictions beyond NLO accuracy improve the agreement with data at high top-quark transverse momenta. Using the current settings and parton distribution functions, the rapidity distributions are not well modelled by any generator under consideration. However, the level of agreement is improved when more recent sets of parton distribution functions are used.
Fiducial phase-space absolute differential cross-sections after combining the e+jets and $\mu$+jets channels for the $t\bar{t}$ system invariant mass $m^{t\bar{t}}$. All uncertainties are quoted as a percentage with respect to the cross-section values in each bin.
Fiducial phase-space relative differential cross-sections after combining the e+jets and $\mu$+jets channels for the $t\bar{t}$ system invariant mass $m^{t\bar{t}}$. All uncertainties are quoted as a percentage with respect to the cross-section values in each bin.
Fiducial phase-space absolute differential cross-sections after combining the e+jets and $\mu$+jets channels for the $t\bar{t}$ system transverse momentum $p_{T}^{t\bar{t}}$. All uncertainties are quoted as a percentage with respect to the cross-section values in each bin.
A search is reported for a light pseudoscalar Higgs boson decaying to a pair of tau leptons, produced in association with a b b-bar pair, in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models. The results are based on pp collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. Pseudoscalar boson masses between 25 and 80 GeV are probed. No evidence for a pseudoscalar boson is found and upper limits are set on the production cross section times branching fraction to tau pairs between 7 and 39 pb at the 95% confidence level. This excludes pseudoscalar A bosons with masses between 25 and 80 GeV, with standard model-like Higgs boson negative couplings to down-type fermions, produced in association with b b-bar pairs, in Type-II, two-Higgs-doublet models.
Expected and observed 95 % CL combined upper limits in pb on pseudoscalar Higgs bosons produced in association with bb pairs, along with their 1 and 2 standard deviation uncertainties.
A first measurement of the top quark spin asymmetry, sensitive to the top quark polarisation, in t-channel single top quark production is presented. It is based on a sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse-femtobarns. A high-purity sample of t-channel single top quark events with an isolated muon is selected. Signal and background components are estimated using a fit to data. A differential cross section measurement, corrected for detector effects, of an angular observable sensitive to the top quark polarisation is performed. The differential distribution is used to extract a top quark spin asymmetry of 0.26 +/- 0.03 (stat) +/- 0.10 (syst), which is compatible with a p-value of 4.6% with the standard model prediction of 0.44.
The normalized differential cross section as a function of unfolded $\cos\theta_{\mu}^{*}$ for top quark.
The normalized differential cross section as a function of unfolded $\cos\theta_{\mu}^{*}$ for top antiquark.
The normalized differential cross section as a function of unfolded $\cos\theta_{\mu}^{*}$ for top quark and antiquark.
The differential cross-section for pair production of top quarks with high transverse momentum is measured in 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. The measurement is performed for $t\bar{t}$ events in the lepton+jets channel. The cross-section is reported as a function of the hadronically decaying top quark transverse momentum for values above 300 GeV. The hadronically decaying top quark is reconstructed as an anti-$k_t$ jet with radius parameter $R=1.0$ and identified with jet substructure techniques. The observed yield is corrected for detector effects to obtain a cross-section at particle level in a fiducial region close to the event selection. A parton-level cross-section extrapolated to the full phase space is also reported for top quarks with transverse momentum above 300 GeV. The predictions of a majority of next-to-leading-order and leading-order matrix-element Monte Carlo generators are found to agree with the measured cross-sections.
Fiducial particle-level differential cross-section, with statistical and systematic uncertainties, as a function of the top-jet candidate p_T.
Parton-level differential cross-section, with statistical and systematic uncertainties, as a function of the hadronically decaying top quark p_T.
The individual systematic uncertainties calculated as a percentage of the particle-level differential cross-section $d\sigma_{tt} / d p_{T,ptcl}$ in each bin. Variations on the two sides ("UP" and "DOWN") are separately quoted with their respective signs. Uncertainties smaller than 0.1% are neglected.
Jet multiplicity distributions in top quark pair (t t-bar) events are measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse femtobarns. The measurement is performed in the dilepton decay channels (e+ e-, mu+ mu-, and e+/- mu-/+). The absolute and normalized differential cross sections for t t-bar production are measured as a function of the jet multiplicity in the event for different jet transverse momentum thresholds and the kinematic properties of the leading additional jets. The differential t t-bar b and t t-bar b b-bar cross sections are presented for the first time as a function of the kinematic properties of the leading additional b jets. Furthermore, the fraction of events without additional jets above a threshold is measured as a function of the transverse momenta of the leading additional jets and the scalar sum of the transverse momenta of all additional jets. The data are compared and found to be consistent with predictions from several perturbative quantum chromodynamics event generators and a next-to-leading order calculation.
Absolute differential ttbar cross sections as a function of the jet multiplicity for jets with pt > 30GeV, along with their statistical and systematic uncertainties. The results are presented at the particle level in the visible phase space of the ttbar decay products and the additional jets.
Normalized differential ttbar cross sections as a function of the jet multiplicity for jets with pt > 30GeV, along with their statistical and systematic uncertainties. The results are presented at the particle level in the visible phase space of the ttbar decay products and the additional jets.
Absolute differential ttbar cross sections as a function of the jet multiplicity for jets with pt > 60GeV, along with their statistical and systematic uncertainties. The results are presented at the particle level in the visible phase space of the ttbar decay products and the additional jets.
Measurements of the cross sections for top quark pairs produced in association with a W or Z boson are presented, using 8 TeV pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns, collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. Final states are selected in which the associated W boson decays to a charged lepton and a neutrino or the Z boson decays to two charged leptons. Signal events are identified by matching reconstructed objects in the detector to specific final state particles from ttW or ttZ decays. The ttW cross section is measured to be 382 +117 -102 fb with a significance of 4.8 standard deviations from the background-only hypothesis. The ttZ cross section is measured to be 242 +65 -55 fb with a significance of 6.4 standard deviations from the background-only hypothesis. These measurements are used to set bounds on five anomalous dimension-six operators that would affect the ttW and ttZ cross sections.
Expected yields after the final fit, compared to the observed data for OS t$\bar{\mathrm{t}}$Z final states. Here ``hf'' and ``lf'' stand for heavy and light flavors, respectively.
Expected yields after the final fit, compared to the observed data for SS t$\bar{\mathrm{t}}$W final states. The multiboson process includes WWW, WWZ, and W$^{\pm}$W$^{\pm}$; t$\mathrm{\bar{t}}$+X includes t$\mathrm{\bar{t}}\gamma$, t$\mathrm{\bar{t}}\gamma^{*}$, and t$\bar{\mathrm{t}}$WW.
Expected yields after the final fit, compared to the observed data for 3$\ell$ t$\bar{\mathrm{t}}$W and three and 4$\ell$ t$\bar{\mathrm{t}}$Z final states. The 4$\ell$ ``Z-veto'' channel has exactly one lepton pair consistent with a Z boson decay; the ``Z'' channel has two. The multiboson process includes WWW and WWZ; t$\mathrm{\bar{t}}$+X includes t$\mathrm{\bar{t}}\gamma$, t$\mathrm{\bar{t}}\gamma^{*}$, and t$\bar{\mathrm{t}}$WW.
The four-lepton ($4\ell$, $\ell = e, \mu$) production cross section is measured in the mass range from 80 to 1000 GeV using 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of data in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The $4\ell$ events are produced in the decays of resonant $Z$ and Higgs bosons and the non-resonant $ZZ$ continuum originating from $q\bar q$, $gg$, and $qg$ initial states. A total of 476 signal candidate events are observed with a background expectation of $26.2 \pm 3.6$ events, enabling the measurement of the integrated cross section and the differential cross section as a function of the invariant mass and transverse momentum of the four-lepton system. In the mass range above $180$ GeV, assuming the theoretical constraint on the $q\bar q$ production cross section calculated with perturbative NNLO QCD and NLO electroweak corrections, the signal strength of the gluon-fusion component relative to its leading-order prediction is determined to be $\mu_{gg}=2.4 \pm 1.0 (stat.) \pm 0.5 (syst.)\pm 0.8 (theory)$.
The measured differential cross-section distributions in unit of fb/TeV of $m_{4\ell}$ unfolded into the fiducial phase space, and compared to theory predictions. The first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic uncertainties.
The measured differential cross-section distributions in unit of fb/TeV of $p_{T}^{4\ell}$ unfolded into the fiducial phase space, and compared to theory predictions. The first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic uncertainties.
Measured cross sections in the fiducial phase space ($\sigma^\mathrm{fid}$) and extended phase space ($\sigma^\mathrm{ext}$), compared to their SM predictions. One should note that the non-resonant $gg$-induced signal cross section is only calculated at LO approximation.
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 $\sqrt{s}$=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 missing transverse momentum ETmiss in the multi-jet validation region VR1 for the two-tau MVA analysis.
The effective mass meff in the multi-jet validation region VR2 for the two-tau MVA analysis.
The stransverse mass mT2 in the W+jets validation region VR1 for the two-tau MVA analysis.