Measurements of the total and differential Higgs boson production cross-sections, via $WH$ and $ZH$ associated production using $H\rightarrow WW^\ast\rightarrow\ellν\ellν$ and $H\rightarrow WW^\ast\rightarrow\ellνjj$ decays, are presented. The analysis uses proton-proton events delivered by the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector between 2015 and 2018. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The sum of the $WH$ and $ZH$ cross-sections times the $H\rightarrow WW^\ast$ branching fraction is measured to be $0.44^{+0.10}_{-0.09}$ (stat.) $^{+0.06}_{-0.05}$ (syst.) pb, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction. Higgs boson production is further characterised through measurements of the differential cross-section as a function of the transverse momentum of the vector boson and in the framework of Simplified Template Cross-Sections.
Post-fit distribution of $ANN_{Zdom}$ in the Z-dominated SR. The post-fit result is obtained from the combined 2-POI fit described in section 9.1 of the paper.
Best-fit values of the total $WH$, $ZH$, and $VH$ cross sections times the $H\rightarrow WW^{*}$ branching ratio.
Observed profile likelihood as a function of $\sigma\times\mathcal{B}_{H\rightarrow WW^{*}}$ normalised by the SM expectation for the $VH$ and $WH/ZH$ measurements from the combined 1- and 2-POI fits, respectively
Energy-energy correlators are constructed by averaging the number of charged particle pairs within jets, weighted by the product of their transverse momenta, as a function of the angular separation of the particles within a pair. They are sensitive to a multitude of perturbative and nonperturbative quantum chromodynamics phenomena in high-energy particle collisions. Using lead-lead data recorded with the CMS detector, energy-energy correlators inside high transverse momentum jets are measured in heavy ion collisions for the first time. The data are obtained at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 1.70 nb$^{-1}$. A similar analysis is done for proton-proton collisions at the same center-of-mass energy to establish a reference. The ratio of lead-lead to proton-proton energy-energy correlators reveals significant jet substructure modifications in the quark-gluon plasma. The results are compared to different models that incorporate either color coherence or medium response effects, where the two effects predict similar substructure modifications.
The energy-energy correlator distributions constructed with charged particles with $p_{\mathrm{T}} > 1$ GeV for energy weight $n=1$ and jet $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ selection $120 < p_{\mathrm{T,jet}} < 140$ GeV. The results are shown for different centrality bins in PbPb collisions and for pp collisions.
The energy-energy correlator distributions constructed with charged particles with $p_{\mathrm{T}} > 1$ GeV for energy weight $n=1$ and jet $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ selection $120 < p_{\mathrm{T,jet}} < 140$ GeV. The results are shown for different centrality bins in PbPb collisions and for pp collisions.
The energy-energy correlator distributions constructed with charged particles with $p_{\mathrm{T}} > 1$ GeV for energy weight $n=1$ and jet $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ selection $140 < p_{\mathrm{T,jet}} < 160$ GeV. The results are shown for different centrality bins in PbPb collisions and for pp collisions.
Correlations among conserved quantum numbers, such as the net-electric charge, the net-baryon, and the net-strangeness in heavy-ion collisions, are crucial for exploring the QCD phase diagram. In this letter, these correlations are investigated using net-proton number (as a proxy for the net-baryon), net-kaon number (for the net-strangeness), and net-charged particle number in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\text{NN}}=5.02$ TeV with the ALICE detector. The observed correlations deviate from the Poissonian baseline, with a more pronounced deviation at LHC energies than at RHIC. Theoretical calculations of the Thermal-FIST hadron resonance gas model, HIJING, and EPOS LHC event generators are compared with experimental results, where a significant impact of resonance decays is observed. Thermal-FIST calculations under the grand canonical and canonical ensembles highlight significant differences, underscoring the role of local charge conservation in explaining the data. Recent lattice QCD studies have demonstrated that the magnetic field generated by spectator protons in heavy-ion collisions affects susceptibility ratios, in particular those related to the net-electric charge and the net-baryon numbers. The experimental findings are in qualitative agreement with the expectations of lattice QCD.
$\kappa^{2}_{\pi}$ as a function of centrality (%) in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV for Set 1 $p_\mathrm{T}$ acceptance.
$\kappa^{2}_{\pi}$ as a function of centrality (%) in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV for Set 2 $p_\mathrm{T}$ acceptance.
$\kappa^{2}_\mathrm{K}$ as a function of centrality (%) in Pb$-$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV for Set 1 $p_\mathrm{T}$ acceptance.
A search is performed for long-lived heavy neutral leptons (HNLs), produced through the decay of a $W$ boson along with a muon or electron. Two channels are explored: a leptonic channel, in which the HNL decays into two leptons and a neutrino, and a semi-leptonic channel, in which the HNL decays into a lepton and a charged pion. The search is performed with 140~fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton--proton collision data collected by ATLAS during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. No excess of events is observed; Dirac-like and Majorana-like HNLs with masses below 14.5 GeV and mixing coefficients as small as 10$^{-7}$ are excluded at the 95% confidence level. The results are interpreted under different assumptions on the flavour of the leptons from the HNL decays.
The DV reconstruction efficiency for an HNL with $m_N = 2$ GeV and $c\tau_N = 10$ mm, as a function of the DV radius $r_{DV}$ using the customised vertex reconstruction for a selection of the fully leptonic MC samples. Different flavour combinations are shown.
The DV reconstruction efficiency for an HNL with $m_N = 2$ GeV and $c\tau_N = 10$ mm, as a function of the DV radius $r_{DV}$ using the customised vertex reconstruction for a selection of the semi-leptonic MC samples. Different flavour combinations are shown.
The DV reconstruction efficiency for an HNL with $m_N = 2$ GeV and $c\tau_N = 10$ mm, as a function of the DV radius $r_{DV}$ using the customised vertex reconstruction for a selection of the fully leptonic MC samples. Decays from HNLs are shown for $\mu\mu$ DVs for HNLs with various masses.
A first search is presented for vector-like leptons (VLLs) decaying into a light long-lived pseudoscalar boson and a standard model $τ$ lepton. The pseudoscalar boson is assumed to have a mass below the $τ^+τ^-$ threshold, so that it decays exclusively into two photons. It is identified using the CMS muon system. The analysis is carried out using a data set of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the CMS experiment in 2016-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. Selected events contain at least one pseudoscalar boson decaying electromagnetically in the muon system and at least one hadronically decaying $τ$ lepton. No significant excess of data events is observed compared to the background expectation. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on the vector-like lepton production cross section as a function of the VLL mass and the pseudoscalar boson mean proper decay length. The observed and expected exclusion ranges of the VLL mass extend up to 700 and 670 GeV, respectively, depending on the pseudoscalar boson lifetime.
Distributions of the number of hits in the cluster (Nhits) for the DT category in the signal region (SR). The last histogram bin contains all overflow events.
The cluster reconstruction efficiency, including both DT and CSC clusters, as a function of the simulated r and |z| decay positions of the pseudoscalar into photons in events with MET > 200 GeV, for a VLL mass of 700 GeV and a pseudoscalar mass of 2 GeV, and a range of ctau values uniformly distributed between 0.01 and 0.1 m.
Distributions of the number of hits in the cluster (Nhits) for the CSC category in the signal region (SR). The last histogram bin contains all overflow events.
A search for cascade decays of charged sleptons and sneutrinos using final states characterized by three leptons (electrons or muons) and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on a dataset with 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$=13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This paper focuses on a supersymmetric scenario that is motivated by the muon anomalous magnetic moment observation, dark mattter relic density abundance, and electroweak naturalness. A mass spectrum involving light higgsinos and heavier sleptons with a bino at intermediate mass is targeted. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. This search enables to place stringent constraints on this model, excluding at the 95% confidence level charged slepton and sneutrino masses up to 450 GeV when assuming a lightest neutralino mass of 100 GeV and mass-degenerate selectrons, smuons and sneutrinos.
Distribution of $m_{3\ell}$ in SROS-on-$eee$. The SR selections are applied for each distribution, except for the variable shown, for which the selection is indicated by a black arrow. The last bin includes the overflow. The `Others' category contains the production of Higgs boson, 3-top, 4-top, and single-top processes. Distributions for SBH signals are overlaid. The bottom panels show the ratio of the observed data to the predicted total background yields. The hatched band includes all statistical and systematic uncertainties.
Distribution of $m_{3\ell}$ in SROS-on-$e\mu\mu$. The SR selections are applied for each distribution, except for the variable shown, for which the selection is indicated by a black arrow. The last bin includes the overflow. The `Others' category contains the production of Higgs boson, 3-top, 4-top, and single-top processes. Distributions for SBH signals are overlaid. The bottom panels show the ratio of the observed data to the predicted total background yields. The hatched band includes all statistical and systematic uncertainties.
Distribution of $E_{\text{T}}^{\text{miss}}$ in SROS-on-b-$eee$. The SR selections are applied for each distribution, except for the variable shown, for which the selection is indicated by a black arrow. The last bin includes the overflow. The `Others' category contains the production of Higgs boson, 3-top, 4-top, and single-top processes. Distributions for SBH signals are overlaid. The bottom panels show the ratio of the observed data to the predicted total background yields. The hatched band includes all statistical and systematic uncertainties.
Measurements are presented of the W and Z boson production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13.6 TeV. Data collected in 2022 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.01 fb$^{-1}$ with one or two identified muons in the final state are analyzed. The results for the products of total inclusive cross sections and branching fractions for muonic decays of W and Z bosons are 11.93 $\pm$ 0.08 (syst) $\pm$ 0.17 (lumi) $^{+0.07}_{-0.07}$ (acc) nb for W$^+$ boson production, 8.86 $\pm$ 0.06 (syst) $\pm$ 0.12 (lumi) $^{+0.05}_{-0.06}$ (acc) nb for W$^-$ boson production, and 2.021 $\pm$ 0.009 (syst) $\pm$ 0.028 (lumi) $^{+0.011}_{-0.013}$ (acc) nb for the Z boson production in the dimuon mass range of 60-120 GeV, all with negligible statistical uncertainties. Furthermore, the corresponding fiducial cross sections, as well as cross section ratios for both fiducial and total phase space, are provided. The ratios include charge-separated results for W boson production (W$^+$ and W$^-$) and the sum of the two contributions (W$^\pm$), each relative to the measured Z boson production cross section. Additionally, the ratio of the measured cross sections for W$^+$ and W$^-$ boson production is reported. All measurements are in agreement with theoretical predictions, calculated at next-to-next-to-leading order accuracy in quantum chromodynamics.
Corrected normalized distribution of the transverse momentum of the leading muon in the Z boson signal region. Simulated contributions from Z boson, electroweak, and ttbar production, as well as their sum, and the data are shown.
Corrected normalized distribution of the transverse momentum of the trailing muon in the Z boson signal region. Simulated contributions from Z boson, electroweak, and ttbar production, as well as their sum, and the data are shown.
Corrected normalized distribution of the missing transverse momentum in the Z boson signal region. Simulated contributions from Z boson, electroweak, and ttbar production, as well as their sum, and the data are shown.
This paper presents the measurement of charged-hadron and identified-hadron ($K^\mathrm{0}_\mathrm{S}$, $Λ$, $Ξ^\mathrm{-}$) yields in photo-nuclear collisions using 1.7 $\mathrm{nb^{-1}}$ of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV Pb+Pb data collected in 2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Candidate photo-nuclear events are selected using a combination of tracking and calorimeter information, including the zero-degree calorimeter. The yields as a function of transverse momentum and rapidity are measured in these photo-nuclear collisions as a function of charged-particle multiplicity. These photo-nuclear results are compared with 0.1 $\mathrm{nb^{-1}}$ of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV $p$+Pb data collected in 2016 by ATLAS using similar charged-particle multiplicity selections. These photo-nuclear measurements shed light on potential quark-gluon plasma formation in photo-nuclear collisions via observables sensitive to radial flow, enhanced baryon-to-meson ratios, and strangeness enhancement. The results are also compared with the Monte Carlo DPMJET-III generator and hydrodynamic calculations to test whether such photo-nuclear collisions may produce small droplets of quark-gluon plasma that flow collectively.
The multiplicity distribution (#it{N}_{ch}^{rec}) from Pb+Pb photo-nuclear collisions.
The multiplicity distribution (#it{N}_{ch}^{rec}) from p+Pb collisions.
The Charged-hadron yields as a function of pT in different y selections in Pb+Pb photo-nuclear collisions.
Incoherent J/$ψ$ photoproduction in heavy ion ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) provides a sensitive probe of localized, fluctuating gluonic structures within heavy nuclei. This study reports the first measurement of the photon-nucleon center-of-mass energy ($W_{γ\mathrm{N}}$) dependence of this process in PbPb UPCs at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV, using 1.52 nb$^{-1}$ of data recorded by the CMS experiment. The measurement covers a wide $W_{γ\mathrm{N}}$ range of $\approx$ 40-400 GeV, probing gluons carrying a fraction $x$ of nucleon momentum down to an unexplored region of 6.5 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$. Compared to baseline predictions neglecting nuclear effects, the measured cross sections exhibit significantly greater suppression at lower $x$. Additionally, the ratio of incoherent to coherent photoproduction is found to be constant across the probed $W_{γ\mathrm{N}}$ and $x$ range, disfavoring the establishment of the black disk limit. This study provides critical insights into the $x$-dependent evolution of fluctuating gluonic structures within nuclei and calls for further advancements in theoretical models incorporating nuclear shadowing and gluon saturation.
The differential incoherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of $|y|$, in different neutron multiplicity classes.
The differential incoherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of $y$, in different neutron multiplicity classes.
The incoherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of photon-nuclear center-of-mass energy per nucleon $W_{\gamma \mathrm{N}}^{\mathrm{Pb}}$ or Bjorken $x$, measured in PbPb ultra-peripheral collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV. The $W_{\gamma \mathrm{N}}^{\mathrm{Pb}}$ values used correspond to the center of each rapidity range. The theoretical uncertainties is due to the uncertainties in the photon flux.
A first search for beyond the standard model physics in jet scaling patterns of multilepton events is presented, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$ of 13 TeV proton-proton collisions recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC. The search uses observed jet multiplicity distributions in one-, two-, and four-lepton events to explore possible enhancements in jet production rate in three-lepton events with and without bottom quarks. The data are found to be consistent with the standard model expectation. The results are interpreted in terms of supersymmetric production of electroweak chargino-neutralino superpartners with cascade decays terminating in prompt hadronic $R$-parity violating interactions.