Detailed measurements of $t$-channel single top-quark production are presented. They use 20.2 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected by the ATLAS experiment in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV at the LHC. Total, fiducial and differential cross-sections are measured for both top-quark and top-antiquark production. The fiducial cross-section is measured with a precision of 5.8 % (top quark) and 7.8 % (top antiquark), respectively. The total cross-sections are measured to be $\sigma_{\mathrm{tot}}(tq) = 56.7^{+4.3}_{-3.8}\;$pb for top-quark production and $\sigma_{\mathrm{tot}}(\bar{t}q) = 32.9^{+3.0}_{-2.7}\;$pb for top-antiquark production, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction. In addition, the ratio of top-quark to top-antiquark production cross-sections is determined to be $R_t=1.72 \pm 0.09$, with an improved relative precision of 4.9 % since several systematic uncertainties cancel in the ratio. The differential cross-sections as a function of the transverse momentum and rapidity of both the top quark and the top antiquark are measured at both the parton and particle levels. The transverse momentum and rapidity differential cross-sections of the accompanying jet from the $t$-channel scattering are measured at particle level. All measurements are compared to various Monte Carlo predictions as well as to fixed-order QCD calculations where available.
Predicted and observed event yields for the signal region (SR). The multijet background prediction is obtained from a binned maximum-likelihood fit to the $E_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$ distribution. All the other predictions are derived using theoretical cross-sections, given for the backgrounds in Sect. 6 and for the signal in Sect. 1. The quoted uncertainties are in the predicted cross-sections or in the number of multijet events, in case of the multijet process.
Predicted and observed event yields for the signal region (SR). The multijet background prediction is obtained from a binned maximum-likelihood fit to the $E_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$ distribution. All the other predictions are derived using theoretical cross-sections, given for the backgrounds in Sect. 6 and for the signal in Sect. 1. The quoted uncertainties are in the predicted cross-sections or in the number of multijet events, in case of the multijet process.
Definition of the fiducial phase space.
Light-by-light scattering ($\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$) is a quantum-mechanical process that is forbidden in the classical theory of electrodynamics. This reaction is accessible at the Large Hadron Collider thanks to the large electromagnetic field strengths generated by ultra-relativistic colliding lead (Pb) ions. Using 480 $\mu$b$^{-1}$ of Pb+Pb collision data recorded at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5.02 TeV by the ATLAS detector, the ATLAS Collaboration reports evidence for the $\gamma\gamma\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$ reaction. A total of 13 candidate events are observed with an expected background of 2.6$\pm$0.7 events. After background subtraction and analysis corrections, the fiducial cross section of the process $\textrm{Pb+Pb}\,(\gamma\gamma)\rightarrow \textrm{Pb}^{(\ast)}\textrm{+}\textrm{Pb}^{(\ast)}\,\gamma\gamma$, for photon transverse energy $E_{\mathrm{T}}>$3 GeV, photon absolute pseudorapidity $|\eta|<$2.4, diphoton invariant mass greater than 6 GeV, diphoton transverse momentum lower than 2 GeV and diphoton acoplanarity below 0.01, is measured to be 70 $\pm$ 24 (stat.) $\pm$ 17 (syst.) nb, which is in agreement with Standard Model predictions.
Detector-level diphoton invariant mass distribution
Detector-level diphoton acoplanarity distribution
The measured total fiducial cross section
We report a measurement of $e^+e^-$ pairs from semileptonic heavy-flavor decays in $p$+$p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=200$~GeV. The $e^+e^-$ pair yield from $b\bar{b}$ and $c\bar{c}$ is separated by exploiting a double differential fit done simultaneously in dielectron invariant mass and $p_T$. We used three different event generators, {\sc pythia}, {\sc mc@nlo}, and {\sc powheg}, to simulate the $e^+e^-$ spectra from $c\bar{c}$ and $b\bar{b}$ production. The data can be well described by all three generators within the detector acceptance. However, when using the generators to extrapolate to $4\pi$, significant differences are observed for the total cross section. These difference are less pronounced for $b\bar{b}$ than for $c\bar{c}$. The same model dependence was observed in already published $d$+$A$ data. The $p$+$p$ data are also directly compared with $d$+$A$ data in mass and $p_T$, and within the statistical accuracy no nuclear modification is seen.
Step by step extrapolation from the number of $e^+e^-$ pairs for $m_{e^+e^-}$ > 1.16 GeV/$c^2$ from $c\bar{c}$ in the PHENIX acceptance to the number of $c\bar{c}$ pairs in 4$\pi$ for PYTHIA, MC@NLO, and POWHEG. Numbers are in units of pairs per event using the $c\bar{c}$ cross sections determined in this paper.
Step by step extrapolation from the number of $e^+e^-$ pairs for $m_{e^+e^-}$ > 1.16 GeV/$c^2$ from $b\bar{b}$ in the PHENIX acceptance to the number of $b\bar{b}$ pairs in 4$\pi$ for PYTHIA, MC@NLO, and POWHEG. Numbers are in units of pairs per event using the $b\bar{b}$ cross sections determined in this paper.
Summary of $c\bar{c}$ and $b\bar{b}$ cross sections measured in $p$+$p$ collisions using three different generators, PYTHIA, MC@NLO, and POWHEG.
The distributions of transverse momentum and longitudinal momentum fraction of charged particles in jets are measured in Pb+Pb and pp collisions with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The distributions are measured as a function of jet transverse momentum and rapidity. The analysis utilises an integrated luminosity of 0.14 nb$^{-1}$ of Pb+Pb data and 4.0 pb$^{-1}$ of pp data collected in 2011 and 2013, respectively, at the same centre-of-mass energy of 2.76 TeV per colliding nucleon pair. The distributions measured in pp collisions are used as a reference for those measured in Pb+Pb collisions in order to evaluate the impact on the internal structure of jets from the jet energy loss of fast partons propagating through the hot, dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions. Modest but significant centrality-dependent modifications of fragmentation functions in Pb+Pb collisions with respect to those in pp collisions are seen. No significant dependence of modifications on jet $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ and rapidity selections is observed except for the fragments with the highest transverse momenta for which some reduction of yields is observed for more forward jets.
D(pt) distributions for pp and Pb+Pb collisions, jet rapidity |y| < 2.1.
D(pt) distributions for pp and Pb+Pb collisions, jet rapidity |y| < 0.3.
D(pt) distributions for pp and Pb+Pb collisions, jet rapidity 0.3 < |y| < 0.8.
Inclusive isolated-photon production in $pp$ collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV is studied with the ATLAS detector at the LHC using a data set with an integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb$^{-1}$. The cross section is measured as a function of the photon transverse energy above 125 GeV in different regions of photon pseudorapidity. Next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD and Monte Carlo event-generator predictions are compared to the cross-section measurements and provide an adequate description of the data.
Measured cross sections for inclusive isolated-photon production as a function of $E_{\rm T}^{\gamma}$ for $|\eta^{\gamma}|<0.6$.
Measured cross sections for inclusive isolated-photon production as a function of $E_{\rm T}^{\gamma}$ for $0.6<|\eta^{\gamma}|<1.37$.
Measured cross sections for inclusive isolated-photon production as a function of $E_{\rm T}^{\gamma}$ for $1.56<|\eta^{\gamma}|<1.81$.
We present charged-particle distributions sensitive to the underlying event, measured by the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, in low-luminosity Large Hadron Collider fills corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.6 nb$^{-1}$. The distributions were constructed using charged particles with absolute pseudorapidity less than 2.5 and with transverse momentum greater than 500 MeV, in events with at least one such charged particle with transverse momentum above 1 GeV. These distributions characterise the angular distribution of energy and particle flows with respect to the charged particle with highest transverse momentum, as a function of both that momentum and of charged-particle multiplicity. The results have been corrected for detector effects and are compared to the predictions of various Monte Carlo event generators, experimentally establishing the level of underlying-event activity at LHC Run 2 energies and providing inputs for the development of event generator modelling. The current models in use for UE modelling typically describe this data to 5% accuracy, compared with data uncertainties of less than 1%.
Unit-normalised distribution of the transverse momentum of the leading charged-particle $p_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{lead}$ > 1 GeV.
Mean values of charged-particle multiplicity $n_\mathrm{ch}$ as a function of leading charged-particle $p_\mathrm{T}$ in the trans-min azimuthal region.
Mean values of charged-particle multiplicity $n_\mathrm{ch}$ as a function of leading charged-particle $p_\mathrm{T}$ in the trans-max azimuthal region.
The production cross-section of $J/\psi$ pairs is measured using a data sample of $pp$ collisions collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13 \,{\mathrm{TeV}}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $279 \pm 11 \,{\mathrm{pb^{-1}}}$. The measurement is performed for $J/\psi$ mesons with a transverse momentum of less than $10 \,{\mathrm{GeV}}/c$ in the rapidity range $2.0<y<4.5$. The production cross-section is measured to be $15.2 \pm 1.0 \pm 0.9 \,{\mathrm{nb}}$. The first uncertainty is statistical, and the second is systematic. The differential cross-sections as functions of several kinematic variables of the $J/\psi$ pair are measured and compared to theoretical predictions.
Differential cross-section of $J/\psi$ pair as a function of $p_{T}(J/\psi J/\psi)$.
Differential cross-section of $J/\psi$ pair as a function of $p_{T}(J/\psi)$.
Differential cross-section of $J/\psi$ pair as a function of $y(J/\psi J/\psi)$.
Measurements of the cross-section for producing \bquark quarks in the reaction $pp\to b\bar{b} X$ are reported in 7 and 13 TeV collisions at the LHC as a function of the pseudorapidity $\eta$ in the range $2<\eta<5$ covered by the acceptance of the LHCb experiment. The measurements are done using semileptonic decays of $b$-flavored hadrons decaying into a ground-state charmed hadron in association with a muon. The cross-sections in the covered $\eta$ range are $72.0\pm 0.3\pm6.8~\mu$b and $144\pm 1\pm 21~\mu$b for 7 and 13 TeV. The ratio is $2.00\pm0.02\pm0.26$, where the quoted uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The agreement with theoretical expectation is good at 7 TeV, but differs somewhat at 13 TeV. The measured ratio of cross-sections is larger at lower $\eta$ than the model prediction.
The cross-section as a function of $\eta$ for $pp \to H_b X$, where $H_b$ is a hadron that contains either a $b$ or a $\bar{b}$ quark, but not both, at center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. To get the differential cross-section in each interval multiply by a factor two.
The cross-section as a function of $\eta$ for $pp \to H_b X$, where $H_b$ is a hadron that contains either a $b$ or a $\bar{b}$ quark, but not both, at center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. To get the differential cross-section in each interval multiply by a factor two.
The ration of the cross-sections as a function of $\eta$ for $pp \to H_b X$, where $H_b$ is a hadron that contains either a $b$ or a $\bar{b}$ quark, but not both, for center-of-mass energies of 13 and 7 TeV. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.
Ratios of top-quark pair to $Z$-boson cross sections measured from proton--proton collisions at the LHC centre-of-mass energies of $\sqrt s=13$TeV, 8TeV, and 7TeV are presented by the ATLAS Collaboration. Single ratios, at a given $\sqrt s$ for the two processes and at different $\sqrt s$ for each process, as well as double ratios of the two processes at different $\sqrt s$, are evaluated. The ratios are constructed using previously published ATLAS measurements of the $t\overline{t}$ and $Z$-boson production cross sections, corrected to a common phase space where required, and a new analysis of $Z \rightarrow \ell^+ \ell^-$ where $\ell=e,\mu$ at $\sqrt s=13$TeV performed with data collected in 2015 with an integrated luminosity of $3.2$fb$^{-1}$. Correlations of systematic uncertainties are taken into account when evaluating the uncertainties in the ratios. The correlation model is also used to evaluate the combined cross section of the $Z\rightarrow e^+e^-$ and the $Z\rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^-$ channels for each $\sqrt s$ value. The results are compared to calculations performed at next-to-next-to-leading-order accuracy using recent sets of parton distribution functions. The data demonstrate significant power to constrain the gluon distribution function for the Bjorken-$x$ values near 0.1 and the light-quark sea for $x<0.02$.
Measured fiducial cross section times leptonic branching ratio for Z/gamma* production in the Z/gamma* -> e+e- final state at 13TeV.
Measured fiducial cross section times leptonic branching ratio for Z/gamma* production in the Z/gamma* -> mu+ mu- final state at 13TeV.
Breakdown of systematic uncertainties in percent for the measured fiducial cross section times leptonic branching ratio for Z/gamma* production in the Z/gamma* -> e+e- final state at 13TeV.
The production of two prompt $J/\psi$ mesons, each with transverse momenta $p_{\mathrm{T}}>8.5$ GeV and rapidity $|y| < 2.1$, is studied using a sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 11.4 fb$^{-1}$ collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The differential cross-section, assuming unpolarised $J/\psi$ production, is measured as a function of the transverse momentum of the lower-$p_{\mathrm{T}}$ $J/\psi$ meson, di-$J/\psi$ $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ and mass, the difference in rapidity between the two $J/\psi$ mesons, and the azimuthal angle between the two $J/\psi$ mesons. The fraction of prompt pair events due to double parton scattering is determined by studying kinematic correlations between the two $J/\psi$ mesons. The total and double parton scattering cross-sections are compared with predictions. The effective cross-section of double parton scattering is measured to be $\sigma_{\mathrm{eff}} = 6.3 \pm 1.6 \mathrm{(stat)} \pm 1.0 \mathrm{(syst)}$ mb.
The cross-section in bins of the sub-leading $J/\psi$ transverse momentum in the central rapidity region, assuming unpolarised $J/\psi$ mesons and excluding the $J/\psi$ spin-alignment systematic uncertainty. The branching fraction and luminosity uncertainties are not included in the systematic uncertainty as they are constant at 1.1$\%$ and 1.9$\%$ respectively.
The cross-section in bins of the sub-leading $J/\psi$ transverse momentum in the forward rapidity region, assuming unpolarised $J/\psi$ mesons and excluding the $J/\psi$ spin-alignment systematic uncertainty. The branching fraction and luminosity uncertainties are not included in the systematic uncertainty as they are constant at 1.1$\%$ and 1.9$\%$ respectively.
The cross-section in bins of the di-$J/\psi$ transverse momentum in the central rapidity region, assuming unpolarised $J/\psi$ mesons and excluding the $J/\psi$ spin-alignment systematic uncertainty. The branching fraction and luminosity uncertainties are not included in the systematic uncertainty as they are constant at 1.1$\%$ and 1.9$\%$ respectively.
Forum