Top-quark pair production is observed in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}=5.02$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider with the ATLAS detector. The data sample was recorded in 2015 and 2018, amounting to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. Events with exactly one electron and one muon and at least two jets are selected. Top-quark pair production is measured with an observed (expected) significance of 5.0 (4.1) standard deviations. The measured top-quark pair production cross-section is $\sigma_{t\bar{t}} = 3.6\;^{+1.0}_{-0.9}\;\mathrm{(stat.)}\;^{+0.8}_{-0.5}\;\mathrm{(syst.)} ~\mathrm{\mu b}$, with a total relative uncertainty of 31%, and is consistent with theoretical predictions using a range of different nuclear parton distribution functions. The observation of this process consolidates the evidence of the existence of all quark flavors in the pre-equilibrium stage of the quark-gluon plasma at very high energy densities, similar to the conditions present in the early universe.
The figure shows the post-fit distribution of events as a function of the dilepton invariant mass ($m_{e\mu}$), in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the SR1 (Signal Region 1 (SR\(_1\)):} Events with exactly one muon and one oppositely charged electron, a dilepton invariant mass \( m_{e\mu} \geq 30 \, \mathrm{GeV} \), at least two jets with \( p_T \geq 35 \, \mathrm{GeV} \), and a dilepton transverse momentum \( p_T^{e\mu} > 40 \, \mathrm{GeV} \). This region is expected to be signal-dominated) channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield.
The figure shows the post-fit distribution of events as a function of the dilepton invariant mass ($m_{e\mu}$), in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the SR2 (Signal Region 2 (SR\(_2\)):} Events meeting the same criteria as SR\(_1\), but with a dilepton transverse momentum \( p_T^{e\mu} \leq 40 \, \mathrm{GeV} \). This region includes events with a lower \( p_T^{e\mu} \) and has a larger background contribution) channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield.
The impact of systematic uncertainties on the fitted signal-strength parameter $\hat{\mu}$ for the combined fit of all channels. Only the 10 most significant systematic uncertainties are shown and listed in decreasing order of their impact on $\mu$ on the $y$-axis. The empty (filled) blue/cyan boxes correspond to the pre-fit (post-fit) impact on $\mu$, referring to the upper $x$-axis. The impact of each systematic uncertainty, $\Delta \mu$, is calculated by comparing the nominal best-fit value of $\mu$ with the result of the fit when fixing the corresponding nuisance parameter $\theta$ to its best-fit value $\hat{\theta}$ shifted by its pre-fit (post-fit) uncertainties $\hat{\theta} \pm \Delta \theta(\hat{\theta} \pm \Delta \hat{\theta})$. The black points, which refer to the lower $x$-axis, show the pulls of the fitted nuisance parameters, i.e., the deviations of the fitted parameters $\hat{\theta}$ from their nominal values $\theta_0$, normalized to their nominal uncertainties $\Delta \theta$. The black lines show the post-fit uncertainties of the nuisance parameters, relative to their nominal uncertainties, which are indicated by the dashed lines.
A search for heavy right-handed Majorana neutrinos is performed with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, using the 140 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected during Run 2. This search targets $t\bar{t}$ production, in which both top quarks decay into a bottom quark and a $W$ boson, where one of the $W$ bosons decays hadronically and the other decays into an electron or muon and a heavy neutral lepton. The heavy neutral lepton is identified through a decay into an electron or muon and another $W$ boson, resulting in a pair of same-charge same-flavor leptons in the final state. This paper presents the first search for heavy neutral leptons in the mass range of 15-75 GeV using $t\bar{t}$ events. No significant excess is observed over the background expectation, and upper limits are placed on the signal cross-sections. Assuming a benchmark scenario of the phenomenological type-I seesaw model, these cross-section limits are then translated into upper limits on the mixing parameters of the heavy Majorana neutrino with Standard Model neutrinos.
Definitions of different signal and control regions. The control regions are enriched in events from the following processes. ttW, heavy-flavor (HF) fake, photon-conversion (PC), and charge-flip (CF). The 'Z veto' is defined as $m_{ee}$ not in [$m_Z$ - 10 GeV, $m_Z$ + 10 GeV].
Post-fit event yields for the different background processes in the signal regions, as obtained from the background-only fit in the high-mass region.
Expected and observed upper limits on the signal cross-sections at 95% CL.
This paper presents a measurement of the production cross-section of a $Z$ boson in association with $b$- or $c$-jets, in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. Inclusive and differential cross-sections are measured for events containing a $Z$ boson decaying into electrons or muons and produced in association with at least one $b$-jet, at least one $c$-jet, or at least two $b$-jets with transverse momentum $p_\textrm{T} > 20$ GeV and rapidity $|y| < 2.5$. Predictions from several Monte Carlo generators based on next-to-leading-order matrix elements interfaced with a parton-shower simulation, with different choices of flavour schemes for initial-state partons, are compared with the measured cross-sections. The results are also compared with novel predictions, based on infrared and collinear safe jet flavour dressing algorithms. Selected $Z + \ge 1 c$-jet observables, optimized for sensitivity to intrinsic-charm, are compared with benchmark models with different intrinsic-charm fractions.
Figure 6(left) of the article. Measured fiducial cross sections for events with $Z (\rightarrow ll) \ge 1 $ b-jets. The thin inner band corresponds to the statistical uncertainty of the data, and the outer band to statistical and systematic uncertainties of the data, added in quadrature.
Figure 6(right) of the article. Measured fiducial cross sections for events with $Z (\rightarrow ll) \ge 2 $ b-jets. The thin inner band corresponds to the statistical uncertainty of the data, and the outer band to statistical and systematic uncertainties of the data, added in quadrature.
Figure 7 of the article. Measured fiducial cross sections for events with $Z (\rightarrow ll) \ge 1 $ c-jets. The thin inner band corresponds to the statistical uncertainty of the data, and the outer band to statistical and systematic uncertainties of the data, added in quadrature.
This paper presents for the first time a precise measurement of the production properties of the Z boson in the full phase space of the decay leptons. This is in contrast to the many previous precise unfolded measurements performed in the fiducial phase space of the decay leptons. The measurement is obtained from proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment in 2012 at $\sqrt s$ = 8 TeV at the LHC and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.2 fb$^{-1}$. The results, based on a total of 15.3 million Z-boson decays to electron and muon pairs, extend and improve a previous measurement of the full set of angular coefficients describing Z-boson decay. The double-differential cross-section distributions in Z-boson transverse momentum p$_T$ and rapidity y are measured in the pole region, defined as 80 $<$ m $<$ 100 GeV, over the range $|y| <$ 3.6. The total uncertainty of the normalised cross-section measurements in the peak region of the p$_T$ distribution is dominated by statistical uncertainties over the full range and increases as a function of rapidity from 0.5-1.0% for $|y| <$ 2.0 to 2-7% at higher rapidities. The results for the rapidity-dependent transverse momentum distributions are compared to state-of-the-art QCD predictions, which combine in the best cases approximate N$^4$LL resummation with N$^3$LO fixed-order perturbative calculations. The differential rapidity distributions integrated over p$_T$ are even more precise, with accuracies from 0.2-0.3% for $|y| <$ 2.0 to 0.4-0.9% at higher rapidities, and are compared to fixed-order QCD predictions using the most recent parton distribution functions. The agreement between data and predictions is quite good in most cases.
Measured $p_T$ cross sections in full-lepton phase space for |y| < 0.4.
Measured $p_T$ cross sections in full-lepton phase space for 0.4 < |y| < 0.8.
Measured $p_T$ cross sections in full-lepton phase space for 0.8 < |y| < 1.2.
This paper presents the observation of four-top-quark ($t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$) production in proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected using the ATLAS detector. Events containing two leptons with the same electric charge or at least three leptons (electrons or muons) are selected. Event kinematics are used to separate signal from background through a multivariate discriminant, and dedicated control regions are used to constrain the dominant backgrounds. The observed (expected) significance of the measured $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ signal with respect to the standard model (SM) background-only hypothesis is 6.1 (4.3) standard deviations. The $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ production cross section is measured to be $22.5^{+6.6}_{-5.5}$ fb, consistent with the SM prediction of $12.0 \pm 2.4$ fb within 1.8 standard deviations. Data are also used to set limits on the three-top-quark production cross section, being an irreducible background not measured previously, and to constrain the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling and effective field theory operator coefficients that affect $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ production.
Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR $t\bar{t}W^{+}$+jets. The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.
Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR $t\bar{t}W^{-}$+jets. The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.
Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR 1b(+). The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.
This paper presents studies of Bose-Einstein correlations (BEC) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, using data from the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Data were collected in a special low-luminosity configuration with a minimum-bias trigger and a high-multiplicity track trigger, accumulating integrated luminosities of 151 $\mu$b$^{-1}$ and 8.4 nb$^{-1}$ respectively. The BEC are measured for pairs of like-sign charged particles, each with $|\eta|$ < 2.5, for two kinematic ranges: the first with particle $p_T$ > 100 MeV and the second with particle $p_T$ > 500 MeV. The BEC parameters, characterizing the source radius and particle correlation strength, are investigated as functions of charged-particle multiplicity (up to 300) and average transverse momentum of the pair (up to 1.5 GeV). The double-differential dependence on charged-particle multiplicity and average transverse momentum of the pair is also studied. The BEC radius is found to be independent of the charged-particle multiplicity for high charged-particle multiplicity (above 100), confirming a previous observation at lower energy. This saturation occurs independent of the transverse momentum of the pair.
Comparison of single-ratio two-particle correlation functions, C<sub>2</sub><sup>data</sup>(Q) and C<sub>2</sub><sup>MC</sup>(Q), with the two-particle double-ratio correlation function, R<sub>2</sub>(Q), for the high-multiplicity track (HMT) events using the opposite hemisphere (OHP) like-charge particles pairs reference sample for k<sub>T</sub> - interval 1000 < k<sub>T</sub> ≤ 1500 MeV.
Comparison of single-ratio two-particle correlation functions, C<sub>2</sub><sup>data</sup>(Q) and C<sub>2</sub><sup>MC</sup>(Q), with the two-particle double-ratio correlation function, R<sub>2</sub>(Q), for the high-multiplicity track (HMT) events using the unlike-charge particle (UCP) pairs reference sample for k<sub>T</sub> - interval 1000 < k<sub>T</sub> ≤ 1500 MeV.
The Bose-Einstein correlation (BEC) parameter R as a function of n<sub>ch</sub> for MB events using different MC generators in the calculation of R<sub>2</sub>(Q). The uncertainties shown are statistical. The lower panel of each plot shows the ratio of the BEC parameters obtained using EPOS LHC (red circles), Pythia 8 Monash (blue squares) and Herwig++ UE-EE-5 (green triangles) compared with the parameters obtained using Pythia 8 A2. The gray band in the lower panels is the MC systematic uncertainty, obtained as explained in the text.
This paper describes precision measurements of the transverse momentum $p_\mathrm{T}^{\ell\ell}$ ($\ell=e,\mu$) and of the angular variable $\phi^{*}_{\eta}$ distributions of Drell-Yan lepton pairs in a mass range of 66-116 GeV. The analysis uses data from 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2015 and 2016. Measurements in electron-pair and muon-pair final states are performed in the same fiducial volumes, corrected for detector effects, and combined. Compared to previous measurements in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$7 and 8 TeV, these new measurements probe perturbative QCD at a higher centre-of-mass energy with a different composition of initial states. They reach a precision of 0.2% for the normalized spectra at low values of $p_\mathrm{T}^{\ell\ell}$. The data are compared with different QCD predictions, where it is found that predictions based on resummation approaches can describe the full spectrum within uncertainties.
Selected signal candidate events in data for both decay channels as well as the expected background contributions including their total uncertainties.
Overview of the detector efficiency correction factors, $C_{Z}$ , for the electron and muon channels and their systematic uncertainty contributions.
Measured inclusive cross-section in the fiducial volume in the electron and muon decay channels at Born level and their combination as well as the theory prediction at NNLO in $\alpha_{s}$ using the CT14 PDF set.
The production of a prompt photon in association with a $Z$ boson is studied in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV. The analysis uses a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC from 2015 to 2018. The production cross-section for the process $pp \rightarrow \ell^+\ell^-\gamma+X$ ($\ell = e, \mu$) is measured within a fiducial phase-space region defined by kinematic requirements on the photon and the leptons, and by isolation requirements on the photon. An experimental precision of 2.9% is achieved for the fiducial cross-section. Differential cross-sections are measured as a function of each of six kinematic variables characterising the $\ell^+\ell^-\gamma$ system. The data are compared with theoretical predictions based on next-to-leading-order and next-to-next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations. The impact of next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections is also considered.
The measured fiducial cross section. "Uncor" uncertainty includes all systematic uncertainties that are uncorrelated between electron and muon channels such as the uncertainty on the electron identification efficiency and the uncorrelated component of the background uncertainties. The parton-to-particle correction factor $C_{theory}$ is the ratio of the cross-section predicted by Sherpa LO samples at particle level within the fiducial phase-space region defined in Table 4 to the predicted cross-section at parton level within the same fiducial region but with the smooth-cone isolation prescription defined above replacing the particle-level photon isolation criterion, and with Born-level leptons in place of dressed leptons. This correction should be applied on fixed order parton-level calculations. The systematic uncertainty is evaluated from a comparison with the correction factor obtained using events generated with Sherpa 2.2.2 at NLO. In the case that the calculations are valid for dressed leptons, a modified correction factor excluding the Born-to-dressed lepton correction should be applied instead. This correction only takes into account the particle-level isolation criteria, and is provided separately here. The Sherpa 2.2.8 NLO cross-sections given below include a small contribution from EW $Z\gamma jj$ production of 4.57 fb.
The measured fiducial cross section vs $E_{\mathrm{T}}^\gamma$. The central values are provided along with the statistical and systematic uncertainties together with the sign information. The statistical and "Uncor" uncertainty should be treated as uncorrelated bin-to-bin, while the rest are correlated between bins, and they are written as signed NP variations. The parton-to-particle correction factor $C_{theory}$ is the ratio of the cross-section predicted by Sherpa LO samples at particle level within the fiducial phase-space region defined in Table 4 to the predicted cross-section at parton level within the same fiducial region but with the smooth-cone isolation prescription defined above replacing the particle-level photon isolation criterion, and with Born-level leptons in place of dressed leptons. This correction should be applied on fixed order parton-level calculations. The systematic uncertainty is evaluated from a comparison with the correction factor obtained using events generated with Sherpa 2.2.2 at NLO. The uncertainty is defined as Max(stat error, systematic difference between Sherpa LO and Sherpa 2.2.2 NLO), and cannot be considered correlated bin-to-bin. In the case that the calculations are valid for dressed leptons, a modified correction factor excluding the Born-to-dressed lepton correction should be applied instead. This correction only takes into account the particle-level isolation criteria, and is provided separately here. The Sherpa 2.2.8 NLO cross-sections given below include a small contribution from EW $Z\gamma jj$ production.
The measured fiducial cross section vs $|\eta^\gamma|$. The central values are provided along with the statistical and systematic uncertainties together with the sign information. The statistical and "Uncor" uncertainty should be treated as uncorrelated bin-to-bin, while the rest are correlated between bins, and they are written as signed NP variations. The parton-to-particle correction factor $C_{theory}$ is the ratio of the cross-section predicted by Sherpa LO samples at particle level within the fiducial phase-space region defined in Table 4 to the predicted cross-section at parton level within the same fiducial region but with the smooth-cone isolation prescription defined above replacing the particle-level photon isolation criterion, and with Born-level leptons in place of dressed leptons. This correction should be applied on fixed order parton-level calculations. The systematic uncertainty is evaluated from a comparison with the correction factor obtained using events generated with Sherpa 2.2.2 at NLO. The uncertainty is defined as Max(stat error, systematic difference between Sherpa LO and Sherpa 2.2.2 NLO), and cannot be considered correlated bin-to-bin. In the case that the calculations are valid for dressed leptons, a modified correction factor excluding the Born-to-dressed lepton correction should be applied instead. This correction only takes into account the particle-level isolation criteria, and is provided separately here. The Sherpa 2.2.8 NLO cross-sections given below include a small contribution from EW $Z\gamma jj$ production.
Several models of physics beyond the Standard Model predict the existence of dark photons, light neutral particles decaying into collimated leptons or light hadrons. This paper presents a search for long-lived dark photons produced from the decay of a Higgs boson or a heavy scalar boson and decaying into displaced collimated Standard Model fermions. The search uses data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ collected in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV recorded in 2015-2016 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The observed number of events is consistent with the expected background, and limits on the production cross section times branching fraction as a function of the proper decay length of the dark photon are reported. A cross section times branching fraction above 4 pb is excluded for a Higgs boson decaying into two dark photons for dark-photon decay lengths between 1.5 mm and 307 mm.
Upper limits at 95% CL on the cross section times branching fraction for the process $H \to 2\gamma_d + X$ with $m_H$ = 125 GeV in the muon-muon final state.
Upper limits at 95% CL on the cross section times branching fraction for the process $H \to 4\gamma_d + X$ with $m_H$ = 125 GeV in the muon-muon final state.
Upper limits at 95% CL on the cross section times branching fraction for the process $H \to 2\gamma_d + X$ with $m_H$ = 800 GeV in the muon-muon final state.
The inclusive cross-section for jet production in association with a Z boson decaying into an electron-positron pair is measured as a function of the transverse momentum and the absolute rapidity of jets using 19.9 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt s = 8$ TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The measured Z + jets cross-section is unfolded to the particle level. The cross-section is compared with state-of-the-art Standard Model calculations, including the next-to-leading-order and next-to-next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations, corrected for non-perturbative and QED radiation effects. The results of the measurements cover final-state jets with transverse momenta up to 1 TeV, and show good agreement with fixed-order calculations.
List of experimentally considered systematic uncertainties for the Z + jets cross-section measurement
The double-differential Z + jets production cross-section as a function of |y_{jet}| in the 25 GeV < p_{T}^{jet} < 50 GeV range. The particle level phase space definition: - 66 GeV < m_{ee} < 116 GeV - |eta_{electron}| < 2.47 - p_{T}^{electron} > 20 GeV - anti-kt R=0.4 jets N>=1 - |y_{jet}| < 3.4 - p_{T}^{jet} > 25 GeV - Delta R(jet, electron) > 0.4
The double-differential Z + jets production cross-section as a function of |y_{jet}| in the 50 GeV < p_{T}^{jet} < 100 GeV range. The particle level phase space definition: - 66 GeV < m_{ee} < 116 GeV - |eta_{electron}| < 2.47 - p_{T}^{electron} > 20 GeV - anti-kt R=0.4 jets N>=1 - |y_{jet}| < 3.4 - p_{T}^{jet} > 25 GeV - Delta R(jet, electron) > 0.4
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