Results are reported from a search for long-lived particles in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV delivered by the CERN LHC and collected by the CMS experiment. The data sample, which was recorded during 2015 and 2016, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 38.5 fb$^{-1}$. This search uses benchmark signal models in which long-lived particles are pair-produced and each decays into two or more quarks, leading to a signal with multiple jets and two displaced vertices composed of many tracks. No events with two well-separated high-track-multiplicity vertices are observed. Upper limits are placed on models of $R$-parity violating supersymmetry in which the long-lived particles are neutralinos or gluinos decaying solely into multijet final states or top squarks decaying solely into dijet final states. For neutralino, gluino, or top squark masses between 800 and 2600 GeV and mean proper decay lengths between 1 and 40 mm, the analysis excludes cross sections above 0.3 fb at 95% confidence level. Gluino and top squark masses are excluded below 2200 and 1400 GeV, respectively, for mean proper decay lengths between 0.6 and 80 mm. A method is provided for extending the results to other models with pair-produced long-lived particles.
Distribution of the distance between vertices in the $x$-$y$ plane, $d_{VV}$, for simulated multijet signals with $m$ = 800 GeV, production cross section 1 fb, and $c\tau$ = 0.3, 1.0, and 10 mm, with the background template overlaid. All vertex and event selection criteria have been applied. The last bin includes the overflow events.
Signal efficiency as a function of signal mass and lifetime for the multijet signal samples. All vertex and event selection criteria have been applied, as well as the requirement $d_{VV}$ > 0.4 mm.
Signal efficiency as a function of signal mass and lifetime for the dijet signal samples. All vertex and event selection criteria have been applied, as well as the requirement $d_{VV}$ > 0.4 mm.
A search for the pair production of resonances, each decaying to two quarks, is reported. The search is conducted separately for heavier resonances (masses above 400 GeV), where each of the four final-state quarks generates a hadronic jet resulting in a four-jet signature, and for lighter resonances (masses between 80 and 400 GeV), where the pair of quarks from each resonance is collimated and reconstructed as a single jet resulting in a two-jet signature. In addition, a b-tagged selection is applied to target resonances with a bottom quark in the final state. The analysis uses data collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$, from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The mass spectra are analyzed for the presence of new resonances, and are found to be consistent with standard model expectations. The results are interpreted in the framework of $R$-parity-violating supersymmetry assuming the pair production of scalar top quarks decaying via the hadronic coupling $\lambda_{312}"$ or $\lambda_{323}"$, and upper limits on the cross section as a function of the top squark mass are set. These results probe lower masses than previously explored at the LHC, and extend the top squark mass limits in the $\widetilde{\mathrm{t}}$$\to$qq$'$ scenario.
Signal efficiency as a function of stop mass for the inclusive and b-tagged selections. Efficiency is estimated from the number of events in the simulated sample passing the full signal selection in a two sigma window around the true mass compared with the total number of events generated. No generator-level requirements are applied in the generation.
Boosted search average pruned mass distribution for data (black points) and for the total background prediction for the inclusive selection.
Boosted search average pruned mass distribution for data and for the total background prediction for the b-tagged selection.
A combination of the searches for pair-produced vector-like partners of the top and bottom quarks in various decay channels ($T$$\rightarrow$$Zt/Wb/Ht$, $B$$\rightarrow$$Zb/Wt/Hb$) is performed using 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The observed data are found to be in good agreement with the Standard Model background prediction in all individual searches. Therefore, combined 95% confidence-level upper limits are set on the production cross-section for a range of vector-like quark scenarios, significantly improving upon the reach of the individual searches. Model-independent limits are set assuming the vector-like quarks decay to Standard Model particles. A singlet $T$ is excluded for masses below 1.31 TeV and a singlet $B$ is excluded for masses below 1.22 TeV. Assuming a weak isospin $(T,B)$ doublet and $|V_{Tb}| \ll |V_{tB}|$, $T$ and $B$ masses below 1.37 TeV are excluded.
Expected and observed 95% lower limits on the vector-like top quark mass as a function of the branching ratio, asumming that the vector-like quarks exclusively decay to SM particles (and third generation quarks).
Expected and observed 95% lower limits on the vector-like bottom quark mass as a function of the branching ratio, asumming that the vector-like quarks exclusively decay to SM particles (and third generation quarks).
Expected and observed 95% upper limits on the vector-like top quark pair-production signal strength (i.e. the ratio sigma_exclusion/sigma_VLQ) as a function of the branching ratio for a vector-like quark mass of 800 GeV, asumming that the vector-like quarks exclusively decay to SM particles (and third generation quarks). If interpreting these results in models with decays to non-Standard-Model particles, one must check that the additional decays will not end up in any control regions of the relevant analyses.
A search is presented for the pair production of heavy vector-like quarks, $T\bar T$ or $B\bar B$, that decay into final states with jets and no reconstructed leptons. Jets in the final state are classified using a deep neural network as arising from hadronically decaying $W/Z$ bosons, Higgs bosons, top quarks, or background. The analysis uses data from the ATLAS experiment corresponding to 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions with a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV delivered by the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016. No significant deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. Results are interpreted assuming the vector-like quarks decay into a Standard Model boson and a third-generation-quark, $T\rightarrow Wb,Ht,Zt$ or $B\rightarrow Wt,Hb,Zb$, for a variety of branching ratios. At 95% confidence level, the observed (expected) lower limit on the vector-like $B$-quark mass for a weak-isospin doublet ($B, Y$) is 950 (890) GeV, and the lower limits on the masses for the pure decays $B\rightarrow Hb$ and $T\rightarrow Ht$, where these results are strongest, are 1010 (970) GeV and 1010 (1010) GeV, respectively.
Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the $T\bar T$ cross section as a function of $T$ mass under the assumption BR($T\to Ht$)=1.
Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the $B\bar B$ cross section as a function of $B$ mass under the assumption BR($B\to Hb$)=1.
Expected and observed upper limits at the 95% CL on the $B\bar B$ cross section as a function of $B$ mass under the assumption of a weak-isospin doublet.
A search is presented for massive narrow resonances decaying either into two Higgs bosons, or into a Higgs boson and a W or Z boson. The decay channels considered are HH$\to \mathrm{b\overline{b}}\tau^{+}\tau^{-}$ and VH$ \to \mathrm{q\overline{q}}\tau^{+}\tau^{-}$, where H denotes the Higgs boson, and V denotes the W or Z boson. This analysis is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the CMS Collaboration, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb$^{-1}$. For the TeV-scale mass resonances considered, substructure techniques provide ways to differentiate among the hadronization products from vector boson decays to quarks, Higgs boson decays to bottom quarks, and quark- or gluon-induced jets. Reconstruction techniques are used that have been specifically optimized to select events in which the tau lepton pair is highly boosted. The observed data are consistent with standard model expectations and upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on the product of cross section and branching fraction for resonance masses between 0.9 and 4.0 TeV. Exclusion limits are set in the context of bulk radion and graviton models: spin-0 radion resonances are excluded below a mass of 2.7 TeV at 95% confidence level. In the spin-1 heavy vector triplet framework, mass-degenerate W' and Z' resonances with dominant couplings to the standard model gauge bosons are excluded below a mass of 2.8 TeV at 95% confidence level. There are the first limits for these decay channels at $\sqrt{s}=$ 13 TeV.
Observed 95% CL upper limits on the product of the production cross section and the branching fraction for a new spin-0 resonance decaying to HH, as a function of the resonance mass hypothesis.
Observed 95% CL upper limits on the product of the production cross section and the branching fraction for a new spin-2 resonance decaying to HH, as a function of the resonance mass hypothesis.
Observed 95% CL upper limits on the product of the production cross section and the branching fraction for a new spin-1 W prime resonance decaying to WH, as a function of the resonance mass hypothesis.
A search for resonant and non-resonant pair production of Higgs bosons in the $b\bar{b}\tau^+\tau^-$ final state is presented. The search uses 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data with $\sqrt{s}= 13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2015 and 2016. The semileptonic and fully hadronic decays of the $\tau$-lepton pair are considered. No significant excess above the expected background is observed in the data. The cross-section times branching ratio for non-resonant Higgs boson pair production is constrained to be less than 30.9 fb, 12.7 times the Standard Model expectation, at 95% confidence level. The data are also analyzed to probe resonant Higgs boson pair production, constraining a model with an extended Higgs sector based on two doublets and a Randall-Sundrum bulk graviton model. Upper limits are placed on the resonant Higgs boson pair production cross-section times branching ratio, excluding resonances $X$ in the mass range $305~{\rm GeV} < m_X < 402~{\rm GeV}$ in the simplified hMSSM minimal supersymmetric model for $\tan\beta=2$ and excluding bulk Randall-Sundrum gravitons $G_{\mathrm{KK}}$ in the mass range $325~{\rm GeV} < m_{G_{\mathrm{KK}}} < 885~{\rm GeV}$ for $k/\overline{M}_{\mathrm{Pl}} = 1$.
Observed and expected limits at 95% CL on the cross-sections of RS Graviton to HH for k/MPl = 1 process
Observed and expected limits at 95% CL on the cross-sections of RS Graviton to HH for k/MPl = 2 process
Observed and expected limits at 95% CL on the cross-sections of hMSSM scalar X to HH process
A search for new phenomena in events with two same-charge leptons or three leptons and jets identified as originating from $b$-quarks in a data sample of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}= 13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is reported. No significant excess is found and limits are set on vector-like quark, four-top-quark, and same-sign top-quark pair production. The observed (expected) 95% CL mass limits for a vector-like $T$- and $B$-quark singlet are $m_T > 0.98$ $(0.99)$ TeV and $m_B > 1.00$ $(1.01)$ TeV respectively. Limits on the production of the vector-like $T_{5/3}$-quark are also derived considering both pair and single production; in the former case the lower limit on the mass of the $T_{5/3}$-quark is (expected to be) 1.19 (1.21) TeV. The Standard Model four-top-quark production cross-section upper limit is (expected to be) 69 (29) fb. Constraints are also set on exotic four-top-quark production models. Finally, limits are set on same-sign top-quark pair production. The upper limit on $uu \to tt$ production is (expected to be) 89 (59) fb for a mediator mass of 1 TeV, and a dark-matter interpretation is also derived, excluding a mediator of 3 TeV with a dark-sector coupling of 1.0 and a coupling to ordinary matter above 0.31.
Expected and observed limits on vector-like B-quark pair production as a function of mass, assuming the branching ratios expected in the singlet model.
Expected and observed limits on vector-like B-quark pair production as a function of mass, assuming the branching ratios expected in the singlet model.
Expected and observed limits on vector-like T-quark pair production as a function of mass, assuming the branching ratios expected in the singlet model.
Asymmetric nuclear collisions of $p$$+$Al, $p$$+$Au, $d$$+$Au, and $^{3}$He$+$Au at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV provide an excellent laboratory for understanding particle production, as well as exploring interactions among these particles after their initial creation in the collision. We present measurements of charged hadron production $dN_{\rm ch}/d\eta$ in all such collision systems over a broad pseudorapidity range and as a function of collision multiplicity. A simple wounded quark model is remarkably successful at describing the full data set. We also measure the elliptic flow $v_{2}$ over a similarly broad pseudorapidity range. These measurements provide key constraints on models of particle emission and their translation into flow.
Charged hadron $dN_{ch}/d\eta$ as a function of pseudorapidity in high-multiplicity 0%-5% central $^3$He+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV.
Charged hadron $dN_{ch}/d\eta$ as a function of pseudorapidity in high-multiplicity 0%-5% central $d$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV.
Charged hadron $dN_{ch}/d\eta$ as a function of pseudorapidity in high-multiplicity 0%-5% central $p$+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV.
A search for dark matter (DM) particles produced in association with a hadronically decaying vector boson is performed using $pp$ collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$, recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This analysis improves on previous searches for processes with hadronic decays of $W$ and $Z$ bosons in association with large missing transverse momentum (mono-$W/Z$ searches) due to the larger dataset and further optimization of the event selection and signal region definitions. In addition to the mono-$W/Z$ search, the as yet unexplored hypothesis of a new vector boson $Z^\prime$ produced in association with dark matter is considered (mono-$Z^\prime$ search). No significant excess over the Standard Model prediction is observed. The results of the mono-$W/Z$ search are interpreted in terms of limits on invisible Higgs boson decays into dark matter particles, constraints on the parameter space of the simplified vector-mediator model and generic upper limits on the visible cross sections for $W/Z$+DM production. The results of the mono-$Z^\prime$ search are shown in the framework of several simplified-model scenarios involving DM production in association with the $Z^\prime$ boson.
The product of the acceptance and effifiency. Defined as the number of signal events satisfying the full set of selection criteria, divided by the total number of generated signal events, after the full event selection for the combined mono-W and mono-Z signal of the simplified vector-mediator model, shown in dependence on mass of the Z' mediator (mZp). For a given model, the signal contributions from each category are summed together.
The product of the acceptance and effifiency. Defined as the number of signal events satisfying the full set of selection criteria, divided by the total number of generated signal events, after the full event selection for the mono-Z' dark fermion and dark-Higgs signal models, shown in dependence on the mass of the Z' mediator (mZp). For a given model, the signal contributions from each category are summed together.
The observed and expected MET distributions with 36.1fb-1 of data with sqrt(s) = 13 TeV in the mono-W/Z signal region with the merged event topology after the profile-likelihood fit. This is shown for the 0b-tagged jet, high purity, event category.
A search for new charged massive gauge bosons, $W^\prime$, is performed with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Data were collected in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 $\textrm{fb}^{-1}$. This analysis searches for $W^\prime$ bosons in the $W^\prime \rightarrow t\bar{b}$ decay channel in final states with an electron or muon plus jets. The search covers resonance masses between 0.5 and 5.0 TeV and considers right-handed $W^\prime$ bosons. No significant deviation from the Standard Model (SM) expectation is observed and upper limits are set on the $W^\prime \rightarrow t\bar{b}$ cross section times branching ratio and the $W^\prime$ boson effective couplings as a function of the $W^\prime$ boson mass. For right-handed $W^\prime$ bosons with coupling to the SM particles equal to the SM weak coupling constant, masses below 3.15 TeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. This search is also combined with a previously published ATLAS result for $W^\prime \rightarrow t\bar{b}$ in the fully hadronic final state. Using the combined searches, right-handed $W^\prime$ bosons with masses below 3.25 TeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level.
Signal selection efficiency (efficiency is defined as the number of events passing all selections divided by the total number of simulated $W' \to t\bar{b} \to \ell \nu b \bar{b}$ events) in the signal region as a function of the simulated $W^\prime_{\textrm{R}}$ mass.
Distribution of the reconstructed invariant mass of the $W^\prime$ boson candidate in the 2-jet 1-tag VR$_{\textrm{HF}}$ electron validation region. Background templates are fit to data in each VR using the same statistical method as for the signal region except that the normalizations of $t\bar{t}$ and $W$+jets backgrounds are constrained to the post-fit rates obtained in the signal region. Uncertainties include all the systematic and statistical uncertainties.
Distribution of the reconstructed invariant mass of the $W^\prime$ boson candidate in the 2-jet 1-tag VR$_{\textrm{HF}}$ muon validation region. Background templates are fit to data in each VR using the same statistical method as for the signal region except that the normalizations of $t\bar{t}$ and $W$+jets backgrounds are constrained to the post-fit rates obtained in the signal region. Uncertainties include all the systematic and statistical uncertainties.
Forum