The Standard Model of particle physics describes the known fundamental particles and forces that make up our universe, with the exception of gravity. One of the central features of the Standard Model is a field that permeates all of space and interacts with fundamental particles. The quantum excitation of this field, known as Higgs field, manifests itself as the Higgs boson, the only fundamental particle with no spin. In 2012, a particle with properties consistent with the Higgs boson of the Standard Model was observed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Since then, more than 30 times as many Higgs bosons have been recorded by the ATLAS experiment, allowing much more precise measurements and new tests of the theory. Here, on the basis of this larger dataset, we combine an unprecedented number of production and decay processes of the Higgs boson to scrutinize its interactions with elementary particles. Interactions with gluons, photons, and $W$ and $Z$ bosons -- the carriers of the strong, electromagnetic, and weak forces -- are studied in detail. Interactions with three third-generation matter particles (bottom ($b$) and top ($t$) quarks, and tau leptons ($\tau$)) are well measured and indications of interactions with a second-generation particle (muons, $\mu$) are emerging. These tests reveal that the Higgs boson discovered ten years ago is remarkably consistent with the predictions of the theory and provide stringent constraints on many models of new phenomena beyond the Standard Model.
Observed and predicted branching fractions for different Higgs boson decay modes measured assuming SM values for the production cross sections. The lower panels show the ratios of the measured values to their SM predictions. The $p$-value for compatibility of the measurement and the SM prediction is 56%.
This letter documents a search for flavour-changing neutral currents (FCNCs), which are strongly suppressed in the Standard Model, in events with a photon and a top quark with the ATLAS detector. The analysis uses data collected in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV during Run 2 of the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. Both FCNC top-quark production and decay are considered. The final state consists of a charged lepton, missing transverse momentum, a $b$-tagged jet, one high-momentum photon and possibly additional jets. A multiclass deep neural network is used to classify events either as signal in one of the two categories, FCNC production or decay, or as background. No significant excess of events over the background prediction is observed and 95% CL upper limits are placed on the strength of left- and right-handed FCNC interactions. The 95% CL bounds on the branching fractions for the FCNC top-quark decays, estimated from both top-quark production and decay, are $\mathcal{B}(t\rightarrow u\gamma) < 0.85 \times 10^{-5}$ and $\mathcal{B}(t\to c\gamma) < 4.2 \times 10^{-5}$ for a left-handed $tq\gamma$ coupling, and $\mathcal{B}(t\to u\gamma) < 1.2 \times 10^{-5}$ and $\mathcal{B}(t\to c\gamma) < 4.5 \times 10^{-5}$ for a right-handed coupling.
Post-fit distribution of a background-only fit to the NN discriminant in the SR for the $tu\gamma$ coupling. The last bin of the distribution contains the overflow and the first bin also contains the underflow. In addition, the expected $tu\gamma$ LH signal is overlaid for an expected number of events corresponding to the observed 95% CL limit scaled by a factor of ten. The uncertainty band includes both the statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background prediction as well as the correlations of the uncertainties as obtained by the fit.
Post-fit distribution of a background-only fit to the photon transverse momentum distribution in the $t\bar{t}\gamma$ CR. The last bin of the distribution contains the overflow. The uncertainty band includes both the statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background prediction as well as the correlations of the uncertainties as obtained by the fit.
Post-fit distribution of a background-only fit to the photon transverse momentum distribution in the $W\gamma$+jets CR. The last bin of the distribution contains the overflow. The uncertainty band includes both the statistical and systematic uncertainties in the background prediction as well as the correlations of the uncertainties as obtained by the fit.
A search is made for a vector-like $T$ quark decaying into a Higgs boson and a top quark in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider with a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The Higgs-boson and top-quark candidates are identified in the all-hadronic decay mode, where $H\to b\bar{b}$ and $t\to b W \to b q \bar{q}^\prime$ are reconstructed as large-radius jets. The candidate Higgs boson, top quark, and associated B-hadrons are identified using tagging algorithms. No significant excess is observed above the background, so limits are set on the production cross-section of a singlet $T$ quark at 95% confidence level, depending on the mass, $m_T$, and coupling, $\kappa_T$, of the vector-like $T$ quark to Standard Model particles. In the considered mass range between 1.0 and 2.3 TeV, the upper limit on the allowed coupling values increases with $m_T$ from a minimum value of 0.35 for 1.07 < $m_T$ < 1.4 TeV to 1.6 for $m_T$ = 2.3 TeV.
Dijet invariant mass distribution for the $SR$ showing the results of the model when fitted to the data. A $T$-quark hypothesis with $m_{T} = 1.6$ TeV and $\kappa_{T} = 0.5$ is used in the fit.
Dijet invariant mass distribution for the $ttNR$ showing the results of the model when fitted to the data. A $T$-quark hypothesis with $m_{T} = 1.6$ TeV and $\kappa_{T} = 0.5$ is used in the fit.
Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the single $T$-quark coupling $\kappa_{T}$ as a function of $m_{T}$ are shown.
A measurement of the charge asymmetry in top-quark pair ($t\bar{t}$) production in association with a photon is presented. The measurement is performed in the single-lepton $t\bar{t}$ decay channel using proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN at a centre-of-mass-energy of 13 TeV during the years 2015-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The charge asymmetry is obtained from the distribution of the difference of the absolute rapidities of the top quark and antiquark using a profile likelihood unfolding approach. It is measured to be $A_\text{C}=-0.003 \pm 0.029$ in agreement with the Standard Model expectation.
The measured asymmetry of top quark pairs in $t\bar{t}\gamma$ production in a fiducial region at particle level.
Normalised differential cross section as a function of $|y(t)| - |y(\bar{t})|$. The observed data is compared with the SM expectation using aMC@NLO+Pythia8 at NLO QCD precision. The value of the charge asymmetry corresponds to the difference between the two bins. Underflow and overflow events are included in corresponding bins of the distribution.
Definition of the fiducial phase space at particle level. where, $\gamma$: photon $\ell$: lepton j: jet
A search is presented for a heavy resonance $Y$ decaying into a Standard Model Higgs boson $H$ and a new particle $X$ in a fully hadronic final state. The full Large Hadron Collider Run 2 dataset of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}= 13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector from 2015 to 2018 is used, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The search targets the high $Y$-mass region, where the $H$ and $X$ have a significant Lorentz boost in the laboratory frame. A novel signal region is implemented using anomaly detection, where events are selected solely because of their incompatibility with a learned background-only model. It is defined using a jet-level tagger for signal-model-independent selection of the boosted $X$ particle, representing the first application of fully unsupervised machine learning to an ATLAS analysis. Two additional signal regions are implemented to target a benchmark $X$ decay into two quarks, covering topologies where the $X$ is reconstructed as either a single large-radius jet or two small-radius jets. The analysis selects Higgs boson decays into $b\bar{b}$, and a dedicated neural-network-based tagger provides sensitivity to the boosted heavy-flavor topology. No significant excess of data over the expected background is observed, and the results are presented as upper limits on the production cross section $\sigma(pp \rightarrow Y \rightarrow XH \rightarrow q\bar{q}b\bar{b}$) for signals with $m_Y$ between 1.5 and 6 TeV and $m_X$ between 65 and 3000 GeV.
Acceptance times efficiency for signal grid in anomaly signal region.
Acceptance times efficiency for signal grid in merged two-prong signal region.
Acceptance times efficiency for signal grid in resolved two-prong signal region.
Constraints on the Higgs boson self-coupling are set by combining double-Higgs boson analyses in the $b\bar{b}b\bar{b}$, $b\bar{b}\tau^+\tau^-$ and $b\bar{b} \gamma \gamma$ decay channels with single-Higgs boson analyses targeting the $\gamma \gamma$, $ZZ^*$, $WW^*$, $\tau^+ \tau^-$ and $b\bar{b}$ decay channels. The data used in these analyses were recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton$-$proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 126$-$139 fb$^{-1}$. The combination of the double-Higgs analyses sets an upper limit of $\mu_{HH} < 2.4$ at 95% confidence level on the double-Higgs production cross-section normalised to its Standard Model prediction. Combining the single-Higgs and double-Higgs analyses, with the assumption that new physics affects only the Higgs boson self-coupling ($\lambda_{HHH}$), values outside the interval $-0.4< \kappa_{\lambda}=(\lambda_{HHH}/\lambda_{HHH}^{\textrm{SM}})< 6.3$ are excluded at 95% confidence level. The combined single-Higgs and double-Higgs analyses provide results with fewer assumptions, by adding in the fit more coupling modifiers introduced to account for the Higgs boson interactions with the other Standard Model particles. In this relaxed scenario, the constraint becomes $-1.4 < \kappa_{\lambda} < 6.1$ at 95% CL.
Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the signal strength for double-Higgs production from the bbbb, bb$\tau\tau$ and bb$\gamma\gamma$ decay channels, and their statistical combination. The value $m_H$ = 125.09 GeV is assumed when deriving the predicted SM cross-section. The expected limit and the corresponding error bands are derived assuming the absence of the HH process and with all nuisance parameters profiled to the observed data.
Observed and expected 95% CL exclusion limits on the production cross-sections of the combined ggF HH and VBF HH processes as a function of $\kappa_\lambda$, for the three double-Higgs search channels and their combination. The expected limits assume no HH production. The red line shows the theory prediction for the combined ggF HH and VBF HH cross-section as a function of $\kappa_\lambda$ where all parameters and couplings are set to their SM values except for $\kappa_\lambda$. The band surrounding the red cross-section lines indicate the theoretical uncertainty of the predicted cross-section.
Observed and expected 95% CL exclusion limits on the production cross-sections of the VBF HH process as a function of $\kappa_{2V}$, for the three double-Higgs search channels and their combination. The expected limits assume no VBF HH production. The red line shows the predicted VBF HH cross-section as a function of $\kappa_{2V}$. The bands surrounding the red cross-section lines indicate the theoretical uncertainty of the predicted cross-section. The uncertainty band is smaller than the width of the plotted line.
A direct search for Higgs bosons produced via vector-boson fusion and subsequently decaying into invisible particles is reported. The analysis uses 139 $\text{fb}^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$=13 $\text{TeV}$ recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The observed numbers of events are found to be in agreement with the background expectation from Standard Model processes. For a scalar Higgs boson with a mass of 125 $\text{GeV}$ and a Standard Model production cross section, an observed upper limit of $0.145$ is placed on the branching fraction of its decay into invisible particles at 95% confidence level, with an expected limit of $0.103$. These results are interpreted in the context of models where the Higgs boson acts as a portal to dark matter, and limits are set on the scattering cross section of weakly interacting massive particles and nucleons. Invisible decays of additional scalar bosons with masses from 50 $\text{GeV}$ to 2 $\text{TeV}$ are also studied, and the derived upper limits on the cross section times branching fraction decrease with increasing mass from 1.0 $\text{pb}$ for a scalar boson mass of 50 $\text{GeV}$ to 0.1 $\text{pb}$ at a mass of 2 $\text{TeV}$.
Yields after each selection criterion for a signal sample of an invisibly decaying Higgs boson produced in VBF and ggF for 139 $fb^{-1}$ of data. The lines 'Timing of j1/j2' are referring to requirements that are part of the jet cleaning, and which ensure that the timing of the two leading jets is compatible with the bunch crossing. The last sixteen rows show the yield in each SR bin and the efficiency with respect to the inclusive signal region.
A search for decays of pair-produced neutral long-lived particles (LLPs) is presented using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2015-2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Dedicated techniques were developed for the reconstruction of displaced jets produced by LLPs decaying hadronically in the ATLAS hadronic calorimeter. Two search regions are defined for different LLP kinematic regimes. The observed numbers of events are consistent with the expected background, and limits for several benchmark signals are determined. For a SM Higgs boson with a mass of 125 GeV, branching ratios above 10% are excluded at 95% confidence level for values of $c$ times LLP mean proper lifetime in the range between 20 mm and 10 m depending on the model. Upper limits are also set on the cross-section times branching ratio for scalars with a mass of 60 GeV and for masses between 200 GeV and 1 TeV.
CalRatio triggers which were available during the LHC Run 2 data-taking, and corresponding integrated luminosity collected in each period. The high-E<sub>T</sub> CalRatio trigger with E<sub>T</sub> > 60 GeV was disabled in 2017 for instantaneous luminosities higher than 1.4 × 10<sup>34</sup> cm<sup>-2</sup> s<sup>-1</sup>. Two versions of the low-E<sub>T</sub> CalRatio trigger were used, with slight differences in their algorithms. The details are reported in Section 4.
Trigger efficiency for simulated signal events as a function of the LLP p<sub>T</sub> for one of the low-E<sub>T</sub> signal samples for HLT CalRatio triggers seeded by the high-E<sub>T</sub> L1 triggers with E<sub>T</sub> thresholds of 60 GeV and 100 GeV and by the two versions of the low-E<sub>T</sub> L1 triggers. Only statistical uncertainties are shown.
Trigger efficiency for simulated signal events as a function of the LLP p<sub>T</sub> for one of the high-E<sub>T</sub> signal samples for HLT CalRatio triggers seeded by the high-E<sub>T</sub> L1 triggers with E<sub>T</sub> thresholds of 60 GeV and 100 GeV and by the two versions of the low-E<sub>T</sub> L1 triggers. Only statistical uncertainties are shown.
Cross-section measurements of top-quark pair production where the hadronically decaying top quark has transverse momentum greater than $355$ GeV and the other top quark decays into $\ell \nu b$ are presented using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected by the ATLAS experiment during proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The fiducial cross-section at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV is measured to be $\sigma = 1.267 \pm 0.005 \pm 0.053$ pb, where the uncertainties reflect the limited number of data events and the systematic uncertainties, giving a total uncertainty of $4.2\%$. The cross-section is measured differentially as a function of variables characterising the $t\bar{t}$ system and additional radiation in the events. The results are compared with various Monte Carlo generators, including comparisons where the generators are reweighted to match a parton-level calculation at next-to-next-to-leading order. The reweighting improves the agreement between data and theory. The measured distribution of the top-quark transverse momentum is used to set limits on the Wilson coefficients of the dimension-six operators $O_{tG}$ and $O_{tq}^{(8)}$ in the effective field theory framework.
Total cross-section at particle level in the boosted topology. Note that the values shown here are obtained by propagating the individual uncertainties to the measured cross-sections, while the covariance matrices are evaluated using pseudo-experiments as described in the text. The measured cross-section is compared with the prediction obtained with the Powheg+Pythia8 Monte Carlo generator.
Absolute differential cross-section as a function of $p_T^{t,h}$ at particle level in the boosted topology. The measured differential cross-section is compared with the prediction obtained with the Powheg+Pythia8 Monte Carlo generator.
Relative differential cross-section as a function of $p_T^{t,h}$ at particle level in the boosted topology. The measured differential cross-section is compared with the prediction obtained with the Powheg+Pythia8 Monte Carlo generator.
Jet quenching is the process of color-charged partons losing energy via interactions with quark-gluon plasma droplets created in heavy-ion collisions. The collective expansion of such droplets is well described by viscous hydrodynamics. Similar evidence of collectivity is consistently observed in smaller collision systems, including $pp$ and $p$+Pb collisions. In contrast, while jet quenching is observed in Pb+Pb collisions, no evidence has been found in these small systems to date, raising fundamental questions about the nature of the system created in these collisions. The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider has measured the yield of charged hadrons correlated with reconstructed jets in 0.36 nb$^{-1}$ of $p$+Pb and 3.6 pb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at 5.02 TeV. The yields of charged hadrons with $p_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{ch} >0.5$ GeV near and opposite in azimuth to jets with $p_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{jet} > 30$ or $60$ GeV, and the ratios of these yields between $p$+Pb and $pp$ collisions, $I_{p\mathrm{Pb}}$, are reported. The collision centrality of $p$+Pb events is categorized by the energy deposited by forward neutrons from the struck nucleus. The $I_{p\mathrm{Pb}}$ values are consistent with unity within a few percent for hadrons with $p_\mathrm{T}^\mathrm{ch} >4$ GeV at all centralities. These data provide new, strong constraints which preclude almost any parton energy loss in central $p$+Pb collisions.
The per-jet charged particle yield in pPb and pp collisions for hadrons near a $p_{T}^{\textrm{jet}} > 30~\textrm{GeV}$ jet ($\Delta\phi_{\textrm{ch,jet}} < \pi/8$).
The per-jet charged particle yield in pPb and pp collisions for hadrons opposite to a $p_{T}^{\textrm{jet}} > 30~\textrm{GeV}$ jet ($\Delta\phi_{\textrm{ch,jet}} > 7\pi/8$).
The per-jet charged particle yield in pPb and pp collisions for hadrons near a $p_{T}^{\textrm{jet}} > 60~\textrm{GeV}$ jet ($\Delta\phi_{\textrm{ch,jet}} < \pi/8$).
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