Measurements of differential cross sections of top quark pair production in association with jets by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC are presented. The measurements are performed as functions of the top quark transverse momentum, the transverse momentum of the top quark-antitop quark system and the out-of-plane transverse momentum using data from $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2015 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb$^{-1}$. The top quark pair events are selected in the lepton (electron or muon) + jets channel. The measured cross sections, which are compared to several predictions, allow a detailed study of top quark production.
Systematic uncertanties for the absolute differential cross-section at particle-level for |$p_{out}^{t\bar{t}}$| in the 4-jet exclusive configuration. 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.
Systematic uncertanties for the relative differential cross-section at particle-level for |$p_{out}^{t\bar{t}}$| in the 4-jet exclusive configuration. 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.
Systematic uncertanties for the absolute differential cross-section at particle-level for $p_{T}^{t,had}$ in the 4-jet exclusive configuration. 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.
Inclusive cross-sections for top-quark pair production in association with charm quarks are measured with proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC between 2015 and 2018. The measurements are performed by requiring one or two charged leptons (electrons and muons), two $b$-tagged jets, and at least one additional jet in the final state. A custom flavor-tagging algorithm is employed for the simultaneous identification of $b$-jets and $c$-jets. In a fiducial phase space that replicates the acceptance of the ATLAS detector, the cross-sections for $t\bar{t}+ {\geq} 2c$ and $t\bar{t}+1c$ production are measured to be $1.28^{+0.27}_{-0.24}\;\text{pb}$ and $6.4^{+1.0}_{-0.9}\;\text{pb}$, respectively. The measurements are primarily limited by uncertainties in the modeling of inclusive $t\bar{t}$ and $t\bar{t}+b\bar{b}$ production, in the calibration of the flavor-tagging algorithm, and by data statistics. Cross-section predictions from various $t\bar{t}$ simulations are largely consistent with the measured cross-section values, though all underpredict the observed values by 0.5 to 2.0 standard deviations. In a phase-space volume without requirements on the $t\bar{t}$ decay products and the jet multiplicity, the cross-section ratios of $t\bar{t}+ {\geq} 2c$ and $t\bar{t}+1c$ to total $t\bar{t}+\text{jets}$ production are determined to be $(1.23 \pm 0.25) \%$ and $(8.8 \pm 1.3) \%$.
Measured cross-section values in the fiducial phase space and inclusive volume for the various $t\bar{t}+jets$ categories.
Post-fit agreement between data and MC prediction for $SR_{\mathrm{loose}}^{1\ell5j}$ signal region, which uses the invariant mass of the two geometrically closest c-tagged jets, $m_{\mathit{cc}}^{\mathrm{min}\Delta R}$, as an observable. The hatched uncertainty bands include all uncertainties and their correlations. The last bins contain overflow events. "Other Top" includes single-top-quark production and associated production of $t\bar{t}$ and single top quarks with bosons. "Non-Top" includes W+jets, Z+jets, and diboson processes.
Post-fit agreement between data and MC prediction for the $SR_{\mathrm{tight}}^{1\ell5j}$ signal region, which uses the invariant mass of the two geometrically closest jets tagged with c@11%, $m_{\mathit{cc}}^{\mathrm{min}\Delta R}$, as an observable. The hatched uncertainty bands include all uncertainties and their correlations. The last bins contain overflow events. "Other Top" includes single-top-quark production and associated production of $t\bar{t}$ and single top quarks with bosons. "Non-Top" includes W+jets, Z+jets, and diboson processes.
A measurement of off-shell Higgs boson production in the $H^*\to ZZ\to 4\ell$ decay channel is presented. The measurement uses 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider and supersedes the previous result in this decay channel using the same dataset. The data analysis is performed using a neural simulation-based inference method, which builds per-event likelihood ratios using neural networks. The observed (expected) off-shell Higgs boson production signal strength in the $ZZ\to 4\ell$ decay channel at 68% CL is $0.87^{+0.75}_{-0.54}$ ($1.00^{+1.04}_{-0.95}$). The evidence for off-shell Higgs boson production using the $ZZ\to 4\ell$ decay channel has an observed (expected) significance of $2.5\sigma$ ($1.3\sigma$). The expected result represents a significant improvement relative to that of the previous analysis of the same dataset, which obtained an expected significance of $0.5\sigma$. When combined with the most recent ATLAS measurement in the $ZZ\to 2\ell 2\nu$ decay channel, the evidence for off-shell Higgs boson production has an observed (expected) significance of $3.7\sigma$ ($2.4\sigma$). The off-shell measurements are combined with the measurement of on-shell Higgs boson production to obtain constraints on the Higgs boson total width. The observed (expected) value of the Higgs boson width at 68% CL is $4.3^{+2.7}_{-1.9}$ ($4.1^{+3.5}_{-3.4}$) MeV.
Values of the test statistic $t_{\mu_{\mathrm{off-shell}}}$ assuming a single parameter of interest $\mu_{\mathrm{off-shell}}$ obtained with an Asimov dataset and with data in the $H^*\rightarrow ZZ\rightarrow 4\ell$ decay channel. The values from the histogram-based analysis (Phys. Lett. B 846 (2023) 138223) are added for comparison. The 68% and 95% confidence intervals obtained from the Neyman construction are also added.
Values of the test statistic $t_{\mu_{\mathrm{off-shell}}}$ assuming a single parameter of interest $\mu_{\mathrm{off-shell}}$ obtained with an Asimov dataset and with data in the $H^*\rightarrow ZZ\rightarrow 4\ell$ decay channel. The values with all nuisance parameters fixed at their best-fit values (stat-only) are added for comparison. The 68% and 95% confidence intervals obtained from the Neyman construction are also added.
Values of the test statistic $t_{\mu_{\mathrm{off-shell}}}$ assuming a single parameter of interest $\mu_{\mathrm{off-shell}}$ obtained with an Asimov dataset and with data when combining the $H^*\rightarrow ZZ\rightarrow 4\ell$ and $H^*\rightarrow ZZ\rightarrow 2\ell 2\nu$ decay channels. The values with all nuisance parameters fixed at their best-fit values (stat-only) are added for comparison. The 68% and 95% confidence intervals obtained from the Neyman construction are also added.
The production cross-section of high-mass $\tau$-lepton pairs is measured as a function of the dilepton visible invariant mass, using 140 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV proton-proton collision data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The measurement agrees with the predictions of the Standard Model. A fit to the invariant mass distribution is performed as a function of $b$-jet multiplicity, to constrain the non-resonant production of new particles described by an effective field theory or in models containing leptoquarks or $Z'$ bosons that couple preferentially to third-generation fermions. The constraints on new particles improve on previous results, and the constraints on effective operators include those affecting the anomalous magnetic moment of the $\tau$-lepton.
The measured unfolded differential cross sections.
The combined covariance matrix for the differential cross-section distribution.
Statistical covariance matrix for the differential cross-section distribution.
A study on the Bose-Einstein correlations for triplets of same-sign pions is presented. The analysis is performed using proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV, recorded by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb$^{-1}$. For the first time, the results are interpreted in the core-halo model. The parameters of the model are determined in regions of charged-particle multiplicity. This measurement provides insight into the nature of hadronisation in terms of coherence, showing a coherent emission of pions.
Results of the fit to the three-particle double ratio ($r_{d_{3}}$) for same-sign pion triplets, VELO track multiplicity for pp collision: 5-10.
Results of the fit to the three-particle double ratio ($r_{d_{3}}$) for same-sign pion triplets, VELO track multiplicity for pp collision: 11-20.
Results of the fit to the three-particle double ratio ($r_{d_{3}}$) for same-sign pion triplets, VELO track multiplicity for pp collision: 21-60.
Anisotropic flow and radial flow are two key probes of the expansion dynamics and properties of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). While anisotropic flow has been extensively studied, radial flow, which governs the system's radial expansion, has received less attention. Notably, experimental evidence for the global and collective nature of radial flow has been lacking. This Letter presents the first measurement of transverse momentum ($p_{\mathrm{T}}$) dependence of radial flow fluctuations ($v_0(p_{\mathrm{T}})$) over $0.5<p_{\mathrm{T}}<10$ GeV, using a two-particle correlation method in Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02$ TeV. The data reveal three key features supporting the collective nature of radial flow: long-range correlation in pseudorapidity, factorization in $p_{\mathrm{T}}$, and centrality-independent shape in $p_{\mathrm{T}}$. The comparison with a hydrodynamic model demonstrates the sensitivity of $v_0(p_{\mathrm{T}})$ to bulk viscosity, a crucial transport property of the QGP. These findings establish a new, powerful tool for probing collective dynamics and properties of the QGP.
Data from Figure 2, panel a, $v_{0}$
Data from Figure 2, panel c, upper panel, Normalized Covariance $\times 10^{3}$ in 0-5% Centrality
Data from Figure 2, panel c, lower panel, Normalized Covariance $\times 10^{3}$ in 50-60% Centrality
A search for decays of the Higgs boson into a $Z$ boson and a light resonance, with a mass of 0.5-3.5 GeV, is performed using the full 140 fb$^{-1}$ dataset of 13 TeV proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the LHC. Leptonic decays of the $Z$ boson and hadronic decays of the light resonance are considered. The resonance can be interpreted as a $J/ψ$ or $η_c$ meson, an axion-like particle, or a light pseudoscalar in two-Higgs-doublet models. Due to its low mass, it would be produced with high boost and reconstructed as a single small-radius jet of hadrons. A neural network is used to correct the Monte Carlo simulation of the background in a data-driven way. Two additional neural networks are used to distinguish signal from background. A binned profile-likelihood fit is performed on the final-state invariant mass distribution. No significant excess of events relative to the expected background is observed, and upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the Higgs boson's branching fraction to a $Z$ boson and a light resonance. The exclusion limit is ~10% for the lower masses, and increases for higher masses. Upper limits on the effective coupling $C^\text{eff}_{ZH}/Λ$ of an axion-like particle to a Higgs boson and $Z$ boson are also set at 95% confidence level, and range from 0.9 to 2 TeV$^{-1}$.
The angularity, for data, background (pre- and post-reweighting) and three $H\rightarrow Za$ signal hypotheses (for $a\rightarrow q\bar{q}/gg$ inclusively). Events are required to pass the complete event selection but not the classification NN requirement. The background normalization is set equal to that of the data for events passing the preselection and being in the $m_{\ell\ell j}$ 100-180 GeV region. The signal normalization assumes the SM Higgs boson inclusive production cross-section, $\mathcal{B}(H\to Za)=100\%$, and it is scaled up by a factor of 100. The error bars (hatched regions) represent the data (MC) sample's statistical uncertainty in the histograms and the ratio plots. Vertical arrows indicate data points that fall outside the displayed $y$-axis range.
The angularity, for data, background (pre- and post-reweighting) and three $H\rightarrow Za$ signal hypotheses (for $a\rightarrow q\bar{q}/gg$ inclusively). Events are required to pass the complete event selection but not the classification NN requirement. The background normalization is set equal to that of the data for events passing the preselection and being in the $m_{\ell\ell j}$ 100-180 GeV region. The signal normalization assumes the SM Higgs boson inclusive production cross-section, $\mathcal{B}(H\to Za)=100\%$, and it is scaled up by a factor of 100. The error bars (hatched regions) represent the data (MC) sample's statistical uncertainty in the histograms and the ratio plots. Vertical arrows indicate data points that fall outside the displayed $y$-axis range.
The modified energy correlation function, for data, background (pre- and post-reweighting) and three $H\rightarrow Za$ signal hypotheses (for $a\rightarrow q\bar{q}/gg$ inclusively). Events are required to pass the complete event selection but not the classification NN requirement. The background normalization is set equal to that of the data for events passing the preselection and being in the $m_{\ell\ell j}$ 100-180 GeV region. The signal normalization assumes the SM Higgs boson inclusive production cross-section, $\mathcal{B}(H\to Za)=100\%$, and it is scaled up by a factor of 100. The error bars (hatched regions) represent the data (MC) sample's statistical uncertainty in the histograms and the ratio plots. Vertical arrows indicate data points that fall outside the displayed $y$-axis range.
Single- and double-differential cross-section measurements are presented for the production of top-quark pairs, in the lepton + jets channel at particle and parton level. Two topologies, resolved and boosted, are considered and the results are presented as a function of several kinematic variables characterising the top and $t\bar{t}$ system and jet multiplicities. The study was performed using data from $pp$ collisions at centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected in 2015 and 2016 by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $36~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. Due to the large $t\bar{t}$ cross-section at the LHC, such measurements allow a detailed study of the properties of top-quark production and decay, enabling precision tests of several Monte Carlo generators and fixed-order Standard Model predictions. Overall, there is good agreement between the theoretical predictions and the data.
Relative differential cross-section as a function of $p_{T}^{t,had}$ at particle level in the resolved 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 differential cross-section is compared with the prediction obtained with the Powheg+Pythia8 Monte Carlo generator.
Absolute differential cross-section as a function of $p_{T}^{t,had}$ at particle level in the resolved 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 differential cross-section is compared with the prediction obtained with the Powheg+Pythia8 Monte Carlo generator.
Relative differential cross-section as a function of $|y^{t,had}|$ at particle level in the resolved 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 differential cross-section is compared with the prediction obtained with the Powheg+Pythia8 Monte Carlo generator.
Narrow resonances decaying into $WW$, $WZ$ or $ZZ$ boson pairs are searched for in 139 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider from 2015 to 2018. The diboson system is reconstructed using pairs of high transverse momentum, large-radius jets. These jets are built from a combination of calorimeter- and tracker-inputs compatible with the hadronic decay of a boosted $W$ or $Z$ boson, using jet mass and substructure properties. The search is performed for diboson resonances with masses greater than 1.3 TeV. No significant deviations from the background expectations are observed. Exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the production cross-section times branching ratio into dibosons for resonances in a range of theories beyond the Standard Model, with the highest excluded mass of a new gauge boson at 3.8 TeV in the context of mass-degenerate resonances that couple predominantly to gauge bosons.
Limit Plot
Limit Plot
Limit Plot
To assess the properties of the quark-gluon plasma formed in heavy-ion collisions, the ATLAS experiment at the LHC measures a correlation between the mean transverse momentum and the magnitudes of the flow harmonics. The analysis uses data samples of lead-lead and proton-lead collisions obtained at the centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5.02 TeV, corresponding to total integrated luminosities of $22 ~\mu b^{-1}$ and $28~nb^{-1}$, respectively. The measurement is performed using a modified Pearson correlation coefficient with the charged-particle tracks on an event-by-event basis. The modified Pearson correlation coefficients for the $2^{nd}$-, 3$^{rd}$-, and 4$^{th}$-order harmonics are measured as a function of event centrality quantified as the number of charged particles or the number of nucleons participating in the collision. The measurements are performed for several intervals of the charged-particle transverse momentum. The correlation coefficients for all studied harmonics exhibit a strong centrality evolution in the lead-lead collisions, which only weakly depends on the charged-particle momentum range. In the proton-lead collisions, the modified Pearson correlation coefficient measured for the second harmonics shows only weak centrality dependence. The data is qualitatively described by the predictions based on the hydrodynamical model.
The $c_{k}$ for the 0.5-2 GeV $p_{T}$ range as a function of event multiplicity $N_{ch}$ in Pb+Pb collisions.
The $c_{k}$ for the 0.5-5 GeV $p_{T}$ range as a function of event multiplicity $N_{ch}$ in Pb+Pb collisions.
The $c_{k}$ for the 1-2 GeV $p_{T}$ range as a function of event multiplicity $N_{ch}$ in Pb+Pb collisions.