The $p_{\rm T}$-differential production cross sections of prompt D$^{0}$, $\Lambda_{\rm c}^{+}$, and $\Sigma_{\rm c}^{0,++}(2455)$ charmed hadrons are measured at midrapidity ($|y| < 0.5$) in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV. This is the first measurement of $\Sigma_{\rm c}^{0,++}$ production in hadronic collisions. Assuming the same production yield for the three $\Sigma_{\rm c}^{0,+,++}$ isospin states, the baryon-to-meson cross section ratios $\Sigma_{\rm c}^{0,+,++}/{\rm D}^{0}$ and $\Lambda_{\rm c}^{+}/{\rm D}^{0}$ are calculated in the transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) intervals $2 < p_{\rm T} < 12$ GeV/$c$ and $1 < p_{\rm T} < 24$ GeV/$c$. Values significantly larger than in e$^{+}$e$^{-}$ collisions are observed, indicating for the first time that baryon enhancement in hadronic collisions also extends to the $\Sigma_{\rm c}$. The feed-down contribution to $\Lambda_{\rm c}^{+}$ production from $\Sigma_{\rm c}^{0,+,++}$ is also reported and is found to be larger than in e$^{+}$e$^{-}$ collisions. The data are compared with predictions from event generators and other phenomenological models, providing a sensitive test of the different charm-hadronisation mechanisms implemented in the models.

Two-particle azimuthal correlations are measured with the ALICE apparatus in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV to explore strangeness- and multiplicity-related effects in the fragmentation of jets and the transition regime between bulk and hard production, probed with the condition that a strange meson (K$^{0}_{\rm S}$) or baryon ($\Lambda$) with transverse momentum $p_{\rm T} > 3$ GeV/c is produced. Azimuthal correlations between kaons or $\Lambda$ hyperons with other hadrons are presented at midrapidity for a broad range of the trigger ($3 < p_{\rm T}^{\rm trigg} < 20$ GeV/$c$) and associated particle $p_{\rm T}$ (1 GeV/$c$$< p_{\rm T}^{\rm assoc} < p_{\rm T}^{\rm trigg}$), for minimum-bias events and as a function of the event multiplicity. The near- and away-side peak yields are compared for the case of either K$^{0}_{\rm S}$ or $\Lambda$($\overline{\Lambda}$) being the trigger particle with that of inclusive hadrons (a sample dominated by pions). In addition, the measurements are compared with predictions from PYTHIA 8 and EPOS LHC event generators.

A search for signatures of a dark analog to quantum chromodynamics is performed. The analysis targets long-lived dark mesons that decay into standard-model particles, with a high branching fraction of the dark mesons decaying into muons. The dark mesons are formed by the hadronisation of dark partons, which are produced by a decay of the Higgs boson. The search is performed using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 41.6 fb$^{-1}$, which was collected in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2018 using non-prompt muon triggers. The search is based on resonant muon pair signatures. Machine-learning techniques are employed in the analysis, utilising boosted decision trees to discriminate between signal and background. No significant excess is observed above the standard model expectation. Upper limits on the branching fraction of the Higgs boson decaying to dark partons are determined to be as low as 10$^{-4}$ at 95% confidence level, surpassing and extending the existing limits on models with dark $\tildeω$ mesons for mean proper decay lengths of less than 500 mm and for $\tildeω$ masses down to 0.3 GeV. First limits are set for extended dark-shower models with two dark flavours that contain dark photons, probing their masses down to 0.33 GeV.

This article presents a search for a heavy charged Higgs boson produced in association with a top quark and a bottom quark, and decaying into a $W$ boson and a $125$ GeV Higgs boson $h$. The search is performed in final states with one charged lepton, missing transverse momentum, and jets using proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the LHC at CERN. This data set corresponds to a total integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The search is conducted by examining the reconstructed invariant mass distribution of the $Wh$ candidates for evidence of a localised excess in the charged Higgs boson mass range from $250$ GeV to $3$ TeV. No significant excess is observed and 95% confidence-level upper limits between $2.8$ pb and $1.2$ fb are placed on the production cross-section times branching ratio for charged Higgs bosons decaying into $Wh$.

This paper presents a search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson into a pair of new pseudoscalar particles, $H\rightarrow aa$, where one pseudoscalar decays into a $b$-quark pair and the other decays into a $\tau$-lepton pair, in the mass range $12\leq m_{a}\leq 60$ GeV. The analysis uses $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 ${fb}^{-1}$. No significant excess above the Standard Model (SM) prediction is observed. Assuming the SM Higgs boson production cross-section, the search sets upper limits at 95% confidence level on the branching ratio of Higgs bosons decaying into $b\bar{b}\tau^+\tau^-$, $\mathcal{B}(H \rightarrow aa \rightarrow b\bar{b}\tau^+\tau^-)$, between 2.2% and 3.9% depending on the pseudoscalar mass.

A search for pairs of light neutral pseudoscalar bosons (A) resulting from the decay of a Higgs boson is performed. The search is conducted using LHC proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, collected with the CMS detector in 2016$-$2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{-1}$. The A boson decays into a highly collimated electron-positron pair. A novel multivariate algorithm using tracks and calorimeter information is developed to identify these distinctive signatures, and events are selected with two such merged electron-positron pairs. No significant excess above the standard model background predictions is observed. Upper limits on the branching fraction for H $\to$ AA $\to$ 4e are set at 95% confidence level, for masses between 10 and 100 MeV and proper decay lengths below 100 $μ$m, reaching branching fraction sensitivities as low as 10$^{-5}$. This is the first search for Higgs boson decays to four electrons via light pseudoscalars at the LHC. It significantly improves the experimental sensitivity to axion-like particles with masses below 100 MeV.

A search is presented for non-resonant Higgs boson pair production, targeting the $bbZZ$, 4$V$ ($V$ = $W$ or $Z$), $VV\tau\tau$, 4$\tau$, $\gamma\gamma VV$ and $\gamma\gamma\tau\tau$ decay channels. Events are categorised based on the multiplicity of light charged leptons (electrons or muons), hadronically decaying tau leptons, and photons. The search is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. No evidence of the signal is found and the observed (expected) upper limit on the cross-section for non-resonant Higgs boson pair production is determined to be 17 (11) times the Standard Model predicted cross-section at 95% confidence level under the background-only hypothesis. The observed (expected) constraints on the $HHH$ coupling modifier, $\kappa_{\lambda}$, are determined to be $-6.2 < \kappa_{\lambda} < 11.6$ ($-4.5 < \kappa_{\lambda} < 9.6$) at 95% confidence level, assuming the Standard Model for the expected limits and that new physics would only affect $\kappa_{\lambda}$.

The first measurement of the dijet transverse momentum balance $x_j$ in proton-lead (pPb) collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV is presented. The $x_j$ observable, defined as the ratio of the subleading over leading jet transverse momentum in a dijet pair, is used to search for jet quenching effects. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 174.6 nb$^{-1}$, were collected with the CMS detector in 2016. The $x_j$ distributions and their average values are studied as functions of the charged-particle multiplicity of the events and for various dijet rapidity selections. The latter enables probing hard scattering of partons carrying distinct nucleon momentum fractions $x$ in the proton- and lead-going directions. The former, aided by the high-multiplicity triggers, allows probing for potential jet quenching effects in high-multiplicity events (with up to 400 charged particles), for which collective phenomena consistent with quark-gluon plasma (QGP) droplet formation were previously observed. The ratios of $x_j$ distributions for high- to low-multiplicity events are used to quantify the possible medium effects. These ratios are consistent with simulations of the hard-scattering process that do not include QGP production. These measurements set an upper limit on medium-induced energy loss of the subleading jet of 1.26% of its transverse momentum at the 90% confidence level in high multiplicity pPb events.

A search for exotic decays of the 125 GeV Higgs boson into a pair of new spin-0 particles, $H \to aa$, where one decays into a photon pair and the other into a $\tau$-lepton pair, is presented. Hadronic decays of the $\tau$-leptons are considered and reconstructed using a dedicated tagger for collimated $\tau$-lepton pairs. The search uses 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded between 2015 and 2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The search is performed in the mass range of the $a$ boson between 10 GeV and 60 GeV. No significant excess of events is observed above the Standard Model background expectation. Model-independent upper limits at 95$\% $ confidence level are set on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to the $\gamma\gamma\tau\tau$ final state, $\mathcal{B}(H\to aa\to \gamma\gamma\tau\tau)$, ranging from 0.2$\% $ to 2$\% $, depending on the $a$-boson mass hypothesis.

The measurement of $\Upsilon$(1S), $\Upsilon$(2S), and $\Upsilon$(3S) yields as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity density, $\textrm{d}N_{\textrm{ch}}/\textrm{d}\eta$, using the ALICE experiment at the LHC, is reported in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 13 TeV. The $\Upsilon$ meson yields are measured at forward rapidity ($2.5 < y < 4$) in the dimuon decay channel, whereas the charged-particle multiplicity is defined at central rapidity ($|\eta| < 1$). Both quantities are divided by their average value in minimum bias events to compute the self-normalized quantities. The increase of the self-normalized $\Upsilon$(1S), $\Upsilon$(2S), and $\Upsilon$(3S) yields is found to be compatible with a linear scaling with the self-normalized $\textrm{d}N_{\textrm{ch}}/\textrm{d}\eta$, within the uncertainties. The self-normalized yield ratios of excited-to-ground $\Upsilon$ states are compatible with unity within uncertainties. Similarly, the measured double ratio of the self-normalized $\Upsilon$(1S) to the self-normalized J/$\psi$ yields, both measured at forward rapidity, is compatible with unity for self-normalized charged-particle multiplicities beyond one. The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions incorporating initial or final state effects.