Measurements of the associated production of a W boson and a charm (c) quark in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV are reported. The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the CMS detector at the LHC. The W bosons are identified through their leptonic decays to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. Charm quark jets are selected using distinctive signatures of charm hadron decays. The product of the cross section and branching fraction $\sigma$(pp $\to$ W + c + X) $\mathcal{B}$(W $\to$$\ell\nu$), where $\ell$ = e or $\mu$, and the cross section ratio $\sigma$(pp $\to$ W$^+$ + c + X) / $\sigma$(pp $\to$ W$^-$ + $\mathrm{\bar{c}}$ + X) are measured inclusively and differentially as functions of the pseudorapidity and of the transverse momentum of the lepton from the W boson decay. The results are compared with theoretical predictions. The impact of these measurements on the determination of the strange quark distribution is assessed.
Signal yields after background subtraction, efficiency*acceptance correction factors, and cross section measurements for the four channels (W decay to muon or electron and charm identification via muon or secondary vertex inside a jet).
Measured production cross sections $\sigma(W^+ + \overline{c})$, $\sigma(W^- + c)$ and their ratio.
Measured diferential cross sections $\sigma(W^- + c) + \sigma(W^+ + \overline{c})$ as a function of the absolute value of the pseudorapidity of the lepton from the W decay.
Angular distributions of the decay B$^+$$\to$ K$^*$(892)$^+\mu^+\mu^-$ are studied using events collected with the CMS detector in $\sqrt{s} =$ 8 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.0 fb$^{-1}$. The forward-backward asymmetry of the muons and the longitudinal polarization of the K$^*$(892)$^+$ meson are determined as a function of the square of the dimuon invariant mass. These are the first results from this exclusive decay mode and are in agreement with a standard model prediction.
The measured signal yields, FL, AFB in bins of the dimuon invariant mass squared. The first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.
A study of the associated production of a Z boson and a charm quark jet (Z + c), and a comparison to production with a b quark jet (Z + b), in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV are presented. The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The Z boson candidates are identified through their decays into pairs of electrons or muons. Jets originating from heavy flavour quarks are identified using semileptonic decays of c or b flavoured hadrons and hadronic decays of charm hadrons. The measurements are performed in the kinematic region with two leptons with $p_{\rm T}^{\ell} > $ 20 GeV, ${|\eta^{\ell}|} < $ 2.1, 71 $ < m_{\ell\ell} < $ 111 GeV, and heavy flavour jets with $p_{\rm T}^{{\rm jet}} > $ 25 GeV and ${|\eta^{{\rm jet}}|} < $ 2.5. The Z + c production cross section is measured to be $\sigma({\mathrm{p}}{\mathrm{p}} \rightarrow \mathrm{Z} + \mathrm{c} + \mathrm{X}) {\cal B}(\mathrm{Z} \rightarrow \ell^+\ell^-) = $ 8.8 $ \pm $ 0.5 (stat) $ \pm $ 0.6 (syst) pb. The ratio of the Z + c and Z + b production cross sections is measured to be $\sigma({\mathrm{p}}{\mathrm{p}} \rightarrow \mathrm{Z} + \mathrm{c} + \mathrm{X}) / \sigma({\mathrm{p}}{\mathrm{p}} \rightarrow \mathrm{Z} + \mathrm{b} + \mathrm{X}) = $ 2.0 $ \pm $ 0.2 (stat) $ \pm $ 0.2 (syst). The Z + c production cross section and the cross section ratio are also measured as a function of the transverse momentum of the Z boson and of the heavy flavour jet. The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions.
Signal yields N(Z+c) and N(Z+b), efficiency*acceptance correction factors C(Z+c) and C(Z+b), cross section sigma(Z+c)B and cross section ratios sigma(Z+c)/sigma(Z+b) in the three categories (semileptonic, D+-, D*) and in the two Z boson decay channels (e+e-, mu+mu-). The factors that correct the acceptance and selection inefficiencies are also given. They include the relevant branching fraction for the corresponding channel. All uncertainties quoted in the table are statistical, except for those of the measured cross sections and cross section ratios where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is the estimated systematic uncertainty
Z+c and Z+b signal yields, differential cross section dsigma(Z+c)/dpTZ times branching ratio and differential cross sections ratio dsigma(Z+c)/dpTZ / dsigma(Z+b)/dpTZ for three ranges of the transverse momentum of the Z boson in the semileptonic mode
Z+c and Z+b signal yields, differential cross section dsigma(Z+c)/dpTZ times branching ratio and differential cross sections ratio dsigma(Z+c)/dpTZ / dsigma(Z+b)/dpTZ for three ranges of the transverse momentum of the jet in the semileptonic mode
Detailed measurements of $t$-channel single top-quark production are presented. They use 20.2 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected by the ATLAS experiment in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV at the LHC. Total, fiducial and differential cross-sections are measured for both top-quark and top-antiquark production. The fiducial cross-section is measured with a precision of 5.8 % (top quark) and 7.8 % (top antiquark), respectively. The total cross-sections are measured to be $\sigma_{\mathrm{tot}}(tq) = 56.7^{+4.3}_{-3.8}\;$pb for top-quark production and $\sigma_{\mathrm{tot}}(\bar{t}q) = 32.9^{+3.0}_{-2.7}\;$pb for top-antiquark production, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction. In addition, the ratio of top-quark to top-antiquark production cross-sections is determined to be $R_t=1.72 \pm 0.09$, with an improved relative precision of 4.9 % since several systematic uncertainties cancel in the ratio. The differential cross-sections as a function of the transverse momentum and rapidity of both the top quark and the top antiquark are measured at both the parton and particle levels. The transverse momentum and rapidity differential cross-sections of the accompanying jet from the $t$-channel scattering are measured at particle level. All measurements are compared to various Monte Carlo predictions as well as to fixed-order QCD calculations where available.
Predicted and observed event yields for the signal region (SR). The multijet background prediction is obtained from a binned maximum-likelihood fit to the $E_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$ distribution. All the other predictions are derived using theoretical cross-sections, given for the backgrounds in Sect. 6 and for the signal in Sect. 1. The quoted uncertainties are in the predicted cross-sections or in the number of multijet events, in case of the multijet process.
Predicted and observed event yields for the signal region (SR). The multijet background prediction is obtained from a binned maximum-likelihood fit to the $E_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$ distribution. All the other predictions are derived using theoretical cross-sections, given for the backgrounds in Sect. 6 and for the signal in Sect. 1. The quoted uncertainties are in the predicted cross-sections or in the number of multijet events, in case of the multijet process.
Definition of the fiducial phase space.
A search is performed for heavy Majorana neutrinos (N) decaying into a W boson and a lepton using the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. A signature of two jets and either two same sign electrons or a same sign electron-muon pair is searched for using 19.7 inverse femtobarns of data collected during 2012 in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. The data are found to be consistent with the expected standard model (SM) background and, in the context of a Type-1 seesaw mechanism, upper limits are set on the cross section times branching fraction for production of heavy Majorana neutrinos in the mass range between 40 and 500 GeV. The results are additionally interpreted as limits on the mixing between the heavy Majorana neutrinos and the SM neutrinos. In the mass range considered, the upper limits range between 0.00015 - 0.72 for |V[eN]|^2 and 6.6E-5 - 0.47 for |V[eN] V*[muN]|^2 / ( |V[eN]|^2 + |V[muN]|^2 ), where V[lN] is the mixing element describing the mixing of the heavy neutrino with the SM neutrino of flavour l. These limits are the most restrictive direct limits for heavy Majorana neutrino masses above 200 GeV.
Selection requirements for the low- and high-mass signal regions.
ee channel. Selection requirements on discriminating variables determined by the optimization for each Majorana neutrino mass point. The last column shows the overall signal acceptance. Different selection criteria are used for low- and high-mass search regions. The "-" indicates that no selection requirement is made.
e$\mu$ channel. Selection requirements on discriminating variables determined by the optimization for each Majorana neutrino mass point. The last column shows the overall signal acceptance. Different selection criteria are used for low- and high-mass search regions. The ''-'' indicates that no selection requirement is made.
The ATLAS experiment has performed extensive searches for the electroweak production of charginos, neutralinos and staus. This article summarizes and extends the search for electroweak supersymmetry with new analyses targeting scenarios not covered by previously published searches. New searches use vector-boson fusion production, initial-state radiation jets, and low-momentum lepton final states, as well as multivariate analysis techniques to improve the sensitivity to scenarios with small mass splittings and low-production cross-sections. Results are based on 20 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$=8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess beyond Standard Model expectations is observed. The new and existing searches are combined and interpreted in terms of 95% confidence-level exclusion limits in simplified models, where a single production process and decay mode is assumed, as well as within phenomenological supersymmetric models.
The missing transverse momentum ETmiss in the multi-jet validation region VR1 for the two-tau MVA analysis.
The effective mass meff in the multi-jet validation region VR2 for the two-tau MVA analysis.
The stransverse mass mT2 in the W+jets validation region VR1 for the two-tau MVA analysis.
A search for direct pair production of the supersymmetric partner of the top quark, decaying via a scalar tau to a nearly massless gravitino, has been performed using 20 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV. The data were collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2012. Top squark candidates are searched for in events with either two hadronically decaying tau leptons, one hadronically decaying tau and one light lepton, or two light leptons. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is found. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set as a function of the top squark and scalar tau masses. Depending on the scalar tau mass, ranging from the 87 GeV LEP limit to the top squark mass, lower limits between 490 GeV and 650 GeV are placed on the top squark mass within the model considered.
Distribution of $m_{\rm T}^{\rm sum}(\tau_{\mathrm{had}},\tau_{\mathrm{had}})$ for the events passing all the hadron-hadron signal region requirements, except that on the variable itself. The SM background process have been normalised using a fit to the data observed in CRs.
Distribution of $m_{{\rm T}2}(\tau_{\mathrm{had}},\tau_{\mathrm{had}})$ for the events passing all the hadron-hadron signal region requirements, except that on the variable itself. The SM background process have been normalised using a fit to the data observed in CRs.
Distribution of $m_{{\rm T}2}(b \ell, b \tau_{\mathrm{had}})$ for events passing all the lepton-hadron LM signal region requirements, except that on the variable itself. The SM background process have been normalised using a fit to the data observed in CRs.
A search is presented for photonic signatures motivated by generalised models of gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. This search makes use of $20.3{\rm fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC, and explores models dominated by both strong and electroweak production of supersymmetric partner states. Four experimental signatures incorporating an isolated photon and significant missing transverse momentum are explored. These signatures include events with an additional photon, lepton, $b$-quark jet, or jet activity not associated with any specific underlying quark flavor. No significant excess of events is observed above the Standard Model prediction and model-dependent 95% confidence-level exclusion limits are set.
Observed and expected exclusion limits in the gluino-bino mass plane, using the $\rm{SR}^{\gamma\gamma}_{S-H}$ analysis for $m_{\tilde{\chi}_1^0}\geq 800 {\rm GeV}$ and $\rm{SR}^{\gamma\gamma}_{S-L}$ analyses for $m_{\tilde{\chi}_1^0} < 800 {\rm GeV}$.
Observed and expected exclusion limits in the wino-bino mass plane, using the $\rm{SR}^{\gamma\gamma}_{W-H}$ analysis for $m_{\tilde{\chi}_1^0}\geq 350 {\rm GeV}$ and $\rm{SR}^{\gamma\gamma}_{W-L}$ analyses for $m_{\tilde{\chi}_1^0} < 350 {\rm GeV}$.
Observed exclusion limits in the gluino-neutralino mass plane, for the higgsino-bino GGM model with $\mu < 0$, using the merged $\rm{SR}^{\gamma b}_{L}$ and $\rm{SR}^{\gamma b}_{H}$ analyses.
A summary is presented of ATLAS searches for gluinos and first- and second-generation squarks in final states containing jets and missing transverse momentum, with or without leptons or b-jets, in the $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV data set collected at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012. This paper reports the results of new interpretations and statistical combinations of previously published analyses, as well as a new analysis. Since no significant excess of events over the Standard Model expectation is observed, the data are used to set limits in a variety of models. In all the considered simplified models that assume R-parity conservation, the limit on the gluino mass exceeds 1150 GeV at 95% confidence level, for an LSP mass smaller than 100 GeV. Furthermore, exclusion limits are set for left-handed squarks in a phenomenological MSSM model, a minimal Supergravity/Constrained MSSM model, R-parity-violation scenarios, a minimal gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking model, a natural gauge mediation model, a non-universal Higgs mass model with gaugino mediation and a minimal model of universal extra dimensions.
Acceptance for the loose channel of the Razor analysis for the direct squark-squark model.
Acceptance times efficiency for the loose channel of the Razor analysis for the direct squark-squark model.
Acceptance for the tight channel of the Razor analysis for the direct squark-squark model.
Many extensions of the Standard Model predict the existence of charged heavy long-lived particles, such as $R$-hadrons or charginos. These particles, if produced at the Large Hadron Collider, should be moving non-relativistically and are therefore identifiable through the measurement of an anomalously large specific energy loss in the ATLAS pixel detector. Measuring heavy long-lived particles through their track parameters in the vicinity of the interaction vertex provides sensitivity to metastable particles with lifetimes from 0.6 ns to 30 ns. A search for such particles with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is presented, based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.4 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV. No significant deviation from the Standard Model background expectation is observed, and lifetime-dependent upper limits on $R$-hadrons and chargino production are set. Gluino $R$-hadrons with 10 ns lifetime and masses up to 1185 GeV are excluded at 95$\%$ confidence level, and so are charginos with 15 ns lifetime and masses up to 482 GeV.
Ratio of the reconstructed mass, computed as the most probable value of a fit to a Landau distribution convolved with a Gaussian, to the generated mass, as a function of the generated mass for stable gluino R-hadrons, along with the half-width at half maximum of the reconstructed mass distribution normalised to the generated mass.
Efficiency for the calorimetric MET>80 GeV trigger as a function of the stable R-hadron mass.
Efficiency for the calorimetric MET>80 GeV trigger as a function of the metastable R-hadron mass. The R-hadron decays to g/qq plus neutralino of mass 100 GeV with a lifetime of 1 ns.
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