A search is presented for flavour-changing neutral-current interactions involving the top quark, the Higgs boson and an up-type quark ($q=u,c$) with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis considers leptonic decays of the top quark along with Higgs boson decays into two $W$ bosons, two $Z$ bosons or a $\tau^{+}\tau^{-}$ pair. It focuses on final states containing either two leptons (electrons or muons) of the same charge or three leptons. The considered processes are $t\bar{t}$ and $Ht$ production. For the $t\bar{t}$ production, one top quark decays via $t\to Hq$. The proton-proton collision data set analysed amounts to 140 fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV. No significant excess beyond Standard Model expectations is observed and upper limits are set on the $t\to Hq$ branching ratios at 95% confidence level, amounting to observed (expected) limits of $\mathcal{B}(t\to Hu)<2.8\,(3.0) \times 10^{-4}$ and $\mathcal{B}(t\to Hc)<3.3\,(3.8) \times 10^{-4}$. Combining this search with other searches for $tHq$ flavour-changing neutral-current interactions previously conducted by ATLAS, considering $H\to b\bar{b}$ and $H\to\gamma\gamma$ decays, as well as $H\to\tau^{+}\tau^{-}$ decays with one or two hadronically decaying $\tau$-leptons, yields observed (expected) upper limits on the branching ratios of $\mathcal{B}(t\to Hu)<2.6\,(1.8) \times 10^{-4}$ and $\mathcal{B}(t\to Hc)<3.4\,(2.3) \times 10^{-4}$.
Pre-fit background composition of the SR$2\ell$ Dec. The table shows the event yields as opposed to just the percentages of the relevant background processes.
Pre-fit background composition of the SR$2\ell$ Prod. The table shows the event yields as opposed to just the percentages of the relevant background processes.
Pre-fit background composition of the SR$3\ell$ Dec. The table shows the event yields as opposed to just the percentages of the relevant background processes.
This paper presents the observation of four-top-quark ($t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$) production in proton-proton collisions at the LHC. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected using the ATLAS detector. Events containing two leptons with the same electric charge or at least three leptons (electrons or muons) are selected. Event kinematics are used to separate signal from background through a multivariate discriminant, and dedicated control regions are used to constrain the dominant backgrounds. The observed (expected) significance of the measured $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ signal with respect to the standard model (SM) background-only hypothesis is 6.1 (4.3) standard deviations. The $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ production cross section is measured to be $22.5^{+6.6}_{-5.5}$ fb, consistent with the SM prediction of $12.0 \pm 2.4$ fb within 1.8 standard deviations. Data are also used to set limits on the three-top-quark production cross section, being an irreducible background not measured previously, and to constrain the top-Higgs Yukawa coupling and effective field theory operator coefficients that affect $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$ production.
Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR $t\bar{t}W^{+}$+jets. The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.
Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR $t\bar{t}W^{-}$+jets. The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.
Post-fit distributions for the number of jets ($N_{j}$) in CR 1b(+). The QmisID represents the backgrounds with a mis-assigned charge. HF e and HF $\mu$ are the backgrounds with fake/non-prompt leptons. Mat. Conv. and Low $m_{\gamma*}$ are the material and virtual photon conversions.
The distributions of transverse momentum and longitudinal momentum fraction of charged particles in jets are measured in Pb+Pb and pp collisions with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The distributions are measured as a function of jet transverse momentum and rapidity. The analysis utilises an integrated luminosity of 0.14 nb$^{-1}$ of Pb+Pb data and 4.0 pb$^{-1}$ of pp data collected in 2011 and 2013, respectively, at the same centre-of-mass energy of 2.76 TeV per colliding nucleon pair. The distributions measured in pp collisions are used as a reference for those measured in Pb+Pb collisions in order to evaluate the impact on the internal structure of jets from the jet energy loss of fast partons propagating through the hot, dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions. Modest but significant centrality-dependent modifications of fragmentation functions in Pb+Pb collisions with respect to those in pp collisions are seen. No significant dependence of modifications on jet $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ and rapidity selections is observed except for the fragments with the highest transverse momenta for which some reduction of yields is observed for more forward jets.
D(pt) distributions for pp and Pb+Pb collisions, jet rapidity |y| < 2.1.
D(pt) distributions for pp and Pb+Pb collisions, jet rapidity |y| < 0.3.
D(pt) distributions for pp and Pb+Pb collisions, jet rapidity 0.3 < |y| < 0.8.
Measurements of charged-particle fragmentation functions of jets produced in ultra-relativistic nuclear collisions can provide insight into the modification of parton showers in the hot, dense medium created in the collisions. ATLAS has measured jets in $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 2.76$ TeV Pb+Pb collisions at the LHC using a data set recorded in 2011 with an integrated luminosity of 0.14 nb$^{-1}$. Jets were reconstructed using the anti-$k_{t}$ algorithm with distance parameter values $R$ = 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4. Distributions of charged-particle transverse momentum and longitudinal momentum fraction are reported for seven bins in collision centrality for $R=0.4$ jets with $p_{{T}}^{\mathrm{jet}}> 100$ GeV. Commensurate minimum $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ values are used for the other radii. Ratios of fragment distributions in each centrality bin to those measured in the most peripheral bin are presented. These ratios show a reduction of fragment yield in central collisions relative to peripheral collisions at intermediate $z$ values, $0.04 \lesssim z \lesssim 0.2$ and an enhancement in fragment yield for $z \lesssim 0.04$. A smaller, less significant enhancement is observed at large $z$ and large $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ in central collisions.
Differences of D(Z) distributions in different centralities with respect to peripheral events for R = 0.3 jets. The errors represent combined statistical and systematic uncertainties.
Differences of D(Z) distributions in different centralities with respect to peripheral events for R = 0.2 jets. The errors represent combined statistical and systematic uncertainties.
D(z) distribution for R=0.4 jets.
A search is presented for direct chargino production based on a disappearing-track signature using 20.3 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV collected with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. In anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking (AMSB) models, the lightest chargino is nearly mass-degenerate with the lightest neutralino and its lifetime is long enough to be detected in the tracking detectors by identifying decays that result in tracks with no associated hits in the outer region of the tracking system. Some models with supersymmetry also predict charginos with a significant lifetime. This analysis attains sensitivity for charginos with a lifetime between 0.1 ns and 10 ns, and significantly surpasses the reach of the LEP experiments. No significant excess above the background expectation is observed for candidate tracks with large transverse momentum, and constraints on chargino properties are obtained. In the AMSB scenarios, a chargino mass below 270 GeV is excluded at 95% confidence level.
The pT distribution of disappearing-track candidates.
Observed CLs contour in the ( M(CHARGINO), TAU(CHARGINO) ) space for tan(beta) = 5 and mu > 0.
Observed CLs contour with minus 1-sigma signal cross-section uncertainty in the ( M(CHARGINO), TAU(CHARGINO) ) space for tan(beta) = 5 and mu > 0.
The ATLAS experiment has observed 1995 Z boson candidates in data corresponding to 0.15 inverse nb of integrated luminosity obtained in the 2011 LHC Pb+Pb run at sqrt(s_NN)=2.76 TeV. The Z bosons are reconstructed via di-electron and di-muon decay channels, with a background contamination of less than 3%. Results from the two channels are consistent and are combined. Within the statistical and systematic uncertainties, the per-event Z boson yield is proportional to the number of binary collisions estimated by the Glauber model. The elliptic anisotropy of the azimuthal distribution of the Z boson with respect to the event plane is found to be consistent with zero.
The corrected per-event rapidity distribution of Z bosons over the centrality region 0-80%.
The corrected per-event transverse momentum distribution of Z bosons in the centrality region 0-5%.
The corrected per-event transverse momentum distribution of Z bosons in the centrality region 5-10%.
A study of WZ production in proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV is presented using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb^-1 collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2011. In total, 317 candidates, with a background expectation of 68+/-10 events, are observed in double-leptonic decay final states with electrons, muons and missing transverse momentum. The total cross-section is determined to be sigma_WZ(tot) = 19.0+1.4/-1.3(stat.)+/-0.9(syst.)+/-0.4(lumi.) pb, consistent with the Standard Model expectation of 17.6+1.1/-1.0 pb. Limits on anomalous triple gauge boson couplings are derived using the transverse momentum spectrum of Z bosons in the selected events. The cross section is also presented as a function of Z boson transverse momentum and diboson invariant mass.
The measured fiducial cross section.
The measured total cross section.
Normalised fiducial cross section in bins of the PT of the Z0.
A search for production of supersymmetric particles in final states containing jets, missing transverse momentum, and at least one hadronically decaying tau lepton is presented. The data were recorded by the ATLAS experiment in sqrt(s) = 7 TeV proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. No excess above the Standard Model background expectation was observed in 2.05 fb-1 of data. The results are interpreted in the context of gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking models with Mmess = 250 TeV, N5 = 3, mu > 0, and Cgrav = 1. The production of supersymmetric particles is excluded at 95% C.L. up to a supersymmetry breaking scale Lambda = 30 Tev, independent of tan(beta), and up to Lambda = 43 TeV for large tan(beta).
Distribution of the missing transverse energy before final selection requirement on the effective mass. Tabulated are the observed Data events, the Standard Model predictions and the expected rates for two signal scenarios with Lambda=30TeV / tan(beta) = 20 and Lambda=40GeV / tan(beta)=30 respectively.
Distribution of the tau pt before final selection requirement on the effective mass. Tabulated are the observed Data events, the Standard Model predictions and the expected rates for two signal scenarios with Lambda=30TeV / tan(beta) = 20 and Lambda=40GeV / tan(beta)=30 respectively.
Distribution of the effective mass before final selection requirement on the effective mass. Tabulated are the observed Data events, the Standard Model predictions and the expected rates for two signal scenarios with Lambda=30TeV / tan(beta) = 20 and Lambda=40GeV / tan(beta)=30 respectively.
A search for events with large missing transverse momentum, jets, and at least two tau leptons has been performed using 2 fb^-1 of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. No excess above the Standard Model background expectation is observed and a 95% CL visible cross section upper limit for new phenomena is set. A 95% CL lower limit of 32 TeV is set on the GMSB breaking scale Lambda independent of tan(beta). These limits provide the most stringent tests to date in a large part of the considered parameter space.
The observed PT spectrum of the leading TAU candidates and the estimated SM background after pre-selection of candidate events, soft multi-jet rejection and the requirement of two or more TAUS and no light leptons.
The distribution of the effective mass of the two leading TAU candidates in data (with statistical uncertainties only) and the estimated SM background after pre-selection of candidate events, soft multi-jet rejection and the requirement of two or more TAUS and no light leptons.
The distribution of the sum of the transverse masses of the two leading TAU candidates in data (with statistical uncertainties only) and the estimated SM background after pre-selection of candidate events, soft multi-jet rejection and the requirement of two or more TAUS and no light leptons.
The production of Kshort and Lambda hadrons is studied in inelastic pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 0.9 and 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC using a minimum-bias trigger. The observed distributions of transverse momentum, rapidity, and multiplicity are corrected to hadron level in a model-independent way within well defined phase-space regions. The distribution of the production ratio of Lambdabar to Lambda baryons is also measured. The results are compared with various Monte Carlo simulation models. Although most of these models agree with data to within 15% in the Kshort distributions, substantial disagreements with data are found in the Lambda distributions of transverse momentum.
The corrected transverse momentum distribution of KS mesons at 7000 GeV.
The corrected rapidity distribution of KS mesons at 7000 GeV.
The corrected multiplicity distribution of KS mesons at 7000 GeV.