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.
A search for high-mass resonances decaying into $\tau^{+}\tau^{-}$ final states using proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}= 8$ TeV produced by the Large Hadron Collider is presented. The data were recorded with the ATLAS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.5-20.3 fb$^{-1}$. No statistically significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed; 95% credibility upper limits are set on the cross section times branching fraction of $Z^{\prime}$ resonances decaying into $\tau^+\tau^-$ pairs as a function of the resonance mass. As a result, $Z^{\prime}$ bosons of the Sequential Standard Model with masses less than 2.02 TeV are excluded at 95% credibility. The impact of the fermionic couplings on the $Z^{\prime}$ acceptance is investigated and limits are also placed on a $Z^{\prime}$ model that exhibits enhanced couplings to third-generation fermions.
Signal acceptance times efficiency (ACC*EFF) for Z'L, Z'R, Z'narrow and Z'wide divided by ACC*EFF for Z'SSM as a function of the Z' mass, separately for the had-had and lep-had channels.
Ratio of the Z'NU to Z'SSM cross section times tau+tau- branching fraction (SIG*BR) as a function of sin^2phi and the Z' mass.
Ratio of the Z'NU to Z'SSM acceptance times efficiency (ACC*EFF) in the had-had channel as a function of sin^2phi and the Z' mass.
The results of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing at least one isolated lepton (electron or muon), jets and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are reported. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV collected in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 fb$^{-1}$. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Limits are set on the parameters of a minimal universal extra dimensions model, excluding a compactification radius of $1/R_c=950$ GeV for a cut-off scale times radius ($\Lambda R_c$) of approximately 30, as well as on sparticle masses for various supersymmetric models. Depending on the model, the search excludes gluino masses up to 1.32 TeV and squark masses up to 840 GeV.
Observed and expected $E_T^{miss}/m_{eff}$ distribution in soft single-lepton 3-jet signal region. The last bin includes the overflow.
Observed and expected $E_T^{miss}/m_{eff}$ distribution in soft single-lepton 5-jet signal region. The last bin includes the overflow.
Observed and expected $E_T^{miss}/m_{eff}$ distribution in soft single-lepton 3-jet inclusive signal region. The last bin includes the overflow.
A search is presented for production of dark matter particles recoiling against a leptonically decaying Z boson in 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events with large missing transverse momentum and two oppositely-charged electrons or muons consistent with the decay of a Z boson are analyzed. No excess above the Standard Model prediction is observed. Limits are set on the mass scale of the contact interaction as a function of the dark matter particle mass using an effective field theory description of the interaction of dark matter with quarks or with Z bosons. Limits are also set on the coupling and mediator mass of a model in which the interaction is mediated by a scalar particle.
Summary of the systematic uncertainties for the largest background process (ZZ->llnunu). Statistical uncertaintes are from MC simulation sample size.
Observed yields and expected SM backgrounds in each signal region. Statistical, systematic, and luminosity uncertainteis are added in quadrature to give the total background estimate and uncertainties.
The observed and expected upper limits on the fiducial cross section at 95% C.L. for each signal region.
The results of a search for charged Higgs bosons decaying to a $\tau$ lepton and a neutrino, $H^{\pm} \rightarrow \tau^{\pm} \nu$, are presented. The analysis is based on 19.5 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Charged Higgs bosons are searched for in events consistent with top-quark pair production or in associated production with a top quark. The final state is characterised by the presence of a hadronic $\tau$ decay, missing transverse momentum, $b$-tagged jets, a hadronically decaying $W$ boson, and the absence of any isolated electrons or muons with high transverse momenta. The data are consistent with the expected background from Standard Model processes. A statistical analysis leads to 95\% confidence-level upper limits on the product of branching ratios $ {\cal B}(t\rightarrow bH^\pm) \times {\cal B} (H^\pm\rightarrow \tau^{\pm}\nu) $, between 0.23% and 1.3% for charged Higgs boson masses in the range 80-160 GeV. It also leads to 95% confidence-level upper limits on the production cross section times branching ratio, $\sigma(pp \rightarrow tH^{\pm} + X) \times {\cal B}(H^{\pm} \rightarrow \tau^{\pm} \nu)$, between 0.76 pb and 4.5 fb, for charged Higgs boson masses ranging from 180 GeV to 1000 GeV. In the context of different scenarios of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model, these results exclude nearly all values of $\tan\beta$ above one for charged Higgs boson masses between 80 GeV and 160 GeV, and exclude a region of parameter space with high $\tan\beta$ for $H^{\pm}$ masses between 200 GeV and 250 GeV.
The measured B(t->H+)xB(H+->tau+ nu) limit.
The measured P P --> t H+ --> t tau+nu limit.
This Letter presents the first study of $W^{\pm}W^{\pm}jj$, same-electric-charge diboson production in association with two jets, using 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of proton--proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events with two reconstructed same-charge leptons ($e^\pm e^\pm$, $e^\pm \mu^\pm$, and $\mu^\pm \mu^\pm$) and two or more jets are analyzed. Production cross sections are measured in two fiducial regions, with different sensitivities to the electroweak and strong production mechanisms. First evidence for $W^{\pm}W^{\pm}jj$ production and electroweak-only $W^{\pm}W^{\pm}jj$ production is observed with a significance of $4.5$ and $3.6$ standard deviations respectively. The measured production cross sections are in agreement with Standard Model predictions. Limits at 95% confidence level are set on anomalous quartic gauge couplings.
The fiducial cross sections for the production of W+- W+- JET JET in the inclusive and VBS regions.
Measurements of four-lepton (4$\ell$, $\ell=e,\mu$) production cross sections at the $Z$ resonance in $pp$ collisions at the LHC with the ATLAS detector are presented. For dilepton and four-lepton invariant mass region $m_{\ell^+\ell^-} > 5$ GeV and $80 < m_{4\ell} < 100$ GeV, the measured cross sections are $76 \pm 18 \text { (stat) } \pm 4 \text { (syst) } \pm 1.4 \text { (lumi) }$ fb and $107 \pm 9 \text{ (stat) } \pm 4 \text{ (syst) } \pm 3.0 \text { (lumi) }$ fb at $\sqrt s$ = 7 and 8 TeV, respectively. By subtracting the non-resonant 4$\ell$ production contributions and normalizing with $Z\rightarrow \mu^+\mu^-$ events, the branching fraction for the $Z$ boson decay to $4\ell$ is determined to be $\left( 3.20 \pm 0.25\text{ (stat)} \pm 0.13\text{ (syst)} \right) \times 10^{-6}$, consistent with the Standard Model prediction.
The measured individual cross sections in the fiducial region and the combined cross sections for 4-muon and 4-electron final states at a centre-of-collision energy of 7 TeV.
The measured individual cross sections in the fiducial region and the combined cross sections for 2-muon-2-electron final states at a centre-of-collision energy of 7 TeV.
The measured cross section for four-lepton final states at a centre-of-collision energy of 7 TeV.
An analysis is presented of events containing jets including at least one $b$-tagged jet, sizeable missing transverse momentum, and at least two leptons including a pair of the same electric charge, with the scalar sum of the jet and lepton transverse momenta being large. A data sample with an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is used. Standard Model processes rarely produce these final states, but there are several models of physics beyond the Standard Model that predict an enhanced rate of production of such events; the ones considered here are production of vector-like quarks, enhanced four-top-quark production, pair production of chiral $b^\prime$-quarks, and production of two positively charged top quarks. Eleven signal regions are defined; subsets of these regions are combined when searching for each class of models. In the three signal regions primarily sensitive to positively charged top quark pair production, the data yield is consistent with the background expectation. There are more data events than expected from background in the set of eight signal regions defined for searching for vector-like quarks and chiral $b^\prime$-quarks, but the significance of the discrepancy is less than two standard deviations. The discrepancy reaches 2.5 standard deviations in the set of five signal regions defined for searching for four-top-quark production. The results are used to set 95% CL limits on various models.
Observed and expected number of events with statistical (first) and systematic (second) uncertainties for the positively charged top pair signal selection. The p-values for agreement between the observed yield and the expected background in each signal region are reported.
Observed and expected number of events with statistical (first) and systematic (second) uncertainties for five of the signal regions defined for VLQ, chiral bprime-quark and four-top-quark production searches. The p-values for agreement between the observed yield and the expected background in each signal region are reported.
Observed and expected number of events with statistical (first) and systematic (second) uncertainties for three of the signal regions defined for VLQ, chiral bprime-quark and four-top-quark production searches. The p-values for agreement between the observed yield and the expected background in each signal region are reported.
We search for evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model in the production of final states with multiple high transverse momentum jets, using 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV. No excess of events beyond Standard Model expectations is observed, and upper limits on the visible cross-section for non-Standard Model production of multi-jet final states are set. Using a wide variety of models for black hole and string ball production and decay, the limit on the cross-section times acceptance is as low as 0.16 fb at the 95% CL for a minimum scalar sum of jet transverse momentum in the event of about 4.3 TeV. Using models for black hole and string ball production and decay, exclusion contours are determined as a function of the production mass threshold and the gravity scale. These limits can be interpreted in terms of lower-mass limits on black hole and string ball production that range from 4.6 to 6.2 TeV.
Number of data events (20.3 fb$^{-1}$), number of predicted events from the fit, statistical uncertainty on the fit, systematic uncertainty on the choice of control region, and on the choice of fit function versus inclusive $H_{\textrm{T}}^{\textrm{min}}$ lower bin edge for inclusive jet multiplicity $N_{\textrm{Jet}} \geq 3$. The total uncertainty is obtained by adding the three uncertainties linearly.
Number of data events (20.3 fb$^{-1}$), number of predicted events from the fit, statistical uncertainty on the fit, systematic uncertainty on the choice of control region, and on the choice of fit function versus inclusive $H_{\textrm{T}}^{\textrm{min}}$ lower bin edge for inclusive jet multiplicity $N_{\textrm{Jet}} \geq 4$. The total uncertainty is obtained by adding the three uncertainties linearly.
Number of data events (20.3 fb$^{-1}$), number of predicted events from the fit, statistical uncertainty on the fit, systematic uncertainty on the choice of control region, and on the choice of fit function versus inclusive $H_{\textrm{T}}^{\textrm{min}}$ lower bin edge for inclusive jet multiplicity $N_{\textrm{Jet}} \geq 5$. The total uncertainty is obtained by adding the three uncertainties linearly.
A measurement of the production processes of the recently discovered Higgs boson is performed in the two-photon final state using 5.4 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions data at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV and 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The number of observed Higgs boson decays to diphotons divided by the corresponding Standard Model prediction, called the signal strength, is found to be $\mu = 1.17 \pm 0.27$ at the value of the Higgs boson mass measured by ATLAS, $m_{H}$ = 125.4 GeV. The analysis is optimized to measure the signal strengths for individual Higgs boson production processes at this value of $m_{H}$. They are found to be $\mu_{\mathrm{ggF}} = 1.32 \pm 0.38$, $\mu_{\mathrm{VBF}} = 0.8 \pm 0.7$, $\mu_{{WH}} = 1.0 \pm 1.6 $, $\mu_{{ZH}} = 0.1 ^{+3.7}_{-0.1} $, $\mu_{{t\bar{t}H}} = 1.6 ^{+2.7}_{-1.8} $, for Higgs boson production through gluon fusion, vector-boson fusion, and in association with a $W$ or $Z$ boson or a top-quark pair, respectively. Compared with the previously published ATLAS analysis, the results reported here also benefit from a new energy calibration procedure for photons and the subsequent reduction of the systematic uncertainty on the diphoton mass resolution. No significant deviations from the predictions of the Standard Model are found.
The signal strength for a Higgs boson of mass mH = 125.4 GeV decaying via H->gammagamma as measured in the individual analysis categories, and the combined signal strength, for the combination of the 7 TeV and 8 TeV data. The VH dilepton category is not shown because with only two events in the combined sample, the fit results are not meaningful.
The signal strength for a Higgs boson of mass mH = 125.4 GeV decaying via H->gammagamma as measured in groups of categories sensitive to individual production modes, and the combined signal strength, for the combination of the 7 TeV and 8 TeV data.
Measured signal strengths, for a Higgs boson of mass mH = 125.4 GeV decaying via H->gammagamma, of the different Higgs boson production modes and the combined signal strength mu obtained with the combination of the 7 TeV and 8 TeV data.
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