Measurements of the inclusive and differential fiducial cross sections for the Higgs boson production in the H → ZZ → 4ℓ (ℓ = e, μ) decay channel are presented. The results are obtained from the analysis of proton-proton collision data recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{−1}$. The measured inclusive fiducial cross section is 2.73 ± 0.26 fb, in agreement with the standard model expectation of 2.86 ± 0.1 fb. Differential cross sections are measured as a function of several kinematic observables sensitive to the Higgs boson production and decay to four leptons. A set of double-differential measurements is also performed, yielding a comprehensive characterization of the four leptons final state. Constraints on the Higgs boson trilinear coupling and on the bottom and charm quark coupling modifiers are derived from its transverse momentum distribution. All results are consistent with theoretical predictions from the standard model.
Differential cross section measurements in bins of mass4l (v3)
Differential cross section measurements in bins of mass4l_zzfloating (v3)
Differential cross section measurements in bins of njets_pt30_eta4p7 (v3)
A search for the rare $\eta$$\to$$\mu^+\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-$ double-Dalitz decay is performed using a sample of proton-proton collisions, collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC with high-rate muon triggers in 2017-2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101 fb$^{-1}$. A signal having a statistical significance well in excess of 5 standard deviations is observed. Using the $\eta$$\to$$\mu^+ \mu^-$ decay as normalization, the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(\eta$$\to$$\mu^+\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-)$ = [5.0 $\pm$ 0.8 (stat) $\pm$ 0.7 (syst) $\pm$ 0.7 ($\mathcal{B}_{2\mu}$)] $\times$ 10$^{-9}$ is measured, where the last term is the uncertainty in the normalization channel branching fraction. This work achieves an improved precision of over five orders of magnitude compared to previous results, leading to the first measurement of this branching fraction, which is found to agree with theoretical predictions.
The total efficiencies for the four-muon ($A_{4\mu}^{i,j}$, red and blue points) and two-muon ($A_{2\mu}^{i,j}$, orange and green points) decay channels, as functions of the generated meson's $p_{\mathrm{T}}$ and $y$, evaluated through MC simulation.
Measured ratio of $\mathcal{B}_{4\mu}/\mathcal{B}_{2\mu}$
Measured branching fraction $\mathcal{B}_{4\mu}$
A search for high-mass charged and neutral bosons decaying to $W\gamma$ and $Z\gamma$ final states is presented in this paper. The analysis uses a data sample of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton-proton collisions with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the ATLAS detector during LHC Run 2 operation. The sensitivity of the search is determined using models of the production and decay of spin-1 charged bosons and spin-0/2 neutral bosons. The range of resonance masses explored extends from 1.0 TeV to 6.8 TeV. At these high resonance masses, it is beneficial to target the hadronic decays of the $W$ and $Z$ bosons because of their large branching fractions. The decay products of the high-momentum $W/Z$ bosons are strongly collimated and boosted-boson tagging techniques are employed to improve the sensitivity. No evidence of a signal above the Standard Model backgrounds is observed, and upper limits on the production cross-sections of these bosons times their branching fractions to $W\gamma$ and $Z\gamma$ are derived for various boson production models.
The jet mass distribution of large-$R$ jets originating from the hadronic decay of $W$ and $Z$ bosons produced from the decay of BSM bosons with mass $m_X = 1000$ GeV. The decays simulated are for the production models $q\bar{q}' \to X^{\pm} \to W^{\pm}\gamma$ with a spin-1 resonance $X^{\pm}$ and $gg\to X^0 \to Z\gamma$ with a spin-0 resonance $X^{0}$.
The jet mass distribution of large-$R$ jets originating from the hadronic decay of $W$ and $Z$ bosons produced from the decay of BSM bosons with mass $m_X = 4000$ GeV. The decays simulated are for the production models $q\bar{q'}\to X^{\pm} \to W^{\pm}\gamma$ with a spin-1 resonance $X^{\pm}$ and $gg\to X^0 \to Z\gamma$ with a spin-0 resonance $X^{0}$.
Total efficiencies for the selection of signal events after categorization and application of the tighter photon $E_{\mathrm{T}}^{\gamma}$ selection used to optimize the signal significance spin-0 $gg\to X^0 \to Z\gamma$. In addition to the total efficiency, contributions to the signal selection from each of the separate event categories are shown. The efficiencies calculated from MC samples with $W/Z$ hadronic decays are shown as the points on each curve. The line presents interpolated results.
A search for forward proton scattering in association with light-by-light scattering mediated by an axion-like particle is presented, using the ATLAS Forward Proton spectrometer to detect scattered protons and the central ATLAS detector to detect pairs of outgoing photons. Proton-proton collision data recorded in 2017 at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV were analysed, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 14.6 fb$^{-1}$. A total of 441 candidate signal events were selected. A search was made for a narrow resonance in the diphoton mass distribution, corresponding to an axion-like particle (ALP) with mass in the range 150-1600 GeV. No excess is observed above a smooth background. Upper limits on the production cross section of a narrow resonance are set as a function of the mass, and are interpreted as upper limits on the ALP production coupling constant, assuming 100% decay branching ratio into a photon pair. The inferred upper limit on the coupling constant is in the range 0.04-0.09 TeV$^{-1}$ at 95%confidence level.
Signal selection efficiency as a function of ALP mass $m_{\textrm{X}}$ for the exclusive (EL), single-dissociative (SD), and double-dissociative (DD) processes. The ratio of the number of selected events to the number of generated MC events is given (black points) and is parameterised by an analytic function (red solid line). The linear (black dashed line) and cubic (blue chain line) interpolations of the black points are used to derive the envelopes (cyan filled region) which are regarded as systematic uncertainties.
The diphoton mass distribution of the mixed-data sample (black points).
The $(\xi_{\gamma\gamma}^{+},\xi_{\gamma\gamma}^{-})$ distribution of the selected data candidates after the full event selection in $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ in [150,1600] GeV with $m_{\gamma\gamma}$ contours (blue) and $y_{\gamma\gamma}$ contours (black). The range of $\xi_{\gamma\gamma}$ in which forward-proton matching is possible, $[0.035-\xi_{\textrm{th}}, 0.08+\xi_{\textrm{th}} ]$, for events that pass the matching requirement to the A or C side as indicated. No event passed the matching requirement for both the A-side and C-side.
A search for heavy right-handed Majorana or Dirac neutrinos $N_{\mathrm{R}}$ and heavy right-handed gauge bosons $W_{\mathrm{R}}$ is performed in events with energetic electrons or muons, with the same or opposite electric charge, and energetic jets. The search is carried out separately for topologies of clearly separated final-state products (``resolved'' channel) and topologies with boosted final states with hadronic and/or leptonic products partially overlapping and reconstructed as a large-radius jet (``boosted'' channel). The events are selected from $pp$ collision data at the LHC with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the ATLAS detector at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. No significant deviations from the Standard Model predictions are observed. The results are interpreted within the theoretical framework of a left-right symmetric model, and lower limits are set on masses in the heavy right-handed $W_{\mathrm{R}}$ boson and $N_{\mathrm{R}}$ plane. The excluded region extends to about $m(W_{\mathrm{R}}) = 6.4$ TeV for both Majorana and Dirac $N_{\mathrm{R}}$ neutrinos at $m(N_{\mathrm{R}})<1$ TeV. $N_{\mathrm{R}}$ with masses of less than 3.5 (3.6) TeV are excluded in the electron (muon) channel at $m(W_{\mathrm{R}})=4.8$ TeV for the Majorana neutrinos, and limits of $m(N_{\mathrm{R}})$ up to 3.6 TeV for $m(W_{\mathrm{R}}) = 5.2$ (5.0) TeV in the electron (muon) channel are set for the Dirac neutrinos. These constitute the most stringent exclusion limits to date for the model considered.
Observed 95% CL exclusion contours in the $(m(W_{R}), m(N_{R}))$ plane in the electron channel for boosted.
Expected 95% CL exclusion contours in the $(m(W_{R}), m(N_{R}))$ plane in the electron channel for boosted.
Observed 95% CL exclusion contours in the $(m(W_{R}), m(N_{R}))$ plane in the muon channel for boosted.
Quasireal photons exchanged in relativistic heavy ion interactions are powerful probes of the gluonic structure of nuclei. The coherent J/$\psi$ photoproduction cross section in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions is measured as a function of photon-nucleus center-of-mass energies per nucleon (W$^\text{Pb}_{\gamma\text{N}}$), over a wide range of 40 $\lt$ W$^\text{Pb}_{\gamma\text{N}}$$\lt$ 400 GeV. Results are obtained using data at the nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.52 nb$^{-1}$. The cross section is observed to rise rapidly at low W$^\text{Pb}_{\gamma\text{N}}$, and plateau above W$^\text{Pb}_{\gamma\text{N}}$$\approx$ 40 GeV, up to 400 GeV, a new regime of small Bjorken-$x$ ($\approx$ 6 $\times$ 10$^{-5}$) gluons being probed in a heavy nucleus. The observed energy dependence is not predicted by current quantum chromodynamic models.
The differential coherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of rapidity, in different neutron multiplicity classes: 0n0n, 0nXn, XnXn , and AnAn.
The differential coherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of rapidity, in different neutron multiplicity classes: 0n0n, 0nXn, XnXn , and AnAn.
The total coherent $\mathrm{J}/\psi$ photoproduction cross section as a function of photon-nuclear center-of-mass energy per nucleon $W_{\gamma \mathrm{N}}^{\mathrm{Pb}}$, measured in PbPb ultra-peripheral collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV. The $W_{\gamma \mathrm{N}}^{\mathrm{Pb}}$ values used correspond to the center of each rapidity range. The theoretical uncertainties is due to the uncertainties in the photon flux.
The production of $\Upsilon$(2S) and $\Upsilon$(3S) mesons in lead-lead (PbPb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions is studied in their dimuon decay channel using the CMS detector at the LHC. The $\Upsilon$(3S) meson is observed for the first time in PbPb collisions, with a significance above five standard deviations. The ratios of yields measured in PbPb and pp collisions are reported for both the $\Upsilon$(2S) and $\Upsilon$(3S) mesons, as functions of transverse momentum and PbPb collision centrality. These ratios, when appropriately scaled, are significantly less than unity, indicating a suppression of $\Upsilon$ yields in PbPb collisions. This suppression increases from peripheral to central PbPb collisions. Furthermore, the suppression is stronger for $\Upsilon$(3S) mesons compared to $\Upsilon$(2S) mesons, extending the pattern of sequential suppression of quarkonium states in nuclear collisions previously seen for the $\psi$/J, $\psi$(2S), $\Upsilon$(1S), and $\Upsilon$(2S) mesons.
Measured $R_\text{AA}$ for the $\Upsilon(2S)$ state as functions of PbPb collision centrality, integrated over the full kinematic range $p_\text{T}$ < 30 GeV/c and |y| < 2.4. The global uncertainty "PP MB" represents the pp luminosity and PbPb $N_\text{MB}$ combined uncertainties, whereas the global uncertainty "PP 2S" corresponds to the uncertainty on the $\Upsilon(2S)$ pp yields.
Measured $R_\text{AA}$ for the $\Upsilon(2S)$ state as functions of PbPb collision centrality, integrated over the full kinematic range $p_\text{T}$ < 30 GeV/c and |y| < 2.4. The global uncertainty "PP MB" represents the pp luminosity and PbPb $N_\text{MB}$ combined uncertainties, whereas the global uncertainty "PP 2S" corresponds to the uncertainty on the $\Upsilon(2S)$ pp yields.
Measured $R_\text{AA}$ for the $\Upsilon(3S)$ state as functions of PbPb collision centrality, integrated over the full kinematic range $p_\text{T}$ < 30 GeV/c and |y| < 2.4. The global uncertainty "PP MB" represents the pp luminosity and PbPb $N_\text{MB}$ combined uncertainties, whereas the global uncertainty "PP 3S" corresponds to the uncertainty on the $\Upsilon(3S)$ pp yields.
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.
Differential and double-differential distributions of kinematic variables of leptons from decays of top-quark pairs ($t\bar{t}$) are measured using the full LHC Run 2 data sample collected with the ATLAS detector. The data were collected at a $pp$ collision energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The measurements use events containing an oppositely charged $e\mu$ pair and $b$-tagged jets. The results are compared with predictions from several Monte Carlo generators. While no prediction is found to be consistent with all distributions, a better agreement with measurements of the lepton $p_{\text{T}}$ distributions is obtained by reweighting the $t\bar{t}$ sample so as to reproduce the top-quark $p_{\text{T}}$ distribution from an NNLO calculation. The inclusive top-quark pair production cross-section is measured as well, both in a fiducial region and in the full phase-space. The total inclusive cross-section is found to be \[ \sigma_{t\bar{t}} = 829 \pm 1\;(\textrm{stat}) \pm 13\;(\textrm{syst}) \pm 8\;(\textrm{lumi}) \pm 2\; (\textrm{beam})\ \textrm{pb}, \] where the uncertainties are due to statistics, systematic effects, the integrated luminosity and the beam energy. This is in excellent agreement with the theoretical expectation.
Definition of the fiducial phase space with the lepton candidate, electron $e$ and muon $\mu$, and jets.
Breakdown of systematic uncertainties in the measured fiducial cross-section. The impact of the top-quark mass on the cross-section is included in the table and not counted in the total uncertainty entry in the paper.
Data bootstrap post unfolding for the fiducial cross-section. The replicas are obtained by reweighting each observed data event by a random integer generated according to Poisson statistics, using the BootstrapGenerator software package (https://gitlab.cern.ch/atlas-physics/sm/StandardModelTools_BootstrapGenerator/BootstrapGenerator), which implements a technique described in ATL-PHYS-PUB-2021-011 (https://cds.cern.ch/record/2759945). The ATLAS event number and run number of each event are used as seed to uniquely but reproducibly initialise the random number generator for each event. All the provided numbers originate from pseudo-data, including the 0th entry, and are in units of [fb].
PHENIX presents a simultaneous measurement of the production of direct $\gamma$ and $\pi^0$ in $d$$+$Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{_{NN}}}=200$ GeV over a $p_T$ range of 7.5 to 18 GeV/$c$ for different event samples selected by event activity, i.e. charged-particle multiplicity detected at forward rapidity. Direct-photon yields are used to empirically estimate the contribution of hard-scattering processes in the different event samples. Using this estimate, the average nuclear-modification factor $R_{d\rm Au,EXP}^{\gamma^{\rm dir}}$ is $0.925{\pm}0.023({\rm stat}){\pm}0.15^{\rm (scale)}$, consistent with unity for minimum-bias (MB) $d$$+$Au events. For event classes with moderate event activity, $R_{d\rm Au,EXP}^{\gamma^{\rm dir}}$ is consistent with the MB value within 5% uncertainty. These results confirm that the previously observed enhancement of high-$p_T$$\pi^0$ production found in small-system collisions with low event activity is a result of a bias in interpreting event activity within the Glauber framework. In contrast, for the top 5% of events with the highest event activity, $R_{d\rm Au,EXP}^{\gamma^{\rm dir}}$ is suppressed by 20% relative to the MB value with a significance of $4.5\sigma$, which may be due to final-state effects.
The $p_{T}$ distribution at high $p_{T}$ of neutral pions (panel (a)) for different d+Au event activity classes compared to those from p+p collisions (Phys. Rev. C 105, 064902).
The $p_{T}$ distribution at high $p_{T}$ of direct photons (panel (b)) for different d+Au event activity classes compared to those from p+p collisions (Phys. Rev. D 86, 072008).
Panel (c) shows the ratio $\gamma^{dir}/\pi^{0}$. For better visibility the points are slightly shifted in $p_{T}$ .