Top-quark pair production is observed in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}=5.02$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider with the ATLAS detector. The data sample was recorded in 2015 and 2018, amounting to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. Events with exactly one electron and one muon and at least two jets are selected. Top-quark pair production is measured with an observed (expected) significance of 5.0 (4.1) standard deviations. The measured top-quark pair production cross-section is $\sigma_{t\bar{t}} = 3.6\;^{+1.0}_{-0.9}\;\mathrm{(stat.)}\;^{+0.8}_{-0.5}\;\mathrm{(syst.)} ~\mathrm{\mu b}$, with a total relative uncertainty of 31%, and is consistent with theoretical predictions using a range of different nuclear parton distribution functions. The observation of this process consolidates the evidence of the existence of all quark flavors in the pre-equilibrium stage of the quark-gluon plasma at very high energy densities, similar to the conditions present in the early universe.
The figure shows the post-fit distribution of events as a function of the dilepton invariant mass ($m_{e\mu}$), in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the SR1 (Signal Region 1 (SR\(_1\)):} Events with exactly one muon and one oppositely charged electron, a dilepton invariant mass \( m_{e\mu} \geq 30 \, \mathrm{GeV} \), at least two jets with \( p_T \geq 35 \, \mathrm{GeV} \), and a dilepton transverse momentum \( p_T^{e\mu} > 40 \, \mathrm{GeV} \). This region is expected to be signal-dominated) channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield.
The figure shows the post-fit distribution of events as a function of the dilepton invariant mass ($m_{e\mu}$), in lead-lead (Pb+Pb) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.02$ TeV, with an integrated luminosity of 1.9 nb$^{-1}$. The data correspond to the SR2 (Signal Region 2 (SR\(_2\)):} Events meeting the same criteria as SR\(_1\), but with a dilepton transverse momentum \( p_T^{e\mu} \leq 40 \, \mathrm{GeV} \). This region includes events with a lower \( p_T^{e\mu} \) and has a larger background contribution) channel in a pre-fit configuration. The stacked histograms represent different processes contributing to the event yield.
The impact of systematic uncertainties on the fitted signal-strength parameter $\hat{\mu}$ for the combined fit of all channels. Only the 10 most significant systematic uncertainties are shown and listed in decreasing order of their impact on $\mu$ on the $y$-axis. The empty (filled) blue/cyan boxes correspond to the pre-fit (post-fit) impact on $\mu$, referring to the upper $x$-axis. The impact of each systematic uncertainty, $\Delta \mu$, is calculated by comparing the nominal best-fit value of $\mu$ with the result of the fit when fixing the corresponding nuisance parameter $\theta$ to its best-fit value $\hat{\theta}$ shifted by its pre-fit (post-fit) uncertainties $\hat{\theta} \pm \Delta \theta(\hat{\theta} \pm \Delta \hat{\theta})$. The black points, which refer to the lower $x$-axis, show the pulls of the fitted nuisance parameters, i.e., the deviations of the fitted parameters $\hat{\theta}$ from their nominal values $\theta_0$, normalized to their nominal uncertainties $\Delta \theta$. The black lines show the post-fit uncertainties of the nuisance parameters, relative to their nominal uncertainties, which are indicated by the dashed lines.
A search for the production of top-quark pairs with the same electric charge ($tt$ or $\bar{t}\bar{t}$) is presented. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. Events with two same-charge leptons and at least two $b$-tagged jets are selected. Neural networks are employed to define two selections sensitive to additional couplings beyond the Standard Model that would enhance the production rate of same-sign top-quark pairs. No significant signal is observed, leading to an upper limit on the total production cross-section of same-sign top-quark pairs of 1.6 fb at 95$\%$ confidence level. Corresponding limits on the three Wilson coefficients associated with the ${\cal O}_{tu}^{(1)}$, ${\cal O}_{Qu}^{(1)}$, and ${\cal O}_{Qu}^{(8)}$ operators in the Standard Model Effective Field Theory framework are derived.
Distributions of the $\mathrm{NN^{SvsB}}$ output for data and the expected background after the likelihood fit in the $SR_{ctu ++}$ signal region. The post-fit background expectations are shown as filled histograms, the combined pre-fit background expectations are shown as dashed lines. The signal distribution using the Wilson coefficient values $c_{tu}^{(1)}=0.04$, $c_{Qu}^{(1)}=0.1$, $c_{Qu}^{(8)}=0.1$ is shown with a dotted line, normalized to the same number of events as the background.
Distributions of the $\mathrm{NN^{SvsB}}$ output for data and the expected background after the likelihood fit in the $SR_{ctu --}$ signal region. The post-fit background expectations are shown as filled histograms, the combined pre-fit background expectations are shown as dashed lines. The signal distribution using the Wilson coefficient values $c_{tu}^{(1)}=0.04$, $c_{Qu}^{(1)}=0.1$, $c_{Qu}^{(8)}=0.1$ is shown with a dotted line, normalized to the same number of events as the background.
Distributions of the $\mathrm{NN^{SvsB}}$ output for data and the expected background after the likelihood fit in the $SR_{cQu ++}$ signal region. The post-fit background expectations are shown as filled histograms, the combined pre-fit background expectations are shown as dashed lines. The signal distribution using the Wilson coefficient values $c_{tu}^{(1)}=0.04$, $c_{Qu}^{(1)}=0.1$, $c_{Qu}^{(8)}=0.1$ is shown with a dotted line, normalized to the same number of events as the background.
A search for heavy right-handed Majorana neutrinos is performed with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, using the 140 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected during Run 2. This search targets $t\bar{t}$ production, in which both top quarks decay into a bottom quark and a $W$ boson, where one of the $W$ bosons decays hadronically and the other decays into an electron or muon and a heavy neutral lepton. The heavy neutral lepton is identified through a decay into an electron or muon and another $W$ boson, resulting in a pair of same-charge same-flavor leptons in the final state. This paper presents the first search for heavy neutral leptons in the mass range of 15-75 GeV using $t\bar{t}$ events. No significant excess is observed over the background expectation, and upper limits are placed on the signal cross-sections. Assuming a benchmark scenario of the phenomenological type-I seesaw model, these cross-section limits are then translated into upper limits on the mixing parameters of the heavy Majorana neutrino with Standard Model neutrinos.
Definitions of different signal and control regions. The control regions are enriched in events from the following processes. ttW, heavy-flavor (HF) fake, photon-conversion (PC), and charge-flip (CF). The 'Z veto' is defined as $m_{ee}$ not in [$m_Z$ - 10 GeV, $m_Z$ + 10 GeV].
Post-fit event yields for the different background processes in the signal regions, as obtained from the background-only fit in the high-mass region.
Expected and observed upper limits on the signal cross-sections at 95% CL.
Differential measurements of Higgs boson production in the $\tau$-lepton-pair decay channel are presented in the gluon fusion, vector-boson fusion (VBF), $VH$ and $t\bar{t}H$ associated production modes, with particular focus on the VBF production mode. The data used to perform the measurements correspond to 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Two methods are used to perform the measurements: the Simplified Template Cross-Section (STXS) approach and an Unfolded Fiducial Differential measurement considering only the VBF phase space. For the STXS measurement, events are categorized by their production mode and kinematic properties such as the Higgs boson's transverse momentum ($p^{\text{H}}_\text{T}$), the number of jets produced in association with the Higgs boson, or the invariant mass of the two leading jets ($m_{jj}$). For the VBF production mode, the ratio of the measured cross-section to the Standard Model prediction for $m_{jj}>1.5$ TeV and $p^{\text{H}}_\text{T}>200$ GeV ($p^{\text{H}}_\text{T}<200$ GeV) is ${1.29}^{+0.39}_{-0.34}$ (${0.12}^{+0.34}_{-0.33}$). This is the first VBF measurement for the higher-$p^{\text{H}}_\text{T}$ criteria, and the most precise for the lower-$p^{\text{H}}_\text{T}$ criteria. The fiducial cross-section measurements, which only consider the kinematic properties of the event, are performed as functions of variables characterizing the VBF topology, such as the signed $\Delta\phi_{jj}$ between the two leading jets. The measurements have a precision of 30%-50% and agree well with the Standard Model predictions. These results are interpreted in the SMEFT framework, and place the strongest constraints to date on the CP-odd Wilson coefficient $c_{H\tilde{W}}$.
Distribution of the reconstructed $\tau\tau$ invariant mass ($m_{\tau\tau}$) for all events in the VBF_0 signal region for $p_{\text{T}}^{H}<200$ GeV. The observed Higgs boson signal corresponds to $(\sigma\times B)/(\sigma\times B)_{\text{SM}}\,=\,0.99$. Entries with values above the $x$-axis range are shown in the last bin of each distribution. The prediction for each sample is determined from the likelihood fit performed to measure the total $pp\rightarrow H\rightarrow\tau\tau$ cross-section.
Distribution of the reconstructed $\tau\tau$ invariant mass ($m_{\tau\tau}$) for all events in the VBF_0 signal region for $p_{\text{T}}^{H}>200$ GeV. The observed Higgs boson signal corresponds to $(\sigma\times B)/(\sigma\times B)_{\text{SM}}\,=\,0.99$. Entries with values above the $x$-axis range are shown in the last bin of each distribution. The prediction for each sample is determined from the likelihood fit performed to measure the total $pp\rightarrow H\rightarrow\tau\tau$ cross-section.
Distribution of the reconstructed $\tau\tau$ invariant mass ($m_{\tau\tau}$) for all events in the VBF_1 signal region for $p_{\text{T}}^{H}<200$ GeV. The observed Higgs boson signal corresponds to $(\sigma\times B)/(\sigma\times B)_{\text{SM}}\,=\,0.99$. Entries with values above the $x$-axis range are shown in the last bin of each distribution. The prediction for each sample is determined from the likelihood fit performed to measure the total $pp\rightarrow H\rightarrow\tau\tau$ cross-section.
This paper presents studies of Bose-Einstein correlations (BEC) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, using data from the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Data were collected in a special low-luminosity configuration with a minimum-bias trigger and a high-multiplicity track trigger, accumulating integrated luminosities of 151 $\mu$b$^{-1}$ and 8.4 nb$^{-1}$ respectively. The BEC are measured for pairs of like-sign charged particles, each with $|\eta|$ < 2.5, for two kinematic ranges: the first with particle $p_T$ > 100 MeV and the second with particle $p_T$ > 500 MeV. The BEC parameters, characterizing the source radius and particle correlation strength, are investigated as functions of charged-particle multiplicity (up to 300) and average transverse momentum of the pair (up to 1.5 GeV). The double-differential dependence on charged-particle multiplicity and average transverse momentum of the pair is also studied. The BEC radius is found to be independent of the charged-particle multiplicity for high charged-particle multiplicity (above 100), confirming a previous observation at lower energy. This saturation occurs independent of the transverse momentum of the pair.
Comparison of single-ratio two-particle correlation functions, C<sub>2</sub><sup>data</sup>(Q) and C<sub>2</sub><sup>MC</sup>(Q), with the two-particle double-ratio correlation function, R<sub>2</sub>(Q), for the high-multiplicity track (HMT) events using the opposite hemisphere (OHP) like-charge particles pairs reference sample for k<sub>T</sub> - interval 1000 < k<sub>T</sub> ≤ 1500 MeV.
Comparison of single-ratio two-particle correlation functions, C<sub>2</sub><sup>data</sup>(Q) and C<sub>2</sub><sup>MC</sup>(Q), with the two-particle double-ratio correlation function, R<sub>2</sub>(Q), for the high-multiplicity track (HMT) events using the unlike-charge particle (UCP) pairs reference sample for k<sub>T</sub> - interval 1000 < k<sub>T</sub> ≤ 1500 MeV.
The Bose-Einstein correlation (BEC) parameter R as a function of n<sub>ch</sub> for MB events using different MC generators in the calculation of R<sub>2</sub>(Q). The uncertainties shown are statistical. The lower panel of each plot shows the ratio of the BEC parameters obtained using EPOS LHC (red circles), Pythia 8 Monash (blue squares) and Herwig++ UE-EE-5 (green triangles) compared with the parameters obtained using Pythia 8 A2. The gray band in the lower panels is the MC systematic uncertainty, obtained as explained in the text.
Measurements of both the inclusive and differential production cross sections of a top-quark-antiquark pair in association with a $Z$ boson ($t\bar{t}Z$) are presented. The measurements are performed by targeting final states with three or four isolated leptons (electrons or muons) and are based on $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton-proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$, recorded from 2015 to 2018 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The inclusive cross section is measured to be $\sigma_{t\bar{t}Z} = 0.99 \pm 0.05$ (stat.) $\pm 0.08$ (syst.) pb, in agreement with the most precise theoretical predictions. The differential measurements are presented as a function of a number of kinematic variables which probe the kinematics of the $t\bar{t}Z$ system. Both absolute and normalised differential cross-section measurements are performed at particle and parton levels for specific fiducial volumes and are compared with theoretical predictions at different levels of precision, based on a $\chi^{2}/$ndf and $p$-value computation. Overall, good agreement is observed between the unfolded data and the predictions.
The measured $t\bar{t}\text{Z}$ cross-section value and its uncertainty based on the fit results from the combined trilepton and tetralepton channels. The value corresponds to the phase-space region where the difermion mass from the Z boson decay lies in the range $70 < m_{f\bar{f}} < 110$ GeV.
List of relative uncertainties of the measured inclusive $t\bar{t}\text{Z}$ cross section from the combined fit. The uncertainties are symmetrised for presentation and grouped into the categories described in the text. The quadratic sum of the individual uncertainties is not equal to the total uncertainty due to correlations introduced by the fit.
The definitions of the trilepton signal regions: for the inclusive measurement, a combination of the regions with pseudo-continuous $b$-tagging 3$\ell$-Z-1$b$4$j$-PCBT and 3$\ell$-Z-2$b$3$j$-PCBT is used, whereas for the differential measurement, only the region 3$\ell$-Z-2$b$3$j$, with a fixed $b$-tagging WP is employed.
The observation of forward proton scattering in association with lepton pairs ($e^+e^-+p$ or $\mu^+\mu^-+p$) produced via photon fusion is presented. The scattered proton is detected by the ATLAS Forward Proton spectrometer while the leptons are reconstructed by the central ATLAS detector. Proton-proton collision data recorded in 2017 at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV are analyzed, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 14.6 fb$^{-1}$. A total of 57 (123) candidates in the $ee+p$ ($\mu\mu+p$) final state are selected, allowing the background-only hypothesis to be rejected with a significance exceeding five standard deviations in each channel. Proton-tagging techniques are introduced for cross-section measurements in the fiducial detector acceptance, corresponding to $\sigma_{ee+p}$ = 11.0 $\pm$ 2.6 (stat.) $\pm$ 1.2 (syst.) $\pm$ 0.3 (lumi.) fb and $\sigma_{\mu\mu+p}$ = 7.2 $\pm$ 1.6 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.9 (syst.) $\pm$ 0.2 (lumi.) fb in the dielectron and dimuon channel, respectively.
The measured fiducial cross sections. The first systematic uncertainty is the combined systematic uncertainty excluding luminosity, the second is the luminosity
This Letter presents a search for the production of new heavy resonances decaying into a Higgs boson and a photon using proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis is performed by reconstructing hadronically decaying Higgs boson $(H\to b\bar{b})$ candidates as single large-radius jets. A novel algorithm using information about the jet constituents in the center-of-mass frame of the jet is implemented to identify the two $b$-quarks in the single jet. No significant excess of events is observed above the expected background. Upper limits are set on the production cross-section times branching fraction for narrow spin-1 resonances decaying into a Higgs boson and a photon in the resonance mass range from 0.7 to 4 TeV, cross-sections times branching fraction are excluded between 11.6 fb and 0.11 fb at a 95% confidence level.
Data distribution of the reconstructed $m_{J\gamma}$ and background only fitting in the single-b-tagged category. Background and signal fit functions are provided in Table 3. Background event yields are calculated using the fitted background function.
Data distribution of the reconstructed $m_{J\gamma}$ and background only fitting in the double-b-tagged category. Background and signal fit functions are provided in Table 3. Background event yields are calculated using the fitted background function.
Background and signal functions, with their fit parameters. For the background function, the parameters are fitted from the data distribution. The "Yield" is the total number of events in data in the single-b-tagged or double-b-tagged fitting range. For the single-b-tagged category, the fitting range is [1400GeV, 4200GeV], and for the double-b-tagged category, it is [600GeV, 4200GeV]. The background event yields per bin in Table 1 and Table 2 are calculated using the data yield multiplied by the integral of the normalized background function in that bin. For the signal function, the value for the parameters are from parametrisation studies and CB stands for a Crystal-Ball function. Signal distributions in Figure 1a and Figure 1b are normalized to an arbitrary yield, for illustration purpose.
A search is presented for four-top-quark production using an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are selected if they contain a same-sign lepton pair or at least three leptons (electrons or muons). Jet multiplicity, jet flavour and event kinematics are used to separate signal from the background through a multivariate discriminant, and dedicated control regions are used to constrain the dominant backgrounds. The four-top-quark production cross section is measured to be 24$^{+7}_{-6}$ fb. This corresponds to an observed (expected) significance with respect to the background-only hypothesis of 4.3 (2.4) standard deviations and provides evidence for this process.
The results of fitted inclusive ${t\bar{t}t\bar{t}}$ cross-section
The results of the fitted signal strength $\mu$
List of the uncertainties in the signal strength $\mu$, grouped in categories. The quoted values are obtained by repeating the fit, fixing a set of nuisance parameters of the sources corresponding to the considered category, and subtracting in quadrature the resulting uncertainty from the total uncertainty of the nominal fit presented in the last line. The total uncertainty is different from the sum in quadrature of the components due to correlations between nuisance parameters.
A search for heavy resonances decaying into a $W$ or $Z$ boson and a Higgs boson produced in proton$-$proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV is presented. The analysis utilizes the dominant $W \to q \bar{q}^\prime$ or $Z \to q \bar{q}$ and $H \to b \bar{b}$ decays with substructure techniques applied to large-radius jets. A sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the ATLAS detector is analyzed and no significant excess of data is observed over the background prediction. The results are interpreted in the context of the Heavy Vector Triplet model with spin-1 $W^\prime$ and $Z^\prime$ bosons. Upper limits on the cross section are set for resonances with mass between 1.5 and 5.0 TeV, ranging from 6.8 to 0.53 fb for $W^\prime \to WH$ and from 8.7 to 0.53 fb for $Z^\prime \to ZH$ at the 95 % confidence level.
Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the cross section in the WH channel.
Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the cross section in the ZH channel.
Signal acceptance times efficiency of HVT WH(qqbb) events as a function of the resonance mass at different cut stages. Auxiliary table attached for 2 TeV mass point.
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