Searches for new resonances are performed using an unsupervised anomaly-detection technique. Events with at least one electron or muon are selected from 140 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded by ATLAS at the Large Hadron Collider. The approach involves training an autoencoder on data, and subsequently defining anomalous regions based on the reconstruction loss of the decoder. Studies focus on nine invariant mass spectra that contain pairs of objects consisting of one light jet or $b$-jet and either one lepton ($e$, $\mu$), photon, or second light jet or $b$-jet in the anomalous regions. No significant deviations from the background hypotheses are observed.
Distributions of the anomaly score from the AE for data and five benchmark BSM models. Their legends, from top to bottom, are; (1) charged Higgs boson production in association with a top quark, $tbH^{+}$ with $H^{+} \rightarrow t\bar{b}$; (2) a Kaluza-Klein gauge boson, $W_{KK}$, with the SM $W$ boson and a radion $\phi$; (3) a $Z'$ boson decaying to a composite lepton $E$ and $\ell$, with $E \rightarrow Z\ell$ with a mass of 0.5 TeV; (4) the SSM $W$'$\rightarrow W Z' \rightarrow \ell\nu q\bar{q}$; (5) a simplified dark-matter model with an $Z$ axial-vector mediator $Z' \rightarrow q\bar{q}$, where one of the quarks radiates a $W$ boson decaying to $\ell\nu$. The BSM predictions represent the expected number of events from 140 $fb^{-1}$ of data for heavy particle ($H^{+}$ ,$W_{KK}$ , $Z'$ , $W'$ and $Z'$, respectively) masses around 2 TeV. The distributions for the BSM models are smoothed to remove fluctuations due to low MC event counts. The vertical lines indicate the start of the three anomaly regions (ARs). The labels of the three ARs indicate the visible cross section for hypothetical processes yielding the same number of events as observed in the 140 $fb^{-1}$ dataset. The AE is applied to preselected events without any requirements on invariant mass distributions.
Invariant mass distributions of jet+Y for $M_{jY}$ > 0.3 TeV in the 10 pb AR along with the fit of Eq. (1). The fits are represented by the lines, while the associated statistical uncertainties are indicated by the shaded bands. The lower panels show the bin-by-bin significances of deviations from the fit, calculated as $(d_{\textit{i}} - f_{i})/\delta_{\textit{i}}$, where $d_{i}$ is the data yield, $f_{\textit{i}}$ is the fit value, and $\delta_{i}$ is the data uncertainty in the $\textit{i}$-th bin.
Values of $\Delta Z$ for the discovery sensitivity, as defined in the text, as a function of the invariant mass $\textit{m}$. The j+j invariant mass distribution is calculated in the 10 pb AR. Positive percentages indicate improvements in sensitivity. Horizontal dashed lines are drawn at 100% and 200% to guide the eye. The five benchmark BSM models are (1) charged Higgs boson production in association with a top quark, $tbH^{+}$ with $H^{+} \rightarrow t\bar{b}$; (2) a Kaluza-Klein gauge boson, $W_{KK}$, with the SM $W$ boson and a radion $\phi$; (3) a $Z'$ boson decaying to a composite lepton $E$ and $\ell$, with $E \rightarrow Z\ell$; (4) the sequential standard model $W' \rightarrow W Z' \rightarrow \ell\nu q\bar{q}$; (5) a simplified dark-matter model with an axial-vector mediator $Z' \rightarrow q\bar{q}$, where one of the quarks radiates a $W$ boson decaying to $\ell\nu$. The multiple markers shown for the composite-lepton model at the same invariant mass values correspond to different composite lepton ($E$) masses between 0.25 and 3.5 TeV. The center positions of the markers are set to the masses of the corresponding heavy particles.
A search for pair production of squarks or gluinos decaying via sleptons or weak bosons is reported. The search targets a final state with exactly two leptons with same-sign electric charge or at least three leptons without any charge requirement. The analysed data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ of proton$-$proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Multiple signal regions are defined, targeting several SUSY simplified models yielding the desired final states. A single control region is used to constrain the normalisation of the $WZ$+jets background. No significant excess of events over the Standard Model expectation is observed. The results are interpreted in the context of several supersymmetric models featuring R-parity conservation or R-parity violation, yielding exclusion limits surpassing those from previous searches. In models considering gluino (squark) pair production, gluino (squark) masses up to 2.2 (1.7) TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level.
Observed exclusion limits at 95% CL from Fig 7(a) for $\tilde{g}$ decays into SM gauge bosons and $\tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$
Positive one $\sigma$ observed exclusion limits at 95% CL from Fig 7(a) for $\tilde{g}$ decays into SM gauge bosons and $\tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$
Negative one $\sigma$ observed exclusion limits at 95% CL from Fig 7(a) for $\tilde{g}$ decays into SM gauge bosons and $\tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$
A search for leptoquark pair production decaying into $te^- \bar{t}e^+$ or $t\mu^- \bar{t}\mu^+$ in final states with multiple leptons is presented. The search is based on a dataset of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$=13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139~fb$^{-1}$. Events are selected with two or more light leptons (electron or muon) and at least two jets out of which at least one jet is identified as coming from a $b$-hadron. Four signal regions, with the requirement of at least three light leptons, are considered based on the number of leptons of a given flavour. The main background processes are estimated using dedicated control regions in a simultaneous fit with the signal regions to data. No excess above the Standard Model background prediction is observed and 95% confidence level limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are derived as a function of the leptoquark mass. Under the assumption of exclusive decays into $te^{-}$ ($t\mu^{-}$), the corresponding lower limit on the scalar mixed-generation leptoquark mass $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{\mathrm{mix}}^{\mathrm{d}}}$ is at 1.58 (1.59) TeV and on the vector leptoquark mass $m_{\tilde{U}_1}$ at 1.67 (1.67) TeV in the minimal coupling scenario and at 1.95 (1.95) TeV in the Yang-Mills scenario.
Selection efficiency times acceptance summed over two signal regions for the scalar leptoquark signals as a function of $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{mix}^{\mathrm{d}}}$, assuming B = 1.
Selection efficiency times acceptance summed over two signal regions for the vector leptoquark signals as a function of $m_{\tilde{U}_{1}}$, assuming B = 1 and Yang-Mills coupling scenario.
Summary of the observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the cross section for $\mathrm{LQ}_{\mathrm{mix}}^{\mathrm{d}}$ pair production as a function of $m_{\mathrm{LQ}_{\mathrm{mix}}^{\mathrm{d}}}$ under the assumptions of B(LQ$\rightarrow te$)=1.
A search for events with a dark photon produced in association with a dark Higgs boson via rare decays of the Standard Model $Z$ boson is presented, using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The dark Higgs boson decays into a pair of dark photons, and at least two of the three dark photons must each decay into a pair of electrons or muons, resulting in at least two same-flavor opposite-charge lepton pairs in the final state. The data are found to be consistent with the background prediction, and upper limits are set on the dark photon's coupling to the dark Higgs boson times the kinetic mixing between the Standard Model photon and the dark photon, $\alpha_{D}\varepsilon^2$, in the dark photon mass range of $[5, 40]$ GeV except for the $\Upsilon$ mass window $[8.8, 11.1]$ GeV. This search explores new parameter space not previously excluded by other experiments.
Observed and expected upper limits at 95% CL on the production cross-section times branching fraction as a function of $m_{A'}$ at dark Higgs boson mass of 20 GeV
Observed and expected upper limits at 95% CL on the production cross-section times branching fraction as a function of $m_{A'}$ at dark Higgs boson mass of 30 GeV
Observed and expected upper limits at 95% CL on the production cross-section times branching fraction as a function of $m_{A'}$ at dark Higgs boson mass of 40 GeV
This Letter reports the observation of $WZ\gamma$ production and a measurement of its cross-section using 140.1 $\pm$ 1.2 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The $WZ\gamma$ production cross-section, with both the $W$ and $Z$ bosons decaying leptonically, $pp \rightarrow WZ\gamma \rightarrow {\ell'}^{\pm}\nu\ell^{+}\ell^{-}\gamma$ ($\ell^{(')} = e, \mu$), is measured in a fiducial phase-space region defined such that the leptons and the photon have high transverse momentum and the photon is isolated. The cross-section is found to be 2.01 $\pm$ 0.30 (stat.) $\pm$ 0.16 (syst) fb. The corresponding Standard Model predicted cross-section calculated at next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics and at leading order in the electroweak coupling constant is 1.50 $\pm$ 0.06 fb. The observed significance of the $WZ\gamma$ signal is 6.3$\sigma$, compared with an expected significance of 5.0$\sigma$.
Events in bins of the photon $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\gamma}$ in the SR.
Events in bins of the $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\ell_{1}}$ in the SR.
Events in bins of the $m(\ell\ell)$ in the SR.
A search for leptoquarks decaying into the $b\tau$ final state is performed using Run 2 proton-proton collision data from the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector. The benchmark models considered in this search are vector leptoquarks with electric charge of 2/3e and scalar leptoquarks with an electric charge of 4/3e. No significant excess above the Standard Model prediction is observed, and 95% confidence level upper limits are set on the cross-section times branching fraction of leptoquarks decaying into $b\tau$. For the vector leptoquark production two models are considered: the Yang-Mills and Minimal coupling models. In the Yang-Mills (Minimal coupling) scenario, vector leptoquarks with a mass below 1.58 (1.35) TeV are excluded for a gauge coupling of 1.0 and below 2.05 (1.99) TeV for a gauge coupling of 2.5. In the case of scalar leptoquarks, masses below 1.28 TeV (1.53 TeV) are excluded for a Yukawa coupling of 1.0 (2.5). Finally, an interpretation of the results with minimal model dependence is performed for each of the signal region categories, and limits on the visible cross-section for beyond the Standard Model processes are provided.
Observed (solid line) and expected (dashed line) 95% CL upper limits on the cross-section of single plus non-resonant plus pair vector LQ production from the combination of the high b-jet $p_{T}$ signal region for the $\tau_\text{lep}\tau_\text{had}$ and $\tau_\text{had}\tau_\text{had}$ channels. [$U_1^{YM}$ model ($\kappa$ = 0) with $\lambda$ = 1.0]
Observed (solid line) and expected (dashed line) 95% CL upper limits on the cross-section of single plus non-resonant plus pair vector LQ production from the combination of the high b-jet $p_{T}$ signal region for the $\tau_\text{lep}\tau_\text{had}$ and $\tau_\text{had}\tau_\text{had}$ channels. [$U_1^{YM}$ model ($\kappa$ = 0) with $\lambda$ = 1.7]
Observed (solid line) and expected (dashed line) 95% CL upper limits on the cross-section of single plus non-resonant plus pair vector LQ production from the combination of the high b-jet $p_{T}$ signal region for the $\tau_\text{lep}\tau_\text{had}$ and $\tau_\text{had}\tau_\text{had}$ channels. [$U_1^{YM}$ model ($\kappa$ = 0) with $\lambda$ = 2.5]
A search for Majorana neutrinos in same-sign $WW$ scattering events is presented. The analysis uses $\sqrt{s}= 13$ TeV proton-proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$ recorded during 2015-2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis targets final states including exactly two same-sign muons and at least two hadronic jets well separated in rapidity. The modelling of the main backgrounds, from Standard Model same-sign $WW$ scattering and $WZ$ production, is constrained with data in dedicated signal-depleted control regions. The distribution of the transverse momentum of the second-hardest muon is used to search for signals originating from a heavy Majorana neutrino with a mass between 50 GeV and 20 TeV. No significant excess is observed over the background expectation. The results are interpreted in a benchmark scenario of the Phenomenological Type-I Seesaw model. In addition, the sensitivity to the Weinberg operator is investigated. Upper limits at the 95% confidence level are placed on the squared muon-neutrino-heavy-neutrino mass-mixing matrix element $\vert V_{\mu N} \vert^{2}$ as a function of the heavy Majorana neutrino's mass $m_N$, and on the effective $\mu\mu$ Majorana neutrino mass $|m_{\mu\mu}|$.
Observed and expected 95% CL upper limits on the heavy Majorana neutrino mixing element $\vert V_{\mu N} \vert^{2}$ as a function of $m_N$ in the Phenomenological Type-I Seesaw model.
Cutflow for a selection of signal samples used in this analysis. The flavour-aligned scenario (in which $\vert V_{\mu N} \vert^{2}=1$) is considered for heavy Majorana neutrino samples. The event yields include all correction factors applied to simulation, and is normalised to 140 fb$^{-1}$. The `Skim' selection requires 2 baseline muons and 2 jets satisfying the object definitions described in Section 3 and $m_{jj} > 150$ GeV. Uncertainties are statistical only.
A search for physics beyond the Standard Model inducing periodic signals in the dielectron and diphoton invariant mass spectra is presented using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV $pp$ collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Novel search techniques based on continuous wavelet transforms are used to infer the frequency of periodic signals from the invariant mass spectra and neural network classifiers are used to enhance the sensitivity to periodic resonances. In the absence of a signal, exclusion limits are placed at the 95% confidence level in the two-dimensional parameter space of the clockwork gravity model. Model-independent searches for deviations from the background-only hypothesis are also performed.
The observed exclusion limit at 95% CL for the clockwork gravity model projected in the $k–M_{5}$ parameter space for the $ee$ channel for the case with mass thresholds.
The median expected exclusion limit at 95% CL for the clockwork gravity model projected in the $k–M_{5}$ parameter space for the $ee$ channel for the case with mass thresholds.
The expected plus one standard deviation exclusion limit at 95% CL for the clockwork gravity model projected in the $k–M_{5}$ parameter space for the $ee$ channel for the case with mass thresholds.
A search for a new pseudoscalar $a$-boson produced in events with a top-quark pair, where the $a$-boson decays into a pair of muons, is performed using $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV $pp$ collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $139\, \mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The search targets the final state where only one top quark decays to an electron or muon, resulting in a signature with three leptons $e\mu\mu$ and $\mu\mu\mu$. No significant excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is observed and upper limits are set on two signal models: $pp \rightarrow t\bar{t}a$ and $pp \rightarrow t\bar{t}$ with $t \rightarrow H^\pm b$, $H^\pm \rightarrow W^\pm a$, where $a\rightarrow\mu\mu$, in the mass ranges $15$ GeV $ < m_a < 72$ GeV and $120$ GeV $ \leq m_{H^{\pm}} \leq 160$ GeV.
Comparison between data and expected background for the on-$Z$-boson control region in the $e\mu\mu$ final state. The bins correspond to different jet and $b$-jet multiplicities. Rare background processes include $ZZ+$jets, $WWZ$, $WZZ$, $ZZZ$, and $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$.
Comparison between data and expected background for the on-$Z$boson control region in the $\mu\mu\mu$ final state. The bins correspond to different jet and $b$-jet multiplicities. Rare background processes include $ZZ+$jets, $WWZ$, $WZZ$, $ZZZ$, and $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$.
Di-muon mass distribution for the $e\mu\mu$ signal region for data and expected background. The expected signal distribution for $m_a = 35$ GeV is shown assuming $\sigma(t\bar{t}a)\times \text{Br}(a\rightarrow\mu\mu) = 4$ fb. Rare background processes include $ZZ+$jets, $WWZ$, $WZZ$, $ZZZ$, and $t\bar{t}t\bar{t}$.
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.
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