Results from the study of the rare decays $K^+\toπ^+ν\barν$, $K^{+}\rightarrowπ^{+}μ^{+}μ^{-}$ and $K^{+}\rightarrowπ^{+}γγ$ at the NA62 experiment at CERN are interpreted in terms of improved limits for $\rm{B}(K^+\toπ^+X)$ and coupling parameters of hidden-sector models, where $X$ is a mediator. World-leading limits are achieved for dark photon, dark scalar and axion-like particle models.
Number of expected and observed events as a function of squared missing mass.
Number of expected and observed events as a function of squared missing mass.
Single Event Sensitivity (SES) for the $K^{+}\rightarrow\pi^{+}X$ search as a function of X mass.
The mass of the top quark is measured using top-antitop-quark pair events with high transverse momentum top quarks. The dataset, collected with the ATLAS detector in proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV delivered by the Large Hadron Collider, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis targets events in the lepton-plus-jets decay channel, with an electron or muon from a semi-leptonically decaying top quark and a hadronically decaying top quark that is sufficiently energetic to be reconstructed as a single large-radius jet. The mean of the invariant mass of the reconstructed large-radius jet provides the sensitivity to the top quark mass and is simultaneously fitted with two additional observables to reduce the impact of the systematic uncertainties. The top quark mass is measured to be $m_t = 172.95 \pm 0.53$ GeV, which is the most precise ATLAS measurement from a single channel.
Values and uncertainties for the parameters of interest in the profile likelihood fit to $\overline{m_J}$, $m_{jj}$, and $m_{tj}$ using data. The parameters of interest are the top quark mass, $m_t$, and the ratio of the measured cross-section to the Standard Model expectation of the $t\bar{t}$ cross-section, $\mu$.
Post-fit central values and uncertaintes for the nuisance parameters (including MC stat uncertainty terms) used in the profile likelihood fit to $\overline{m_J}$, $m_{jj}$, and $m_{tj}$ using data.
Covariance matrix for the profile likelihood fit to $\overline{m_J}$, $m_{jj}$, and $m_{tj}$ using data.
The NA62 experiment at CERN has the capability to collect data in a beam-dump mode, where 400 GeV protons are dumped on an absorber. In this configuration, New Physics particles, including dark photons, dark scalars, and axion-like particles, may be produced in the absorber and decay in the instrumented volume beginning approximately 80 m downstream of the dump. A search for these particles decaying in flight to hadronic final states is reported, based on an analysis of a sample of $1.4 \times 10^{17}$ protons on dump collected in 2021. No evidence of a New Physics signal is observed, excluding new regions of parameter spaces of multiple models.
90% CL upper limit in dark photon coupling vs mass parameter space for combined di-lepton and hadronic final states, using bremsstrahlung production without the time-like form factor.
90% CL upper limit in dark photon coupling vs mass parameter space for combined di-lepton and hadronic final states, including mixing and bremsstrahlung production with a time-like form factor.
90% CL upper limit in dark scalar coupling vs mass parameter space for combined di-lepton and hadronic final states.
A combination of fifteen top quark mass measurements performed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC is presented. The data sets used correspond to an integrated luminosity of up to 5 and 20$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, respectively. The combination includes measurements in top quark pair events that exploit both the semileptonic and hadronic decays of the top quark, and a measurement using events enriched in single top quark production via the electroweak $t$-channel. The combination accounts for the correlations between measurements and achieves an improvement in the total uncertainty of 31% relative to the most precise input measurement. The result is $m_\mathrm{t}$ = 172.52 $\pm$ 0.14 (stat) $\pm$ 0.30 (syst) GeV, with a total uncertainty of 0.33 GeV.
Uncertainties on the $m_{t}$ values extracted in the LHC, ATLAS, and CMS combinations arising from the categories described in the text, sorted in order of decreasing value of the combined LHC uncertainty.
The NA62 experiment at CERN, configured in beam-dump mode, has searched for dark photon decays in flight to electron-positron pairs using a sample of $1.4\times 10^{17}$ protons on dump collected in 2021. No evidence for a dark photon signal is observed. The combined result for dark photon searches in lepton-antilepton final states is presented and a region of the parameter space is excluded at 90% CL, improving on previous experimental limits for dark photon mass values between 50 and 600 MeV$/c^2$ and coupling values in the range $10^{-6}$ to $4\times10^{-5}$. An interpretation of the $e^+ e^-$ search result in terms of the emission and decay of an axion-like particle is also presented.
90% CL upper limit in dark photon coupling vs mass parameter space for the $A^\prime \rightarrow e^+e^-$ analysis.
90% CL upper limit in dark photon coupling vs mass parameter space for the $A^\prime \rightarrow e^+e^-$ analysis.
90% CL upper limit in dark photon coupling vs mass parameter space for the $A^\prime \rightarrow l^+l^-$ analysis.
A sample of 3984 candidates of the $K^+\to\pi^+\gamma\gamma$ decay, with an estimated background of $291\pm14$ events, was collected by the NA62 experiment at CERN during 2017-2018. In order to describe the observed di-photon mass spectrum, the next-to-leading order contribution in chiral perturbation theory was found to be necessary. The decay branching ratio in the full kinematic range is measured to be $(9.61\pm0.17)\times10^{-7}$. The first search for production and prompt decay of an axion-like particle with gluon coupling in the process $K^+\to\pi^+a$, $a\to\gamma\gamma$ is also reported.
See caption of Figure 6.
See caption of Figure 6.
Upper limits at 90% CL of $B(K^+\to\pi^+a)\times B(a\to\gamma\gamma)$ in the prompt ALP decay assumption.
The first search for ultra-rare $K^+$ decays into the $\pi^+e^+e^-e^+e^-$ final state is reported, using a dataset collected by the NA62 experiment at CERN in 2017-2018. An upper limit of $1.4\times 10^{-8}$ at 90% CL is obtained for the branching ratio of the $K^+\to\pi^+e^+e^-e^+e^-$ decay, predicted in the Standard Model to be $(7.2\pm0.7)\times 10^{-11}$. Upper limits at 90% CL are obtained at the level of $10^{-9}$ for the branching ratios of two prompt decay chains involving pair-production of hidden-sector mediators: $K^+\to\pi^+aa$, $a\to e^+e^-$ and $K^+\to\pi^+S$, $S\to A^\prime A^\prime$, $A^\prime\to e^+e^-$.
See caption of Fig 4.
The NA62 experiment at CERN, designed to study the ultra-rare decay $K^+ \to \pi^+\nu\overline{\nu}$, has also collected data in beam-dump mode. In this configuration, dark photons may be produced by protons dumped on an absorber and reach a decay volume beginning 80 m downstream. A search for dark photons decaying in flight to $\mu^+\mu^-$ pairs is reported, based on a sample of $1.4 \times 10^{17}$ protons on dump collected in 2021. No evidence for a dark photon signal is observed. A region of the parameter space is excluded at 90% CL, improving on previous experimental limits for dark photon masses between 215 and 550 MeV$/c^2$.
90% CL upper limit in dark photon coupling vs mass parameter space.
90% CL upper limit in \(BR(B \rightarrow K a, a \rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^-)\) vs lifetime \(\tau \) parameter space.
Measurements of the suppression and correlations of dijets is performed using 3 $\mu$b$^{-1}$ of Xe+Xe data at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} = 5.44$ TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Dijets with jets reconstructed using the $R=0.4$ anti-$k_t$ algorithm are measured differentially in jet $p_{\text{T}}$ over the range of 32 GeV to 398 GeV and the centrality of the collisions. Significant dijet momentum imbalance is found in the most central Xe+Xe collisions, which decreases in more peripheral collisions. Results from the measurement of per-pair normalized and absolutely normalized dijet $p_{\text{T}}$ balance are compared with previous Pb+Pb measurements at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}} =5.02$ TeV. The differences between the dijet suppression in Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb are further quantified by the ratio of pair nuclear-modification factors. The results are found to be consistent with those measured in Pb+Pb data when compared in classes of the same event activity and when taking into account the difference between the center-of-mass energies of the initial parton scattering process in Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb collisions. These results should provide input for a better understanding of the role of energy density, system size, path length, and fluctuations in the parton energy loss.
The centrality intervals in Xe+Xe collisions and their corresponding TAA with absolute uncertainties.
The centrality intervals in Xe+Xe and Pb+Pb collisions for matching SUM ET FCAL intervals and respective TAA values for Xe+Xe collisions.
The performance of the jet energy scale (JES) for jets with $|y| < 2.1$ evaluated as a function of pT_truth in different centrality bins. Simulated hard scatter events were overlaid onto events from a dedicated sample of minimum-bias Xe+Xe data.
A sample of 2.8 × 10$^{4}$K$^{+}$ → π$^{+}$μ$^{+}$μ$^{−}$ candidates with negligible background was collected by the NA62 experiment at the CERN SPS in 2017–2018. The model-independent branching fraction is measured to be (9.15 ± 0.08) × 10$^{−8}$, a factor three more precise than previous measurements. The decay form factor is presented as a function of the squared dimuon mass. A measurement of the form factor parameters and their uncertainties is performed using a description based on Chiral Perturbation Theory at $ \mathcal{O} $(p$^{6}$).
Reconstructed $K^+ \to \pi^+ \mu^+ \mu^-$ differential decay width. Only statistical errors are provided. The 4-body differential decay width (shown in green in Figure 3-left) is, in general, required to fit these data points; fitting the squared modulus of the form factor may therefore be preferable.
Reconstructed squared modulus of the $K^+ \to \pi^+ \mu^+ \mu^-$ form factor. Only statistical errors are provided.