The pseudorapidity ($\eta$) and transverse-momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) distributions of charged particles produced in proton-proton collisions are measured at the centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The pseudorapidity distribution in $|\eta|<$ 1.8 is reported for inelastic events and for events with at least one charged particle in $|\eta|<$ 1. The pseudorapidity density of charged particles produced in the pseudorapidity region $|\eta|<$ 0.5 is 5.31 $\pm$ 0.18 and 6.46 $\pm$ 0.19 for the two event classes, respectively. The transverse-momentum distribution of charged particles is measured in the range 0.15 $<$ $p_{\rm T}$ $<$ 20 GeV/c and $|\eta|<$ 0.8 for events with at least one charged particle in $|\eta|<$ 1. The correlation between transverse momentum and particle multiplicity is also investigated by studying the evolution of the spectra with event multiplicity. The results are compared with calculations from PYTHIA and EPOS Monte Carlo generators.

We report on the inclusive production cross sections of J/$\psi$, $\psi$(2S), $\Upsilon$(1S), $\Upsilon$(2S) and $\Upsilon$(3S), measured at forward rapidity with the ALICE detector in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV. The analysis is based on data collected at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.28 pb$^{-1}$. Quarkonia are reconstructed in the dimuon-decay channel. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momentum $p_{\rm T}$ and rapidity $y$, over the $p_{\rm T}$ ranges $0<p_{\rm T}<20$ GeV/$c$ for J/$\psi$, $0<p_{\rm T}<12$ GeV/$c$ for all other resonances, and for $2.5<y<4$. The cross sections, integrated over $p_{\rm T}$ and $y$, and assuming unpolarized quarkonia, are $\sigma_{{\rm J}/\psi} = 8.98\pm0.04\pm0.82$ $\mu$b, $\sigma_{\psi{\rm (2S)}} = 1.23\pm0.08\pm0.22$ $\mu$b, $\sigma_{\Upsilon{\rm(1S)}} = 71\pm6\pm7$ nb, $\sigma_{\Upsilon{\rm(2S)}} = 26\pm5\pm4$ nb and $\sigma_{\Upsilon{\rm(3S)}} = 9\pm4\pm1$ nb, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second one is systematic. These values agree, within at most $1.4\sigma$, with measurements performed by the LHCb collaboration in the same rapidity range.

A detailed study of pseudorapidity densities and multiplicity distributions of primary charged particles produced in proton-proton collisions, at $\sqrt{s} =$ 0.9, 2.36, 2.76, 7 and 8 TeV, in the pseudorapidity range $|\eta|<2$, was carried out using the ALICE detector. Measurements were obtained for three event classes: inelastic, non-single diffractive and events with at least one charged particle in the pseudorapidity interval $|\eta|<1$. The use of an improved track-counting algorithm combined with ALICE's measurements of diffractive processes allows a higher precision compared to our previous publications. A KNO scaling study was performed in the pseudorapidity intervals $|\eta|<$ 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5. The data are compared to other experimental results and to models as implemented in Monte Carlo event generators PHOJET and recent tunes of PYTHIA6, PYTHIA8 and EPOS.

We present results on transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) and rapidity ($y$) differential production cross sections, mean transverse momentum and mean transverse momentum square of inclusive J/$\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ at forward rapidity ($2.5<y<4$) as well as $\psi(2S)$-to-J/$\psi$ cross section ratios. These quantities are measured in pp collisions at center of mass energies $\sqrt{s}=5.02$ and 13 TeV with the ALICE detector. Both charmonium states are reconstructed in the dimuon decay channel, using the muon spectrometer. A comprehensive comparison to inclusive charmonium cross sections measured at $\sqrt{s}=2.76$, 7 and 8 TeV is performed. A comparison to non-relativistic quantum chromodynamics and fixed-order next-to-leading logarithm calculations, which describe prompt and non-prompt charmonium production respectively, is also presented. A good description of the data is obtained over the full $p_{\rm T}$ range, provided that both contributions are summed. In particular, it is found that for $p_{\rm T}>15$ GeV/$c$ the non-prompt contribution reaches up to 50% of the total charmonium yield.

We report on the measurement of the inclusive J/$\psi$ polarization parameters in pp collisions at a center of mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.23 pb$^{-1}$. J/$\psi$ resonances are reconstructed in their di-muon decay channel in the rapidity interval $2.5 < y < 4.0$ and over the transverse-momentum interval $2 < p_{\rm T} < 15$ GeV/$c$. The three polarization parameters ($\lambda_\theta$, $\lambda_\varphi$, $\lambda_{\theta\varphi}$) are measured as a function of $p_{\rm T}$ both in the helicity and Collins-Soper reference frames. The measured J/$\psi$ polarization parameters are found to be compatible with zero within uncertainties, contrary to expectations from all available predictions. The results are compared with the measurement in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV.

Neutral pion ($\pi^{0}$) and $\eta$ meson production cross sections were measured up to unprecedentedly high transverse momenta ($p_{\rm T}$) in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV. The mesons were reconstructed via their two-photon decay channel in the rapidity interval $-1.3< y <0.3$ in the ranges of $0.4<p_{\rm T}<200$ GeV/$c$ and $1.0<p_{\rm T}<50$ GeV/$c$, respectively. The respective nuclear modification factor ($R_{\rm pPb}$) is presented for $p_{\rm T}$ up to of 200 and 30 GeV/$c$, where the former was achieved by extending the $\pi^{0}$ measurement in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV using the merged cluster technique. The values of $R_{\rm pPb}$ are below unity for $p_{\rm T}<10$ GeV/$c$, while they are consistent with unity for $p_{\rm T}>10$ GeV/$c$, leaving essentially no room for final state energy loss. The new data provide strong constraints for nuclear parton distribution and fragmentation functions over a broad kinematic range and are compared to model predictions as well as previous results at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV.

The production of $\pi^{\pm}$, $\rm{K}^{\pm}$, $\rm{K}^{0}_{S}$, $\rm{K}^{*}(892)^{0}$, $\rm{p}$, $\phi(1020)$, $\Lambda$, $\Xi^{-}$, $\Omega^{-}$, and their antiparticles was measured in inelastic proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV at midrapidity ($|y|<0.5$) as a function of transverse momentum ($p_{\rm{T}}$) using the ALICE detector at the CERN LHC. Furthermore, the single-particle $p_{\rm{T}}$ distributions of $\rm{K}^{0}_{S}$, $\Lambda$, and $\overline{\Lambda}$ in inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV are reported here for the first time. The $p_{\rm{T}}$ distributions are studied at midrapidity within the transverse momentum range $0\leq p_{\rm{T}}\leq20$ GeV/$c$, depending on the particle species. The $p_{\rm{T}}$ spectra, integrated yields, and particle yield ratios are discussed as a function of collision energy and compared with measurements at lower $\sqrt{s}$ and with results from various general-purpose QCD-inspired Monte Carlo models. A hardening of the spectra at high $p_{\rm{T}}$ with increasing collision energy is observed, which is similar for all particle species under study. The transverse mass and $x_{\rm{T}}\equiv2p_{\rm{T}}/\sqrt{s}$ scaling properties of hadron production are also studied. As the collision energy increases from $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 to 13 TeV, the yields of non- and single-strange hadrons normalized to the pion yields remain approximately constant as a function of $\sqrt{s}$, while ratios for multi-strange hadrons indicate enhancements. The $p_{\rm{T}}$-differential cross sections of $\pi^{\pm}$, $\rm{K}^{\pm}$ and $\rm{p}$ ($\overline{\rm{p}}$) are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations, which are found to overestimate the cross sections for $\pi^{\pm}$ and $\rm{p}$ ($\overline{\rm{p}}$) at high $p_{\rm{T}}$.

The production of J/$\psi$ is measured as a function of charged-particle multiplicity at forward rapidity in proton$-$proton (pp) collisions at center-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s} =$ 5.02 and 13 TeV. The J/$\psi$ mesons are reconstructed via their decay into dimuons in the rapidity interval (2.5 $< y <$ 4.0), whereas the charged-particle multiplicity density (${\rm d}N_{\rm{ch}}/{\rm d}\eta$) is measured at midrapidity $(|\eta| < 1)$. The production rate as a function of multiplicity is reported as the ratio of the yield in a given multiplicity interval to the multiplicity-integrated one. This observable shows a linear increase with charged-particle multiplicity normalized to the corresponding average value for inelastic events (${{\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta}/{\langle {\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta \rangle}$), at both the colliding energies. Measurements are compared with available ALICE results at midrapidity and theoretical model calculations. First measurement of the mean transverse momentum ($\langle p_{\mathrm{T}}\rangle$) of J/$\psi$ in pp collisions exhibits an increasing trend as a function of ${{\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta}/{\langle {\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta \rangle}$ showing a saturation towards high charged-particle multiplicities.

Measurements of inclusive and direct photon production at mid-rapidity in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=2.76$ and 8 TeV are presented by the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The results are reported in transverse momentum ranges of $0.4<p_{T}<10$ GeV/$c$ and $0.3<p_{T}<16$ GeV/$c$, respectively. Photons are detected with the electromagnetic calorimeter~(EMCal) and via reconstruction of e$^+$e$^-$ pairs from conversions in the ALICE detector material using the central tracking system. For the final measurement of the inclusive photon spectra the results are combined in the overlapping $p_{T}$ interval of both methods. Direct photon spectra, or their upper limits at 90% C.L. are extracted using the direct photon excess ratio $R_{\gamma}$, which quantifies the ratio of inclusive photons over decay photons generated with a decay-photon simulation. An additional hybrid method, combining photons reconstructed from conversions with those identified in the EMCal, is used for the combination of the direct photon excess ratio $R_{\gamma}$, as well as the extraction of direct photon spectra or their upper limits. While no significant signal of direct photons is seen over the full $p_{T}$ range, $R_{\gamma}$ for $p_{T}>7$ GeV/$c$ is at least one $\sigma$ above unity and consistent with expectations from next-to-leading order pQCD calculations.

The production of $\mathrm{K}^{*}(\mathrm{892})^{0}$ and $\mathrm{\phi(1020)}$ in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV was measured using Run 1 data collected by the ALICE collaboration at the LHC. The $p_{\rm{T}}$-differential yields d$^{\rm 2}N$/d$y$d$p_{\rm{T}}$ in the range $0 < p_{\rm{T}} < 20$ GeV/$c$ for $\rm{K}^{*0}$ and $0.4 < p_{\rm{T}} < 16$ GeV/$c$ for $\phi$ have been measured at midrapidity, $|y| < 0.5$. Moreover, improved measurements of the $\rm{K}^{*}(892)^{0}$ and $\phi(1020)$ at $\sqrt{s} = 7$TeV are presented. The collision energy dependence of $p_{\rm{T}}$ distributions, $p_{\rm{T}}$-integrated yields and particle ratios in inelastic pp collisions are examined. The results are also compared with different collision systems. The values of the particle ratios are found to be similar to those measured at other LHC energies. In pp collisions a hardening of the particle spectra is observed with increasing energy, but at the same time it is also observed that the relative particle abundances are independent of the collision energy. The $p_{\rm{T}}$-differential yields of $\rm{K}^{*0}$ and $\phi$ in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV are compared with the expectations of different Monte Carlo event generators.

An invariant differential cross section measurement of inclusive $\pi^{0}$ and $\eta$ meson production at mid-rapidity in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV was carried out by the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The spectra of $\pi^{0}$ and $\eta$ mesons were measured in transverse momentum ranges of $0.3<p_{\rm T}<35$ GeV/$c$ and $0.5<p_{\rm T}<35$ GeV/$c$, respectively. Next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations using fragmentation functions DSS14 for the $\pi^{0}$ and AESSS for the $\eta$ overestimate the cross sections of both neutral mesons, although such calculations agree with the measured $\eta/\pi^{0}$ ratio within uncertainties. The results were also compared with PYTHIA~8.2 predictions for which the Monash~2013 tune yields the best agreement with the measured neutral meson spectra. The measurements confirm a universal behavior of the $\eta/\pi^{0}$ ratio seen for NA27, PHENIX and ALICE data for pp collisions from $\sqrt{s}=27.5$ GeV to $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV within experimental uncertainties. A relation between the $\pi^{0}$ and $\eta$ production cross sections for pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV is given by $m_{\rm T}$ scaling for $p_{\rm T}>3.5$ GeV/$c$. However, a deviation from this empirical scaling rule is observed for transverse momenta below $p_{\rm T}<3.5$ GeV/$c$ in the $\eta/\pi^0$ ratio with a significance of $6.2\sigma$.

The production of $\phi$ mesons has been studied in pp collisions at LHC energies with the ALICE detector via the dimuon decay channel in the rapidity region $2.5 < y < 4$. Measurements of the differential cross section ${\rm d}^2\sigma/{\rm d}y {\rm d}p_{\rm T}$ are presented as a function of the transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) at the center-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s}=5.02$, 8 and 13 TeV and compared with the ALICE results at midrapidity. The differential cross sections at $\sqrt{s}=5.02$ and 13 TeV are also studied in several rapidity intervals as a function of $p_{\rm T}$, and as a function of rapidity in three $p_{\rm T}$ intervals. A hardening of the $p_{\rm T}$-differential cross section with the collision energy is observed, while, for a given energy, $p_{\rm T}$ spectra soften with increasing rapidity and, conversely, rapidity distributions get slightly narrower at increasing $p_{\rm T}$. The new results, complementing the published measurements at $\sqrt{s}=2.76$ and 7 TeV, allow one to establish the energy dependence of $\phi$ meson production and to compare the measured cross sections with phenomenological models. None of the considered models manages to describe the evolution of the cross section with $p_{\rm T}$ and rapidity at all the energies.

Multiplicity ($N_{\rm ch}$) distributions and transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) spectra of inclusive primary charged particles in the kinematic range of $|\eta| < 0.8$ and 0.15 GeV/$c$$< p_{T} <$ 10 GeV/$c$ are reported for pp, p-Pb, Xe-Xe and Pb-Pb collisions at centre-of-mass energies per nucleon pair ranging from $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV up to $13$ TeV. A sequential two-dimensional unfolding procedure is used to extract the correlation between the transverse momentum of primary charged particles and the charged-particle multiplicity of the corresponding collision. This correlation sharply characterises important features of the final state of a collision and, therefore, can be used as a stringent test of theoretical models. The multiplicity distributions as well as the mean and standard deviation derived from the $p_{\rm T}$ spectra are compared to state-of-the-art model predictions. Providing these fundamental observables of bulk particle production consistently across a wide range of collision energies and system sizes can serve as an important input for tuning Monte Carlo event generators.

We present the charged-particle multiplicity distributions over a wide pseudorapidity range ($-3.4<\eta<5.0$) for pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$ 0.9, 7, and 8 TeV at the LHC. Results are based on information from the Silicon Pixel Detector and the Forward Multiplicity Detector of ALICE, extending the pseudorapidity coverage of the earlier publications and the high-multiplicity reach. The measurements are compared to results from the CMS experiment and to PYTHIA, PHOJET and EPOS LHC event generators, as well as IP-Glasma calculations.

A search is presented for direct top-squark pair production in final states with two leptons (electrons or muons) of opposite charge using 20.3fb-1 of pp collision data at sqrt(s)=8TeV, collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2012. No excess over the Standard Model expectation is found. The results are interpreted under the separate assumptions (i) that the top squark decays to a b-quark in addition to an on-shell chargino whose decay occurs via a real or virtual W boson, or (ii) that the top squark decays to a t-quark and the lightest neutralino. A top squark with a mass between 150 GeV and 445 GeV decaying to a b-quark and an on-shell chargino is excluded at 95% confidence level for a top squark mass equal to the chargino mass plus 10 GeV, in the case of a 1 GeV lightest neutralino. Top squarks with masses between 215 (90) GeV and 530 (170) GeV decaying to an on-shell (off-shell) t-quark and a neutralino are excluded at 95% confidence level for a 1 GeV neutralino.

A search has been performed, using the full 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ data sample of 8 TeV proton--proton collisions collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, for photons originating from a displaced vertex due to the decay of a neutral long-lived particle into a photon and an invisible particle. The analysis investigates the diphoton plus missing transverse momentum final state, and is therefore most sensitive to pair-production of long-lived particles. The analysis technique exploits the capabilities of the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter to make precise measurements of the flight direction, as well as the time of flight, of photons. No excess is observed over the Standard Model predictions for background. Exclusion limits are set within the context of Gauge Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking models, with the lightest neutralino being the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle and decaying into a photon and gravitino with a lifetime in the range from 250 ps to about 100 ns.

The results of a search for direct pair production of the scalar partner to the top quark using an integrated luminosity of $20.1 \rm{fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported. The top squark is assumed to decay via $\tilde{t} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ or $\tilde{t}\rightarrow b\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm} \rightarrow b W^{\left(\ast\right)} \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$, where $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ ($\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}$) denotes the lightest neutralino (chargino) in supersymmetric models. The search targets a fully-hadronic final state in events with four or more jets and large missing transverse momentum. No significant excess over the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and exclusion limits are reported in terms of the top squark and neutralino masses and as a function of the branching fraction of $\tilde{t} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$. For a branching fraction of 100%, top squark masses in the range 270-645 GeV are excluded for $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ masses below 30 GeV. For a branching fraction of 50% to either $\tilde{t} \rightarrow t \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ or $\tilde{t}\rightarrow b\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}$, and assuming the $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}$ mass to be twice the $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ mass, top squark masses in the range 250-550 GeV are excluded for $\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ masses below 60 GeV.

A low-background inclusive search for new physics in events with same-sign dileptons is presented. The search uses proton-proton collisions corresponding to 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity taken in 2012 at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Pairs of isolated leptons with the same electric charge and large transverse momenta of the type $e^{\pm}e^{\pm}, e^{\pm}\mu^{\pm}$, and $\mu^{\pm}\mu^{\pm}$ are selected and their invariant mass distribution is examined. No excess of events above the expected level of Standard Model background is found. The results are used to set upper limits on the cross-sections for processes beyond the Standard Model. Limits are placed as a function of the dilepton invariant mass within a fiducial region corresponding to the signal event selection criteria. Exclusion limits are also derived for a specific model of doubly charged Higgs boson production.

The inclusive top quark pair ($t\bar{t}$) production cross-section $\sigma_{t\bar{t}}$ has been measured in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV and $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, using $t\bar{t}$ events with an opposite-charge $e\mu$ pair in the final state. The measurement was performed with the 2011 7 TeV dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb$^{-1}$ and the 2012 8 TeV dataset of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$. The cross-section was measured to be: $\sigma_{t\bar{t}}=182.9\pm 3.1\pm 4.2\pm 3.6 \pm 3.3$ pb ($\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV) and $\sigma_{t\bar{t}}=242.9\pm 1.7\pm 5.5\pm 5.1\pm 4.2$ pb ($\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV, updated as described in the Addendum), where the four uncertainties arise from data statistics, experimental and theoretical systematic effects, the knowledge of the integrated luminosity and of the LHC beam energy. The results are consistent with recent theoretical QCD calculations at next-to-next-to-leading order. Fiducial measurements corresponding to the experimental acceptance of the leptons are also reported, together with the ratio of cross-sections measured at the two centre-of-mass energies. The inclusive cross-section results were used to determine the top quark pole mass via the dependence of the theoretically-predicted cross-section on $m_t^{\rm pole}$, giving a result of $m_t^{\rm pole}=172.9^{+2.5}_{-2.6}$ GeV. By looking for an excess of $t\bar{t}$ production with respect to the QCD prediction, the results were also used to place limits on the pair-production of supersymmetric top squarks $\tilde{t}_1$ with masses close to the top quark mass decaying via $\tilde{t}_1\rightarrow t\tilde{\chi}^0_1$ to predominantly right-handed top quarks and a light neutralino $\tilde{\chi}_0^1$, the lightest supersymmetric particle. Top squarks with masses between the top quark mass and 177 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level.

Results of a search for new phenomena in events with an energetic photon and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC are reported. Data were collected in proton--proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$. The observed data are well described by the expected Standard Model backgrounds. The expected (observed) upper limit on the fiducial cross section for the production of such events is 6.1 (5.3) fb at 95% confidence level. Exclusion limits are presented on models of new phenomena with large extra spatial dimensions, supersymmetric quarks, and direct pair production of dark-matter candidates.

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.

The results of a search for top squark (stop) pair production in final states with one isolated lepton, jets, and missing transverse momentum are reported. The analysis is performed with proton--proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2012 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $20$ fb$^{-1}$. The lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) is taken to be the lightest neutralino which only interacts weakly and is assumed to be stable. The stop decay modes considered are those to a top quark and the LSP as well as to a bottom quark and the lightest chargino, where the chargino decays to the LSP by emitting a $W$ boson. A wide range of scenarios with different mass splittings between the stop, the lightest neutralino and the lightest chargino are considered, including cases where the $W$ bosons or the top quarks are off-shell. Decay modes involving the heavier charginos and neutralinos are addressed using a set of phenomenological models of supersymmetry. No significant excess over the Standard Model prediction is observed. A stop with a mass between $210$ and $640$ GeV decaying directly to a top quark and a massless LSP is excluded at $95$ % confidence level, and in models where the mass of the lightest chargino is twice that of the LSP, stops are excluded at $95$ % confidence level up to a mass of $500$ GeV for an LSP mass in the range of $100$ to $150$ GeV. Stringent exclusion limits are also derived for all other stop decay modes considered, and model-independent upper limits are set on the visible cross-section for processes beyond the Standard Model.

A search for new phenomena in LHC proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV was performed with the ATLAS detector using an integrated luminosity of 17.3 fb$^{-1}$. The angular distributions are studied in events with at least two jets; the highest dijet mass observed is 5.5 TeV. All angular distributions are consistent with the predictions of the Standard Model. In a benchmark model of quark contact interactions, a compositeness scale below 8.1 TeV in a destructive interference scenario and 12.0 TeV in a constructive interference scenario is excluded at 95 % CL; median expected limits are 8.9 TeV for the destructive interference scenario and 14.1 TeV for the constructive interference scenario.

Results of a search for supersymmetry via direct production of third-generation squarks are reported, using $20.3$ fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2012. Two different analysis strategies based on monojet-like and $c$-tagged event selections are carried out to optimize the sensitivity for direct top squark pair production in the decay channel to a charm quark and the lightest neutralino ($\tilde{t}_1 \to c + \tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$) across the top squark--neutralino mass parameter space. No excess above the Standard Model background expectation is observed. The results are interpreted in the context of direct pair production of top squarks and presented in terms of exclusion limits in the ($m_{\tilde{t}_1}$, $m_{\tilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}}$) parameter space. A top squark of mass up to about 240 GeV is excluded at 95$\%$ confidence level for arbitrary neutralino masses, within the kinematic boundaries. Top squark masses up to 270 GeV are excluded for a neutralino mass of 200 GeV. In a scenario where the top squark and the lightest neutralino are nearly degenerate in mass, top squark masses up to 260 GeV are excluded. The results from the monojet-like analysis are also interpreted in terms of compressed scenarios for top squark pair production in the decay channel $\tilde{t}_1 \to b + ff^{'} + \tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$ and sbottom pair production with $\tilde{b}_1 \to b + \tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$, leading to a similar exclusion for nearly mass-degenerate third-generation squarks and the lightest neutralino. The results in this paper significantly extend previous results at colliders.

This paper reports the results of a search for strong production of supersymmetric particles in 20.1 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The search is performed separately in events with either zero or at least one high $p_\mathrm{T}$ lepton (electron or muon), large missing transverse momentum, high jet multiplicity and at least three jets identified as originated from the fragmentation of a b-quark. No excess is observed with respect to the Standard Model predictions. The results are interpreted in the context of several supersymmetric models involving gluinos and scalar top and bottom quarks, as well as a mSUGRA/CMSSM model. Gluino masses up to 1340 GeV are excluded, depending on the model, significantly extending the previous ATLAS limits.

A generic search for anomalous production of events with at least three charged leptons is presented. The data sample consists of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV collected in 2012 by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$. Events are required to have at least three selected lepton candidates, at least two of which must be electrons or muons, while the third may be a hadronically decaying tau. Selected events are categorized based on their lepton flavour content and signal regions are constructed using several kinematic variables of interest. No significant deviations from Standard Model predictions are observed. Model-independent upper limits on contributions from beyond the Standard Model phenomena are provided for each signal region, along with prescription to re-interpret the limits for any model. Constraints are also placed on models predicting doubly charged Higgs bosons and excited leptons. For doubly charged Higgs bosons decaying to $e\tau$ or $\mu\tau$, lower limits on the mass are set at 400 GeV at 95% confidence level. For excited leptons, constraints are provided as functions of both the mass of the excited state and the compositeness scale $\Lambda$, with the strongest mass constraints arising in regions where the mass equals $\Lambda$. In such scenarios, lower mass limits are set at 3.0 TeV for excited electrons and muons, 2.5 TeV for excited taus, and 1.6 TeV for every excited-neutrino flavour.

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.

Results of a search for the electroweak associated production of charginos and next-to-lightest neutralinos, pairs of charginos or pairs of tau sleptons are presented. These processes are characterised by final states with at least two hadronically decaying tau leptons, missing transverse momentum and low jet activity. The analysis is based on an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of proton--proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess is observed with respect to the predictions from Standard Model processes. Limits are set at 95% confidence level on the masses of the lighter chargino and next-to-lightest neutralino for various hypotheses for the lightest neutralino mass in simplified models. In the scenario of direct production of chargino pairs, with each chargino decaying into the lightest neutralino via an intermediate tau slepton, chargino masses up to 345 GeV are excluded for a massless lightest neutralino. For associated production of mass-degenerate charginos and next-to-lightest neutralinos, both decaying into the lightest neutralino via an intermediate tau slepton, masses up to 410 GeV are excluded for a massless lightest neutralino.

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.

A search is presented for the direct pair production of a chargino and a neutralino $pp\to\tilde{\chi}^\pm_1\tilde{\chi}^0_2$, where the chargino decays to the lightest neutralino and the $W$ boson, $\tilde{\chi}^\pm_1 \to \tilde{\chi}^0_1 (W^{\pm}\to\ell^{\pm}\nu)$, while the neutralino decays to the lightest neutralino and the 125 GeV Higgs boson, $\tilde{\chi}^0_2 \to \tilde{\chi}^0_1 (h\to bb/\gamma\gamma/\ell^{\pm}\nu qq)$. The final states considered for the search have large missing transverse momentum, an isolated electron or muon, and one of the following: either two jets identified as originating from bottom quarks, or two photons, or a second electron or muon with the same electric charge. The analysis is based on 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV proton-proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with the Standard Model expectations, and limits are set in the context of a simplified supersymmetric model.

Two searches for supersymmetric particles in final states containing a same-flavour opposite-sign lepton pair, jets and large missing transverse momentum are presented. The proton-proton collision data used in these searches were collected at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$. Two leptonic production mechanisms are considered: decays of squarks and gluinos with $Z$ bosons in the final state, resulting in a peak in the dilepton invariant mass distribution around the $Z$-boson mass; and decays of neutralinos (e.g. $\tilde{\chi}^{0}_{2} \rightarrow \ell^{+}\ell^{-}\tilde{\chi}^{0}_{1}$), resulting in a kinematic endpoint in the dilepton invariant mass distribution. For the former, an excess of events above the expected Standard Model background is observed, with a significance of 3 standard deviations. In the latter case, the data are well-described by the expected Standard Model background. The results from each channel are interpreted in the context of several supersymmetric models involving the production of squarks and gluinos.

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.

The results of a dedicated search for pair production of scalar partners of charm quarks are reported. The search is based on an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The search is performed using events with large missing transverse momentum and at least two jets, where the two leading jets are each tagged as originating from c-quarks. Events containing isolated electrons or muons are vetoed. In an R-parity-conserving minimal supersymmetric scenario in which a single scalar-charm state is kinematically accessible, and where it decays exclusively into a charm quark and a neutralino, 95% confidence-level upper limits are obtained in the scalar-charm-neutralino mass plane such that, for neutralino masses below 200 GeV, scalar-charm masses up to 490 GeV are excluded.

A search for heavy long-lived multi-charged particles is performed using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Data collected in 2012 at $\sqrt{s}$=8 TeV from $pp$ collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $20.3$ fb$^{-1}$ are examined. Particles producing anomalously high ionisation, consistent with long-lived massive particles with electric charges from $|q|=2e$ to $|q|=6e$ are searched for. No signal candidate events are observed, and 95\% confidence level cross-section upper limits are interpreted as lower mass limits for a Drell--Yan production model. The mass limits range between 660 and 785 GeV.

A search is presented for narrow diboson resonances decaying to $WW$ or $WZ$ in the final state where one $W$ boson decays leptonically (to an electron or a muon plus a neutrino) and the other $W/Z$ boson decays hadronically. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. No evidence for resonant diboson production is observed, and resonance masses below 700 GeV and 1490 GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level for the spin-2 Randall-Sundrum bulk graviton $G^*$ with coupling constant of 1.0 and the extended gauge model $W'$ boson respectively.

Searches for heavy long-lived charged particles are performed using a data sample of 19.8 fb$^{-1}$ from proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. No excess is observed above the estimated background and limits are placed on the mass of long-lived particles in various supersymmetric models. Long-lived tau sleptons in models with gauge-mediated symmetry breaking are excluded up to masses between 440 and 385 GeV for $\tan\beta$ between 10 and 50, with a 290 GeV limit in the case where only direct tau slepton production is considered. In the context of simplified LeptoSUSY models, where sleptons are stable and have a mass of 300 GeV, squark and gluino masses are excluded up to a mass of 1500 and 1360 GeV, respectively. Directly produced charginos, in simplified models where they are nearly degenerate to the lightest neutralino, are excluded up to a mass of 620 GeV. $R$-hadrons, composites containing a gluino, bottom squark or top squark, are excluded up to a mass of 1270, 845 and 900 GeV, respectively, using the full detector; and up to a mass of 1260, 835 and 870 GeV using an approach disregarding information from the muon spectrometer.

A search is conducted for non-resonant new phenomena in dielectron and dimuon final states, originating from either contact interactions or large extra spatial dimensions. The LHC 2012 proton-proton collision dataset recorded by the ATLAS detector is used, corresponding to 20 fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV. The dilepton invariant mass spectrum is a discriminating variable in both searches, with the contact interaction search additionally utilizing the dilepton forward-backward asymmetry. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectation are observed. Lower limits are set on the $\ell\ell q q$ contact interaction scale $\Lambda$ between 15.4 TeV and 26.3 TeV, at the 95% credibility level. For large extra spatial dimensions, lower limits are set on the string scale $M_{S}$ between 3.2 TeV to 5.0 TeV.

A search for direct pair production of the supersymmetric partner of the top quark, decaying via a scalar tau to a nearly massless gravitino, has been performed using 20 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV. The data were collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2012. Top squark candidates are searched for in events with either two hadronically decaying tau leptons, one hadronically decaying tau and one light lepton, or two light leptons. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is found. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set as a function of the top squark and scalar tau masses. Depending on the scalar tau mass, ranging from the 87 GeV LEP limit to the top squark mass, lower limits between 490 GeV and 650 GeV are placed on the top squark mass within the model considered.

This article reports on a search for dark matter pair production in association with bottom or top quarks in 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions collected at $\sqrt{s} = 8$ TeV by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events with large missing transverse momentum are selected when produced in association with high-momentum jets of which one or more are identified as jets containing $b$-quarks. Final states with top quarks are selected by requiring a high jet multiplicity and in some cases a single lepton. The data are found to be consistent with the Standard Model expectations and limits are set on the mass scale of effective field theories that describe scalar and tensor interactions between dark matter and Standard Model particles. Limits on the dark-matter--nucleon cross-section for spin-independent and spin-dependent interactions are also provided. These limits are particularly strong for low-mass dark matter. Using a simplified model, constraints are set on the mass of dark matter and of a coloured mediator suitable to explain a possible signal of annihilating dark matter.

Searches for the electroweak production of charginos, neutralinos and sleptons in final states characterized by the presence of two leptons (electrons and muons) and missing transverse momentum are performed using 20.3 fb-1 of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess beyond Standard Model expectations is observed. Limits are set on the masses of the lightest chargino, next-to-lightest neutralino and sleptons for different lightest-neutralino mass hypotheses in simplified models. Results are also interpreted in various scenarios of the phenomenological Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.

Results from a search for supersymmetry in events with four or more leptons including electrons, muons and taus are presented. The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to 20.3 $fb^{-1}$ of proton--proton collisions delivered by the Large Hadron Collider at $\sqrt{s}$ = 8 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector. Signal regions are designed to target supersymmetric scenarios that can be either enriched in or depleted of events involving the production of a $Z$ boson. No significant deviations are observed in data from Standard Model predictions and results are used to set upper limits on the event yields from processes beyond the Standard Model. Exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level on the masses of relevant supersymmetric particles are obtained. In R-parity-violating simplified models with decays of the lightest supersymmetric particle to electrons and muons, limits of 1350 GeV and 750 GeV are placed on gluino and chargino masses, respectively. In R-parity-conserving simplified models with heavy neutralinos decaying to a massless lightest supersymmetric particle, heavy neutralino masses up to 620 GeV are excluded. Limits are also placed on other supersymmetric scenarios.

This Letter reports the observation of a high transverse momentum $Z\rightarrow b\bar{b}$ signal in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV and the measurement of its production cross section. The data analysed were collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 fb$^{-1}$. The $Z\rightarrow b\bar{b}$ decay is reconstructed from a pair of b-tagged jets, clustered with the anti-$k_t$ jet algorithm with $R = 0.4$, that have low angular separation and form a dijet with $p_T > 200$ GeV. The signal yield is extracted from a fit to the dijet invariant mass distribution, with the dominant, multi-jet background mass shape estimated by employing a fully data-driven technique that reduces the dependence of the analysis on simulation. The fiducial cross section is determined to be \[ \sigma^\mathrm{fid}_{Z\rightarrow b\bar{b}} = 2.02 \pm 0.20 ({\rm stat.}) \pm0.25 ({\rm syst.)}\pm 0.06 ({\rm lumi.}){\rm\,pb} = 2.02 \pm{0.33}{\rm\,pb}, \] in good agreement with next-to-leading-order theoretical predictions.

A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three leptons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 20.3 fb-1 of sqrt(s) = 8 TeV proton--proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with the Standard Model expectations and limits are set in R-parity-conserving phenomenological Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Models and in simplified supersymmetric models, significantly extending previous results. For simplified supersymmetric models of direct chargino ($\tilde\chi^\pm_1$) and next-to-lightest neutralino ($\tilde{\chi}_2^0$) production with decays to lightest neutralino ($\tilde{\chi}_1^0$) via either all three generations of sleptons, staus only, gauge bosons, or Higgs bosons, $\tilde\chi^\pm_1$ and $\tilde{\chi}_2^0$ masses are excluded up to 700 GeV, 380 GeV, 345 GeV, or 148 GeV respectively, for a massless $\tilde{\chi}_1^0$.

A search is presented for direct top squark pair production using events with at least two leptons including a same-flavour opposite-sign pair with invariant mass consistent with the $Z$ boson mass, jets tagged as originating from $b$-quarks and missing transverse momentum. The analysis is performed with proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2012 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb$^{-1}$. No excess beyond the Standard Model expectation is observed. Interpretations of the results are provided in models based on the direct pair production of the heavier top squark state ($\tilde{t}_2$) followed by the decay to the lighter top squark state ($\tilde{t}_1$) via $\tilde{t}_2 \to Z\tilde{t}_1$, and for $\tilde{t}_1$ pair production in natural gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking scenarios where the neutralino ($\tilde{\chi}^0_1$) is the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle and decays producing a $Z$ boson and a gravitino ($\tilde{G}$) via the $\tilde{\chi}^0_1 \to Z\tilde{G}$ process.

A search is presented for dark matter pair production in association with a W or Z boson in pp collisions representing 20.3 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity at $\sqrt{s}$=8 TeV using data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events with a hadronic jet with the jet-mass consistent with a W or Z boson, and with large missing transverse momentum are analyzed. The data are consistent with the Standard Model expectations, and limits are set on the mass scale in effective field theories that describe the interaction of dark matter and Standard Model particles.

This Letter describes a model-independent search for the production of new resonances in photon + jet events using 20 inverse fb of proton--proton LHC data recorded with the ATLAS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 8 TeV. The photon + jet mass distribution is compared to a background model fit from data; no significant deviation from the background-only hypothesis is found. Limits are set at 95% credibility level on generic Gaussian-shaped signals and two benchmark phenomena beyond the Standard Model: non-thermal quantum black holes and excited quarks. Non-thermal quantum black holes are excluded below masses of 4.6 TeV and excited quarks are excluded below masses of 3.5 TeV.

A search is presented for direct chargino production based on a disappearing-track signature using 20.3 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV collected with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. In anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking (AMSB) models, the lightest chargino is nearly mass-degenerate with the lightest neutralino and its lifetime is long enough to be detected in the tracking detectors by identifying decays that result in tracks with no associated hits in the outer region of the tracking system. Some models with supersymmetry also predict charginos with a significant lifetime. This analysis attains sensitivity for charginos with a lifetime between 0.1 ns and 10 ns, and significantly surpasses the reach of the LEP experiments. No significant excess above the background expectation is observed for candidate tracks with large transverse momentum, and constraints on chargino properties are obtained. In the AMSB scenarios, a chargino mass below 270 GeV is excluded at 95% confidence level.

This Letter presents a search for quantum black-hole production using 20.3 inverse fb of data collected with the ATLAS detector in pp collisions at the LHC at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV. The quantum black holes are assumed to decay into a lepton (electron or muon) and a jet. In either channel, no event with a lepton-jet invariant mass of 3.5 TeV or more is observed, consistent with the expected background. Limits are set on the product of cross sections and branching fractions for the lepton+jet final states of quantum black holes produced in a search region for invariant masses above 1 TeV. The combined 95% confidence level upper limit on this product for quantum black holes with threshold mass above 3.5 TeV is 0.18 fb. This limit constrains the threshold quantum black-hole mass to be above 5.3 TeV in the model considered.

The results of a search for pair production of supersymmetric partners of the Standard Model third-generation quarks are reported. This search uses 20.1 fb-1 of pp collisions at sqrt{s}=8 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The lightest bottom and top squarks (b1 and t1 respectively) are searched for in a final state with large missing transverse momentum and two jets identified as originating from b-quarks. No excess of events above the expected level of Standard Model background is found. The results are used to set upper limits on the visible cross section for processes beyond the Standard Model. Exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level on the masses of the third-generation squarks are derived in phenomenological supersymmetric R-parity-conserving models in which either the bottom or the top squark is the lightest squark. The b1 is assumed to decay via b1->b chi0 and the t via t1->b chipm, with undetectable products of the subsequent decay of the chipm due to the small mass splitting between the chipm and the chi0.

Measurements of fiducial cross sections for the electroweak production of two jets in association with a Z-boson are presented. The measurements are performed using 20.3 inverse femtobarns of proton-proton collision data collected at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s)=8 TeV by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. The electroweak component is extracted by a fit to the dijet invariant mass distribution in a fiducial region chosen to enhance the electroweak contribution over the dominant background in which the jets are produced via the strong interaction. The electroweak cross sections measured in two fiducial regions are in good agreement with the Standard Model expectations and the background-only hypothesis is rejected with significance above the 5 sigma level. The electroweak process includes the vector boson fusion production of a Z-boson and the data are used to place limits on anomalous triple gauge boson couplings. In addition, measurements of cross sections and differential distributions for inclusive Z-boson-plus-dijet production are performed in five fiducial regions, each with different sensitivity to the electroweak contribution. The results are corrected for detector effects and compared to predictions from the SHERPA and POWHEG event generators.