A search for new particles decaying into a pair of top quarks is performed using proton-proton collision data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = $13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$. Events consistent with top-quark pair production and the fully hadronic decay mode of the top quarks are selected by requiring multiple high transverse momentum jets including those containing $b$-hadrons. Two analysis techniques, exploiting dedicated top-quark pair reconstruction in different kinematic regimes, are used to optimize the search sensitivity to new hypothetical particles over a wide mass range. The invariant mass distribution of the two reconstructed top-quark candidates is examined for resonant production of new particles with various spins and decay widths. No significant deviation from the Standard Model prediction is observed and limits are set on the production cross-section times branching fraction for new hypothetical $Z'$ bosons, dark-matter mediators, Kaluza-Klein gravitons and Kaluza-Klein gluons. By comparing with the predicted production cross-sections, the $Z'$ boson in the topcolor-assisted-technicolor model is excluded for masses up to 3.1$-$3.6 TeV, the dark-matter mediators in a simplified framework are excluded in the mass ranges from 0.8 TeV to 0.9 TeV and from 2.0 TeV to 2.2 TeV, and the Kaluza-Klein gluon is excluded for masses up to 3.4 TeV, depending on the decay widths of the particles.
Acceptance times selection efficiency for topcolor-assisted-technicolor Z$^{\prime}_{TC2}$ as a function of top-quark pair mass for all regions A–D in the resolved analysis and the combination of all SRs in the boosted analysis.
Acceptance times selection efficiency for Kaluza-Klein graviton as a function of top-quark pair mass for all regions A–D in the resolved analysis and the combination of all SRs in the boosted analysis.
Acceptance times selection efficiency for Kaluza-Klein gluon Γ=30% as a function of top-quark pair mass for all regions A–D in the resolved analysis and the combination of all SRs in the boosted analysis.
A search for a right-handed gauge boson $W_{\mathrm{R}}$, decaying into a boosted right-handed heavy neutrino $N_{\mathrm{R}}$, in the framework of Left-Right Symmetric Models is presented. It is based on data from proton-proton collisions with a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider during the years 2015, 2016 and 2017, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 80 fb$^{-1}$. The search is performed separately for electrons and muons in the final state. A distinguishing feature of the search is the use of large-radius jets containing electrons. Selections based on the signal topology result in smaller background compared with to expected signal. No significant deviation from the Standard Model prediction is observed and lower limits are set in the $W_{\mathrm{R}}$ and $N_{\mathrm{R}}$ mass plane. Mass values of the $W_{\mathrm{R}}$ smaller than 3.8-5 TeV are excluded for $N_{\mathrm{R}}$ in the mass range 0.1-1.8 TeV.
Expected 95% CL exclusion contours in the $(m_{N_R}, m_{W_R})$ plane in the electron channel.
Observed 95% CL exclusion contours in the $(m_{N_R}, m_{W_R})$ plane in the electron channel.
Expected 95% CL exclusion contours in the $(m_{N_R}, m_{W_R})$ plane in the muon channel.
Inclusive and differential cross-sections for the production of a top-quark pair in association with a photon are measured with proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb$^{-1}$, collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2015 and 2016 at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The measurements are performed in single-lepton and dilepton final states in a fiducial volume. Events with exactly one photon, one or two leptons, a channel-dependent minimum number of jets, and at least one $b$-jet are selected. Neural network algorithms are used to separate the signal from the backgrounds. The fiducial cross-sections are measured to be 521 $\pm$ 9(stat.) $\pm$ 41(sys.) fb and 69 $\pm$ 3(stat.) $\pm$ 4(sys.) fb for the single-lepton and dilepton channels, respectively. The differential cross-sections are measured as a function of photon transverse momentum, photon absolute pseudorapidity, and angular distance between the photon and its closest lepton in both channels, as well as azimuthal opening angle and absolute pseudorapidity difference between the two leptons in the dilepton channel. All measurements are in agreement with the theoretical predictions.
The measured fiducial cross section in the single lepton channel. The first uncertainty is the statistical uncertainty and the second one is the systematic uncertainty.
The measured fiducial cross section in the dilepton channel. The first uncertainty is the statistical uncertainty and the second one is the systematic uncertainty.
The measured normalized differential cross section as a function of the photon pT in the single lepton channel. The uncertainty is decomposed into five components which are the signal modelling uncertainty, the experimental uncertainty, the ttbar modelling uncertainty, the other background estimation uncertainty, and the data statistical uncertainty.
This paper describes a search for pairs of neutral, long-lived particles decaying in the ATLAS calorimeter. Long-lived particles occur in many extensions to the Standard Model and may elude searches for new promptly decaying particles. The analysis considers neutral, long-lived scalars with masses between 5 GeV and 400 GeV, produced from decays of heavy bosons with masses between 125 GeV and 1000 GeV, where the long-lived scalars decay into Standard Model fermions. The analysis uses either 10.8 fb$^{-1}$ or 33.0 fb$^{-1}$ of data (depending on the trigger) recorded in 2016 at the LHC with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. No significant excess is observed, and limits are reported on the production cross section times branching ratio as a function of the proper decay length of the long-lived particles.
Trigger efficiency of simulated signal events as a function of the LLP $p_T$ for a selection of signal samples.
Trigger efficiency of simulated signal events as a function of the LLP decay position in the $x-y$ plane for LLPs decaying in the HCal barrel for three signal samples.
Trigger efficiency of simulated signal events as a function of the LLP decay position in the $z$ direction for LLPs decaying in the HCal endcaps for three signal samples.
The inclusive production rates of isolated, prompt photons in $p$+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 8.16$ TeV are studied with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider using a dataset with an integrated luminosity of 165 nb$^{-1}$ recorded in 2016. The cross-section and nuclear modification factor $R_{p\mathrm{Pb}}$ are measured as a function of photon transverse energy from 20 GeV to 550 GeV and in three nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass pseudorapidity regions, (-2.83,-2.02), (-1.84,0.91), and (1.09,1.90). The cross-section and $R_{p\mathrm{Pb}}$ values are compared with the results of a next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculation, with and without nuclear parton distribution function modifications, and with expectations based on a model of the energy loss of partons prior to the hard scattering. The data disfavour a large amount of energy loss and provide new constraints on the parton densities in nuclei.
The measured cross sections for prompt, isolated photons with rapidity in (1.09,1.90).
The measured cross sections for prompt, isolated photons with rapidity in (−1.84,0.91).
The measured cross sections for prompt, isolated photons with rapidity in (−2.83,−2.02).
A measurement of the associated production of a top-quark pair ($t\bar{t}$) with a vector boson ($W$, $Z$) in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV is presented, using $36.1$ fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events are selected in channels with two same- or opposite-sign leptons (electrons or muons), three leptons or four leptons, and each channel is further divided into multiple regions to maximize the sensitivity of the measurement. The $t\bar{t}Z$ and $t\bar{t}W$ production cross sections are simultaneously measured using a combined fit to all regions. The best-fit values of the production cross sections are $\sigma_{t\bar{t}Z} = 0.95 \pm 0.08_{\mathrm{stat.}} \pm 0.10_{\mathrm{syst.}}$ pb and $\sigma_{t\bar{t}W} = 0.87 \pm 0.13_{\mathrm{stat.}} \pm 0.14_{\mathrm{syst.}}$ pb in agreement with the Standard Model predictions. The measurement of the $t\bar{t}Z$ cross section is used to set constraints on effective field theory operators which modify the $t\bar{t}Z$ vertex.
The result of the simultaneous fit to the $t\bar{t}Z$ and $t\bar{t}W$ cross sections.
68% confidence level (CL) contours of the measured $t\bar{t}Z$ and $t\bar{t}W$ cross sections.
95% confidence level (CL) contours of the measured $t\bar{t}Z$ and $t\bar{t}W$ cross sections.
A measurement of jet substructure variables is presented using data collected in 2016 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC with proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV. Large-radius jets groomed with the trimming and soft-drop algorithms are studied. Dedicated event selections are used to study jets produced by light quarks or gluons, and hadronically decaying top quarks and $W$ bosons. The variables measured are sensitive to pronged substructure, and therefore are typically used for tagging jets from boosted massive particles. These include the energy correlation functions and the $N$-subjettiness variables. The number of subjets and the Les Houches angularity are also considered. The distributions of the substructure variables, corrected for detector effects, are compared to the predictions of various Monte Carlo event generators. They are also compared between the large-radius jets originating from light quarks or gluons, and hadronically decaying top quarks and $W$ bosons.
Figure 3a, Normalised differential Nsubjets distribution for soft-drop groomed jets, Dijet selection.
Figure 4a, Normalised differential LHA distribution for soft-drop groomed jets, Dijet selection
Figure 5a, Normalised differential C2 distribution for soft-drop groomed jets, Dijet selection
This paper reports on a search for the electroweak diboson ($WW/WZ/ZZ$) production in association with a high-mass dijet system, using data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.5 fb$^{-1}$, were recorded with the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016 at the Large Hadron Collider. The search is performed in final states in which one boson decays leptonically, and the other boson decays hadronically. The hadronically decaying $W/Z$ boson is reconstructed as either two small-radius jets or one large-radius jet using jet substructure techniques. The electroweak production of $WW/WZ/ZZ$ in association with two jets is measured with an observed (expected) significance of 2.7 (2.5) standard deviations, and the fiducial cross section is measured to be $45.1 \pm 8.6(\mathrm{stat.}) ^{+15.9} _{-14.6} (\mathrm{syst.})$ fb.
Summary of predicted and measured fiducial cross sections for EW $VVjj$ production. The three lepton channels are combined. For the measured fiducial cross sections in the merged and resolved categories, two signal-strength parameters are used in the combined fit, one for the merged category and the other one for the resolved category; while for the measured fiducial cross section in the inclusive fiducial phase space, a single signal-strength parameter is used. For the SM predicted cross section, the error is the theoretical uncertainty (theo.). For the measured cross section, the first error is the statistical uncertainty (stat.), and the second error is the systematic uncertainty (syst.).
Summary of predicted and measured fiducial cross sections for EW $VVjj$ production. in the three lepton channels. The measured values are obtained from a simultaneous fit where each lepton channel has its own signal-strength parameter, and in each lepton channel the same signal-strength parameter is applied to both the merged and resolved categories. For the SM predicted cross section, the error is the theoretical uncertainty (theo.). For the measured cross section, the first error is the statistical uncertainty (stat.), and the second error is the systematic uncertainty (syst.).
A search for excited electrons produced in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV via a contact interaction $q\bar{q} \to ee^*$ is presented. The search uses 36.1 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected in 2015 and 2016 by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. Decays of the excited electron via a contact interaction into an electron and a pair of quarks ($eq\bar{q}$) are targeted in final states with two electrons and two hadronic jets, and decays via a gauge interaction into a neutrino and a $W$ boson ($\nu W$) are probed in final states with an electron, missing transverse momentum, and a large-radius jet consistent with a hadronically decaying $W$ boson. No significant excess is observed over the expected backgrounds. Upper limits are calculated for the $pp \to ee^* \to eeq\bar{q}$ and $pp \to ee^* \to e\nu W$ production cross sections as a function of the excited electron mass $m_{e^*}$ at 95% confidence level. The limits are translated into lower bounds on the compositeness scale parameter $\Lambda$ of the model as a function of $m_{e^*}$. For $m_{e^*} < 0.5$ TeV, the lower bound for $\Lambda$ is 11 TeV. In the special case of $m_{e^*} = \Lambda$, the values of $m_{e^*} < 4.8$ TeV are excluded. The presented limits on $\Lambda$ are more stringent than those obtained in previous searches.
The distribution of $m_{lljj}$ used to discriminate the signal from background processes in the $eejj$ channel. The distribution is shown after applying the preselection criteria. The background contributions are constrained using the CRs. The signal models assume $\Lambda$ = 5 TeV. The uncertainties for the expected backgrounds represent all considered systematic and statistical sources.
The distribution of $m_{T}^{\nu W}$ used to discriminate the signal and background processes in the $e\nu J$ channel. The distribution is shown after applying the preselection criteria. The background contributions are constrained using the CRs. The signal models assume $\Lambda$ = 5 TeV. The last bin includes overflow events (the underflow is not shown). The uncertainties for the expected backgrounds represent all considered systematic and statistical sources.
Upper limits on $\sigma\times B$ as a function of $m_{e^*}$ in the $eejj$ channel. The $\pm 1(2)\sigma$ uncertainty bands around the expected limit represent all sources of systematic and statistical uncertainties.
This paper presents a measurement of forward-forward and forward-central dijet azimuthal angular correlations and conditional yields in proton-proton ($pp$) and proton-lead ($p$+Pb) collisions as a probe of the nuclear gluon density in regions where the fraction of the average momentum per nucleon carried by the parton entering the hard scattering is low. In these regions, gluon saturation can modify the rapidly increasing parton distribution function of the gluon. The analysis utilizes 25 pb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ data and 360 $\mu \mathrm{b}^{-1}$ of $p$+Pb data, both at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV, collected in 2015 and 2016, respectively, with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurement is performed in the center-of-mass frame of the nucleon-nucleon system in the rapidity range between $-$4.0 and 4.0 using the two highest transverse momentum jets in each event, with the highest transverse momentum jet restricted to the forward rapidity range. No significant broadening of azimuthal angular correlations is observed for forward-forward or forward-central dijets in $p$+Pb compared to $pp$ collisions. For forward-forward jet pairs in the proton-going direction, the ratio of conditional yields in $p$+Pb collisions to those in $pp$ collisions is suppressed by approximately 20%, with no significant dependence on the transverse momentum of the dijet system. No modification of conditional yields is observed for forward-central dijets.
Unfolded azimuthal angular correlation distributions. Black markers represent p+Pb, red markers p+p
Unfolded width of azimuthal angular correlation distributions. Full markers represent p+Pb, open markers p+p
Unfolded Dijet conditional yields. Full markers represent p+Pb, open markers p+p
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