The exclusive production of pion pairs in the process $pp\to pp\pi^+\pi^-$ has been measured at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, using 80 $\mu$b$^{-1}$ of low-luminosity data. The pion pairs were detected in the ATLAS central detector while outgoing protons were measured in the forward ATLAS ALFA detector system. This represents the first use of proton tagging to measure an exclusive hadronic final state at the LHC. A cross-section measurement is performed in two kinematic regions defined by the proton momenta, the pion rapidities and transverse momenta, and the pion-pion invariant mass. Cross section values of $4.8 \pm 1.0 \text{(stat.)} + {}^{+0.3}_{-0.2} \text{(syst.)}\mu$b and $9 \pm 6 \text{(stat.)} + {}^{+2}_{-2}\text{(syst.)}\mu$b are obtained in the two regions; they are compared with theoretical models and provide a demonstration of the feasibility of measurements of this type.
The measured fiducial cross sections. The first systematic uncertainty is the combined systematic uncertainty excluding luminosity, the second is the luminosity
Cross-sections for the production of a $Z$ boson in association with two photons are measured in proton$-$proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ recorded by the ATLAS experiment during Run 2 of the LHC. The measurements use the electron and muon decay channels of the $Z$ boson, and a fiducial phase-space region where the photons are not radiated from the leptons. The integrated $Z(\rightarrow\ell\ell)\gamma\gamma$ cross-section is measured with a precision of 12% and differential cross-sections are measured as a function of six kinematic variables of the $Z\gamma\gamma$ system. The data are compared with predictions from MC event generators which are accurate to up to next-to-leading order in QCD. The cross-section measurements are used to set limits on the coupling strengths of dimension-8 operators in the framework of an effective field theory.
Measured fiducial-level integrated cross-section. NLO predictions from Sherpa 2.2.10 and MadGraph5_aMC@NLO 2.7.3 are also shown. The uncertainty in the predictions is divided into statistical and theoretical uncertainties (scale and PDF+$\alpha_{s}$).
Measured unfolded differential cross-section as a function of the leading photon transverse energy $E^{\gamma1}_{\mathrm{T}}$. NLO predictions from Sherpa 2.2.10 and MadGraph5_aMC@NLO 2.7.3 are also shown. The uncertainty in the predictions is divided into statistical and theoretical uncertainties (scale and PDF+$\alpha_{s}$).
Measured unfolded differential cross-section as a function of the subleading photon transverse energy $E^{\gamma2}_{\mathrm{T}}$. NLO predictions from Sherpa 2.2.10 and MadGraph5_aMC@NLO 2.7.3 are also shown. The uncertainty in the predictions is divided into statistical and theoretical uncertainties (scale and PDF+$\alpha_{s}$).
The measurement of the production of ${\rm f}_{0}(980)$ in inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 5.02$ TeV is presented. This is the first reported measurement of inclusive ${\rm f}_{0}(980)$ yield at LHC energies. The production is measured at midrapidity, $|y| < 0.5$, in a wide transverse momentum range, $0 < p_{\rm T} < 16$ GeV/$c$, by reconstructing the resonance in the ${\rm f}_{0}(980) \rightarrow \pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ hadronic decay channel using the ALICE detector. The $p_{\rm T}$-differential yields are compared to those of pions, protons and $\phi$ mesons as well as to predictions from the HERWIG 7.2 QCD-inspired Monte Carlo event generator and calculations from a coalescence model that uses the AMPT model as an input. The ratio of the $p_{\rm T}$-integrated yield of ${\rm f}_{0}(980)$ relative to pions is compared to measurements in ${\rm e}^{+}{\rm e}^{-}$ and pp collisions at lower energies and predictions from statistical hadronisation models and HERWIG 7.2. A mild collision energy dependence of the ${\rm f}_{0}(980)$ to pion production is observed in pp collisions from SPS to LHC energies. All considered models underpredict the $p_{\rm T}$-integrated $2{\rm f}_{0}(980)/(\pi^{+}+\pi^{-})$ ratio. The prediction from the canonical statistical hadronisation model assuming a zero total strangeness content of ${\rm f}_{0}(980)$ is consistent with the data within 1.9$\sigma$ and is the closest to the data. The results provide an essential reference for future measurements of the particle yield and nuclear modification in p$-$Pb and Pb$-$Pb collisions, which have been proposed to be instrumental to probe the elusive nature and quark composition of the ${\rm f}_{0}(980)$ scalar meson.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $f_{0}(980)$ at midrapidity in the inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt(s)$ = 5.02 TeV. The uncertainty 'syst' indicates the total systematic uncertainty and 'stat' indicates the statistical uncertainty. The branching ratio correction amounts to BR = (46 $\pm$ 6)% [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 111 no. 6, (2013) 062001] assuming dominance of $\pi\pi$ and KK channel has been applied to the $p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $f_{0}(980)$. The normalisation and branching ratio relative uncertainties on the yields are independent of $p_{\rm{T}}$ and amount to 2.5% and 13%, respectively and therefore not included in the $p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $f_{0}(980)$.
$p_{\rm T}$-integrated yield of $f_{0}(980)$, dN/dy at midrapidity as a function of $\langle {\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta \rangle$. The uncertainty 'syst' indicates the total systematic uncertainty on the measurement. The branching ratio correction amounts to BR = (46 $\pm$ 6)% [ Phys. Rev. Lett. 111 no. 6, (2013) 062001] assuming dominance of $\pi\pi$ and KK channel has been applied to the $p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $f_{0}(980)$. Here, the branching ratio relative uncertainty (13%) for $f_{0}(980)$ is not included.
mean-$p_{\rm{T}}$ of $f_{0}(980)$, (<$p_{\rm{T}}$>) at midrapidity as a function of $\langle {\rm d}N_{\rm ch}/{\rm d}\eta \rangle$. The uncertainty 'syst' indicates the total systematic uncertainty on the measurement.
This paper presents studies of Bose-Einstein correlations (BEC) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, using data from the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Data were collected in a special low-luminosity configuration with a minimum-bias trigger and a high-multiplicity track trigger, accumulating integrated luminosities of 151 $\mu$b$^{-1}$ and 8.4 nb$^{-1}$ respectively. The BEC are measured for pairs of like-sign charged particles, each with $|\eta|$ < 2.5, for two kinematic ranges: the first with particle $p_T$ > 100 MeV and the second with particle $p_T$ > 500 MeV. The BEC parameters, characterizing the source radius and particle correlation strength, are investigated as functions of charged-particle multiplicity (up to 300) and average transverse momentum of the pair (up to 1.5 GeV). The double-differential dependence on charged-particle multiplicity and average transverse momentum of the pair is also studied. The BEC radius is found to be independent of the charged-particle multiplicity for high charged-particle multiplicity (above 100), confirming a previous observation at lower energy. This saturation occurs independent of the transverse momentum of the pair.
Comparison of single-ratio two-particle correlation functions, C<sub>2</sub><sup>data</sup>(Q) and C<sub>2</sub><sup>MC</sup>(Q), with the two-particle double-ratio correlation function, R<sub>2</sub>(Q), for the high-multiplicity track (HMT) events using the opposite hemisphere (OHP) like-charge particles pairs reference sample for k<sub>T</sub> - interval 1000 < k<sub>T</sub> ≤ 1500 MeV.
Comparison of single-ratio two-particle correlation functions, C<sub>2</sub><sup>data</sup>(Q) and C<sub>2</sub><sup>MC</sup>(Q), with the two-particle double-ratio correlation function, R<sub>2</sub>(Q), for the high-multiplicity track (HMT) events using the unlike-charge particle (UCP) pairs reference sample for k<sub>T</sub> - interval 1000 < k<sub>T</sub> ≤ 1500 MeV.
The Bose-Einstein correlation (BEC) parameter R as a function of n<sub>ch</sub> for MB events using different MC generators in the calculation of R<sub>2</sub>(Q). The uncertainties shown are statistical. The lower panel of each plot shows the ratio of the BEC parameters obtained using EPOS LHC (red circles), Pythia 8 Monash (blue squares) and Herwig++ UE-EE-5 (green triangles) compared with the parameters obtained using Pythia 8 A2. The gray band in the lower panels is the MC systematic uncertainty, obtained as explained in the text.
A measurement of four-top-quark production using proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ is presented. Events are selected if they contain a single lepton (electron or muon) or an opposite-sign lepton pair, in association with multiple jets. The events are categorised according to the number of jets and how likely these are to contain $b$-hadrons. A multivariate technique is then used to discriminate between signal and background events. The measured four-top-quark production cross section is found to be 26$^{+17}_{-15}$ fb, with a corresponding observed (expected) significance of 1.9 (1.0) standard deviations over the background-only hypothesis. The result is combined with the previous measurement performed by the ATLAS Collaboration in the multilepton final state. The combined four-top-quark production cross section is measured to be 24$^{+7}_{-6}$ fb, with a corresponding observed (expected) signal significance of 4.7 (2.6) standard deviations over the background-only predictions. It is consistent within 2.0 standard deviations with the Standard Model expectation of 12.0$\pm$2.4 fb.
The results of the fitted signal strength $\mu$ in the 1L/2LOS channel
The results of fitted inclusive ${t\bar{t}t\bar{t}}$ cross-section in the 1L/2LOS channel
Ranking of the nuisance parameters included in the fit according to their impact on the signal strength $\mu$. The impact of each nuisance parameter, $\Delta\mu$, is computed by comparing the nominal best-fit value of $\mu$ with the result of the fit when fixing the nuisance parameter to its best-fit value, $\hat{\theta}$, shifted by its pre-fit (post-fit) uncertainties $\pm \Delta\theta$ ($\pm \Delta\hat{\theta}$).
The production of $\Upsilon$ mesons in Pb-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5 TeV is measured with the muon spectrometer of the ALICE detector at the LHC. The yields as well as the nuclear modification factors are determined in the forward rapidity region $2.5<y<4.0$, as a function of rapidity, transverse momentum and collision centrality. The results show that the production of the $\Upsilon$(1S) meson is suppressed by a factor of about three with respect to the production in proton-proton collisions. For the first time, a significant signal for the $\Upsilon$(2S) meson is observed at forward rapidity, indicating a suppression stronger by about a factor 2-3 with respect to the ground state. The measurements are compared with transport, hydrodynamic, comover and statistical hadronisation model calculations.
Rapidity-differential yield of $\Upsilon(1\mathrm{S}) \rightarrow \mu^{+}\mu^{-}$ divided by the average nuclear overlap function $\langle T_{\mathrm{AA}} \rangle$ for the 0–90% centrality interval ($\langle T_{\mathrm{AA}} \rangle$ = 6.28 $\pm$ 0.06 mb$^{-1}$).
Rapidity-differential yield of $\Upsilon(2\mathrm{S}) \rightarrow \mu^{+}\mu^{-}$ divided by the average nuclear overlap function $\langle T_{\mathrm{AA}} \rangle$ for the 0–90% centrality interval ($\langle T_{\mathrm{AA}} \rangle$ = 6.28 $\pm$ 0.06 mb$^{-1}$).
$p_{\mathrm{T}}$-differential yield of $\Upsilon(1\mathrm{S}) \rightarrow \mu^{+}\mu^{-}$ divided by the average nuclear overlap function $\langle T_{\mathrm{AA}} \rangle$ for the 0–90% centrality interval ($\langle T_{\mathrm{AA}} \rangle$ = 6.28 $\pm$ 0.06 mb$^{-1}$).
The production of the $\Lambda$(1520) baryonic resonance has been measured at midrapidity in inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV and in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV for non-single diffractive events and in multiplicity classes. The resonance is reconstructed through its hadronic decay channel $\Lambda$(1520) $\rightarrow$ pK$^{-}$ and the charge conjugate with the ALICE detector. The integrated yields and mean transverse momenta are calculated from the measured transverse momentum distributions in pp and p-Pb collisions. The mean transverse momenta follow mass ordering as previously observed for other hyperons in the same collision systems. A Blast-Wave function constrained by other light hadrons ($\pi$, K, K$_{\rm{S}}^0$, p, $\Lambda$) describes the shape of the $\Lambda$(1520) transverse momentum distribution up to 3.5 GeV/$c$ in p-Pb collisions. In the framework of this model, this observation suggests that the $\Lambda(1520)$ resonance participates in the same collective radial flow as other light hadrons. The ratio of the yield of $\Lambda(1520)$ to the yield of the ground state particle $\Lambda$ remains constant as a function of charged-particle multiplicity, suggesting that there is no net effect of the hadronic phase in p-Pb collisions on the $\Lambda$(1520) yield.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) at midrapidity in inelastic pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ $\mathrm{=}$ 7 TeV.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) in NSD p--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ $\mathrm{=}$ 5.02 TeV. The uncertainty 'sys,$p_{\rm T}$-correlated' indicates the systematic uncertainty after removing the contributions of $p_{\rm T}$-uncorrelated uncertainty.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) in p--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$ $\mathrm{=}$ 5.02 TeV in multiplicity interval 0--20\%. The uncertainty 'sys,$p_{\rm T}$-correlated' indicates the systematic uncertainty after removing the contributions of $p_{\rm T}$-uncorrelated uncertainty.
The cross section of jets reconstructed from charged particles is measured in the transverse momentum range of $5<p_\mathrm{T}<100\ \mathrm{GeV}/c$ in pp collisions at the center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s} = 5.02\ \mathrm{TeV}$ with the ALICE detector. The jets are reconstructed using the anti-$k_\mathrm{T}$ algorithm with resolution parameters $R=0.2$, $0.3$, $0.4$, and $0.6$ in the pseudorapidity range $|\eta|< 0.9-R$. The charged jet cross sections are compared with the leading order (LO) and to next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative Quantum ChromoDynamics (pQCD) calculations. It was found that the NLO calculations agree better with the measurements. The cross section ratios for different resolution parameters were also measured. These ratios increase from low $p_\mathrm{T}$ to high $p_\mathrm{T}$ and saturate at high $p_\mathrm{T}$, indicating that jet collimation is larger at high $p_\mathrm{T}$ than at low $p_\mathrm{T}$. These results provide a precision test of pQCD predictions and serve as a baseline for the measurement in Pb$-$Pb collisions at the same energy to quantify the effects of the hot and dense medium created in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC.
Fig. 3: Fully corrected charged jet differential cross sections in pp collisions at $\\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 TeV. Statistical uncertainties are displayed as vertical error bars. The total systematic uncertainties are shown as shaded bands around the data points. Data are scaled to enhance visibility.
Fig. 6: Charged jet cross section ratios for $\\sigma$(R = 0.2)/$\\sigma$(R = 0.4) (Red) and $\\sigma$(R = 0.2)/$\\sigma$(R = 0.6). The systematic uncertainty of the cross section ratio is indicated by a shaded band drawn around data points.
Charged jet differential cross sections with UE subtraction in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 5.02 TeV. Statistical uncertainties are displayed as vertical error bars. The total systematic uncertainties are shown as shaded bands around the data points. Data are scaled to enhance visibility.
The ALICE Collaboration has measured the energy dependence of exclusive photoproduction of $J/\psi$ vector mesons off proton targets in ultra-peripheral p-Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV. The e$^+$e$^-$ and $\mu^+\mu^-$ decay channels are used to measure the cross section as a function of the rapidity of the $J/\psi$ in the range $-2.5 < y < 2.7$, corresponding to an energy in the $\gamma$p centre-of-mass in the interval $40 < W_{\gamma\mathrm{p}}<550$ GeV. The measurements, which are consistent with a power law dependence of the exclusive $J/\psi$ photoproduction cross section, are compared to previous results from HERA and the LHC and to several theoretical models. They are found to be compatible with previous measurements.
Differential cross sections as a function of rapidity for exclusive J/PSI photoproduction off protons in ultra-peripheral p-Pb collisions. The corresponding J/PSI photoproduction cross sections in bins of the GAMMA-P centre-of-mass, W(GAMMA P), are also presented.
The production yield of the $\Lambda(1520)$ baryon resonance is measured at mid-rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 2.76 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The measurement is performed in the $\Lambda(1520)\rightarrow {\rm pK}^{-}$ (and charge conjugate) hadronic decay channel as a function of the transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) and collision centrality. The $p_{\rm T}$-integrated production rate of $\Lambda(1520)$ relative to $\Lambda$ in central collisions is suppressed by about a factor of 2 with respect to peripheral collisions. This is the first observation of the suppression of a baryonic resonance at LHC and the first evidence of $\Lambda(1520)$ suppression in heavy-ion collisions. The measured $\Lambda(1520)/\Lambda$ ratio in central collisions is smaller than the value predicted by the statistical hadronisation model calculations. The shape of the measured $p_{\rm T}$ distribution and the centrality dependence of the suppression are reproduced by the EPOS3 Monte Carlo event generator. The measurement adds further support to the formation of a dense hadronic phase in the final stages of the evolution of the fireball created in heavy-ion collisions, lasting long enough to cause a significant reduction in the observable yield of short-lived resonances.
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) at midrapidity in the 0-20% centrality class. The uncertainty 'syst,uncorrelated' indicates the systematic uncertainty after removing the contributions common to all centrality classes
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) at midrapidity in the 20-50% centrality class. The uncertainty 'syst,uncorrelated' indicates the systematic uncertainty after removing the contributions common to all centrality classes
$p_{\rm T}$-differential yields of $\Lambda$(1520) (sum of particle and anti-particle states) at midrapidity in the 50-80% centrality class. The uncertainty 'syst,uncorrelated' indicates the systematic uncertainty after removing the contributions common to all centrality classes
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