Search for Higgs and Z Boson Decays to ϕγ with the ATLAS Detector.

A search for the decays of the Higgs and Z bosons to a ϕ meson and a photon is performed with a pp collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.7 fb^{-1} collected at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. No significant excess of events is observed above the background, and 95% confidence level upper limits on the branching fractions of the Higgs and Z boson decays to ϕγ of 1.4×10^{-3} and 8.3×10^{-6}, respectively, are obtained.

Measurement of the Inelastic Proton-Proton Cross Section at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector at the LHC.

This Letter presents a measurement of the inelastic proton-proton cross section using 60 µb^{-1} of pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s] of 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Inelastic interactions are selected using rings of plastic scintillators in the forward region (2.07<|η|<3.86) of the detector. A cross section of 68.1±1.4 mb is measured in the fiducial region ξ=M_{X}^{2}/s>10^{-6}, where M_{X} is the larger invariant mass of the two hadronic systems separated by the largest rapidity gap in the event. In this ξ range the scintillators are highly efficient. For diffractive events this corresponds to cases where at least one proton dissociates to a system with M_{X}>13 GeV. The measured cross section is compared with a range of theoretical predictions. When extrapolated to the full phase space, a cross section of 78.1±2.9 mb is measured, consistent with the inelastic cross section increasing with center-of-mass energy.

Measurement of the ZZ Production Cross Section in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector.

The ZZ production cross section in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV center-of-mass energy is measured using 3.2 fb^{-1} of data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The considered Z boson candidates decay to an electron or muon pair of mass 66-116 GeV. The cross section is measured in a fiducial phase space reflecting the detector acceptance. It is also extrapolated to a total phase space for Z bosons in the same mass range and of all decay modes, giving 16.7_{-2.0}^{+2.2}(stat)+0.9/-0.7(syst)+1.0/-0.7(lumi) pb. The results agree with standard model predictions.

Observation of Long-Range Elliptic Azimuthal Anisotropies in sqrt[s]=13 and 2.76 TeV pp Collisions with the ATLAS Detector.

ATLAS has measured two-particle correlations as a function of the relative azimuthal angle, Δϕ, and pseudorapidity, Δη, in sqrt[s]=13 and 2.76 TeV pp collisions at the LHC using charged particles measured in the pseudorapidity interval |η|<2.5. The correlation functions evaluated in different intervals of measured charged-particle multiplicity show a multiplicity-dependent enhancement at Δϕ∼0 that extends over a wide range of Δη, which has been referred to as the "ridge." Per-trigger-particle yields, Y(Δϕ), are measured over 2<|Δη|<5. For both collision energies, the Y(Δϕ) distribution in all multiplicity intervals is found to be consistent with a linear combination of the per-trigger-particle yields measured in collisions with less than 20 reconstructed tracks, and a constant combinatoric contribution modulated by cos(2Δϕ). The fitted Fourier coefficient, v_{2,2}, exhibits factorization, suggesting that the ridge results from per-event cos(2ϕ) modulation of the single-particle distribution with Fourier coefficients v_{2}. The v_{2} values are presented as a function of multiplicity and transverse momentum. They are found to be approximately constant as a function of multiplicity and to have a p_{T} dependence similar to that measured in p+Pb and Pb+Pb collisions. The v_{2} values in the 13 and 2.76 TeV data are consistent within uncertainties. These results suggest that the ridge in pp collisions arises from the same or similar underlying physics as observed in p+Pb collisions, and that the dynamics responsible for the ridge has no strong sqrt[s] dependence.

Measurements of the Total and Differential Higgs Boson Production Cross Sections Combining the H→γγ and H→ZZ

Measurements of the total and differential cross sections of Higgs boson production are performed using 20.3 fb^{-1} of pp collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=8 TeV and recorded by the ATLAS detector. Cross sections are obtained from measured H→γγ and H→ZZ^{*}→4ℓ event yields, which are combined accounting for detector efficiencies, fiducial acceptances, and branching fractions. Differential cross sections are reported as a function of Higgs boson transverse momentum, Higgs boson rapidity, number of jets in the event, and transverse momentum of the leading jet. The total production cross section is determined to be σ_{pp→H}=33.0±5.3 (stat)±1.6 (syst) pb. The measurements are compared to state-of-the-art predictions.

Search for Dark Matter in Events with Missing Transverse Momentum and a Higgs Boson Decaying to Two Photons in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=8 TeV with the ATLAS Detector.

Results of a search for new phenomena in events with large missing transverse momentum and a Higgs boson decaying to two photons are reported. Data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb^{-1} have been collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The observed data are well described by the expected standard model backgrounds. Upper limits on the cross section of events with large missing transverse momentum and a Higgs boson candidate are also placed. Exclusion limits are presented for models of physics beyond the standard model featuring dark-matter candidates.

Search for New Phenomena in Dijet Angular Distributions in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=8 TeV Measured with the ATLAS Detector.

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% C.L.; median expected limits are 8.9 TeV for the destructive interference scenario and 14.1 TeV for the constructive interference scenario.

Search for Scalar Charm Quark Pair Production in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=8 TeV with the ATLAS Detector.

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.

Search for a Charged Higgs Boson Produced in the Vector-Boson Fusion Mode with Decay H(±)→W(±)Z using pp Collisions at √s=8 TeV with the ATLAS Experiment.

A search for a charged Higgs boson, H(±), decaying to a W(±) boson and a Z boson is presented. The search is based on 20.3 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The H(±) boson is assumed to be produced via vector-boson fusion and the decays W(±)→qq' and Z→e(+)e(-)/µ(+)µ(-) are considered. The search is performed in a range of charged Higgs boson masses from 200 to 1000 GeV. No evidence for the production of an H(±) boson is observed. Upper limits of 31-1020 fb at 95% C.L. are placed on the cross section for vector-boson fusion production of an H(±) boson times its branching fraction to W(±)Z. The limits are compared with predictions from the Georgi-Machacek Higgs triplet model.

Search for a Heavy Neutral Particle Decaying to eµ, eτ, or µτ in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=8 TeV with the ATLAS Detector.

This Letter presents a search for a heavy neutral particle decaying into an opposite-sign different-flavor dilepton pair, e^{±}µ^{∓}, e^{±}τ^{∓}, or µ^{±}τ^{∓} using 20.3 fb^{-1} of pp collision data at sqrt[s]=8 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The numbers of observed candidate events are compatible with the standard model expectations. Limits are set on the cross section of new phenomena in two scenarios: the production of ν[over ˜]_{τ} in R-parity-violating supersymmetric models and the production of a lepton-flavor-violating Z^{'} vector boson.

Evidence of Wγγ Production in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=8 TeV and Limits on Anomalous Quartic Gauge Couplings with the ATLAS Detector.

This Letter reports evidence of triple gauge boson production pp→W(ℓν)γγ+X, which is accessible for the first time with the 8 TeV LHC data set. The fiducial cross section for this process is measured in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb^{-1}, collected by the ATLAS detector in 2012. Events are selected using the W boson decay to eν or µν as well as requiring two isolated photons. The measured cross section is used to set limits on anomalous quartic gauge couplings in the high diphoton mass region.

Determination of the Ratio of b-Quark Fragmentation Fractions f(s)/f(d) in pp Collisions at √s=7 TeV with the ATLAS Detector.

With an integrated luminosity of 2.47 fb(-1) recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, the exclusive decays B(s)(0)→J/ψϕ and B(d)(0)→J/ψK(*0) of B mesons produced in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV are used to determine the ratio of fragmentation fractions f(s)/f(d). From the observed B(s)(0)→J/ψϕ and B(d)(0)→J/ψK(*0) yields, the quantity (f(s)/f(d))[B(B(s)(0)→J/ψϕ)/B(B(d)(0)→J/ψK(*0))] is measured to be 0.199±0.004(stat)±0.008(syst). Using a recent theory prediction for [B(B(s)(0)→J/ψϕ)/B(B(d)(0)→J/ψK(*0))] yields (f(s)/f(d))=0.240±0.004(stat)±0.010(syst)±0.017(th). This result is based on a new approach that provides a significant improvement of the world average.

Search for Higgs boson pair production in the γγbb[over ¯] final state using pp collision data at sqrt[s]=8 TeV from the ATLAS detector.

Searches are performed for resonant and nonresonant Higgs boson pair production in the γγbb[over ¯] final state using 20 fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. A 95% confidence level upper limit on the cross section times branching ratio of nonresonant production is set at 2.2 pb, while the expected limit is 1.0 pb. The difference derives from a modest excess of events, corresponding to 2.4 standard deviations from the background-only hypothesis. The limit observed in the search for a narrow X→hh resonance ranges between 0.7 and 3.5 pb as a function of the resonance mass.

Search for Higgs and Z Boson Decays to J/ψγ and ϒ(nS)γ with the ATLAS Detector.

A search for the decays of the Higgs and Z bosons to J/ψγ and ϒ(nS)γ (n=1,2,3) is performed with pp collision data samples corresponding to integrated luminosities of up to 20.3 fb^{-1} collected at sqrt[s]=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess of events is observed above expected backgrounds and 95% C.L. upper limits are placed on the branching fractions. In the J/ψγ final state the limits are 1.5×10^{-3} and 2.6×10^{-6} for the Higgs and Z boson decays, respectively, while in the ϒ(1S,2S,3S)γ final states the limits are (1.3,1.9,1.3)×10^{-3} and (3.4,6.5,5.4)×10^{-6}, respectively.

Measurements of the Nuclear Modification Factor for Jets in Pb+Pb Collisions at √(s)NN]=2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector.

Measurements of inclusive jet production are performed in pp and Pb+Pb collisions at √(s)NN=2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 4.0 and 0.14 nb(-1), respectively. The jets are identified with the anti-k(t) algorithm with R=0.4, and the spectra are measured over the kinematic range of jet transverse momentum 32

Measurement of spin correlation in top-antitop quark events and search for top squark pair production in pp collisions at √s=8 TeV using the ATLAS detector.

A measurement of spin correlation in tt[over ¯] production is presented using data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb^{-1}. The correlation between the top and antitop quark spins is extracted from dilepton tt[over ¯] events by using the difference in the azimuthal angle between the two charged leptons in the laboratory frame. In the helicity basis the measured degree of correlation corresponds to A_{helicity}=0.38±0.04, in agreement with the standard model prediction. A search is performed for pair production of top squarks with masses close to the top quark mass decaying to predominantly right-handed top quarks and a light neutralino, the lightest supersymmetric particle. Top squarks with masses between the top quark mass and 191 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level.

Evidence for electroweak production of W±W±jj in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector.

This Letter presents the first study of W(±)W(±)jj, same-electric-charge diboson production in association with two jets, using 20.3 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s] = 8 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events with two reconstructed same-charge leptons (e(±)e(±), e(±)µ(±), and µ(±)µ(±)) and two or more jets are analyzed. Production cross sections are measured in two fiducial regions, with different sensitivities to the electroweak and strong production mechanisms. First evidence for W(±)W(±)jj production and electroweak-only W(±)W(±)jj production is observed with a significance of 4.5 and 3.6 standard deviations, respectively. The measured production cross sections are in agreement with standard model predictions. Limits at 95% confidence level are set on anomalous quartic gauge couplings.

Measurements of four-lepton production at the Z resonance in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 7 and 8 TeV with ATLAS.

Measurements of four-lepton (4ℓ, ℓ=e,µ) 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 regions m(ℓ+ℓ(-)) > 5 GeV and 80

Observation of an excited Bc(±) meson state with the ATLAS detector.

A search for excited states of the Bc(±) meson is performed using 4.9 fb(-1) of 7 TeV and 19.2 fb(-1) of 8 TeV pp collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. A new state is observed through its hadronic transition to the ground state, with the latter detected in the decay Bc(±)→J/ψπ(±). The state appears in the m(Bc(±)π(+)π(-))-m(Bc(±))-2m(π(±)) mass difference distribution with a significance of 5.2 standard deviations. The mass of the observed state is 6842±4±5 MeV, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. The mass and decay of this state are consistent with expectations for the second S-wave state of the Bc(±) meson, Bc(±)(2S).

Search for dark matter in events with a hadronically decaying W or Z boson and missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √s=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector.

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 √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. Limits are set on the mass scale in effective field theories that describe the interaction of dark matter and standard model particles, and on the cross section of Higgs production and decay to invisible particles. In addition, cross section limits on the anomalous production of W or Z bosons with large missing transverse momentum are set in two fiducial regions.