Engineering topics

Aad, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Aad, G..

At least 127 records · Page 7

DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of the $B_s^0 → μμ$ effective lifetime with the ATLAS detector

This paper reports the first ATLAS measurement of the $B_s^0 → μμ$ effective lifetime. The measurement is based on the data collected in 2015–2016, amounting to 26.3 fb -1 of 13 TeV LHC proton-proton collisions. The proper decay-time distribution of 58 ± 13 background-subtracted signal candidates is fit with simulated signal templates parameterised as a function of the $B_s^0$ effective lifetime, with statistical uncertainties extracted through a Neyman construction. The resulting effective measurement of the $B_s^0 → μμ$ lifetime is 0.99$^{+0.42}_{-0.07}$ (stat.) ± 0.17 (syst.) ps and it is found to be consistent with the Standard Model.

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DOE OSTI2023

Search for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson decaying to tau leptons at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for dark matter produced in association with a Higgs boson in final states with two hadronically decaying τ-leptons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis uses 139 fb -1 of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018. No evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model is found. The results are interpreted in terms of a 2HDM+a model featuring two scalar Higgs doublets and a pseudoscalar singlet field. Exclusion limits on the parameters of the model in selected benchmark scenarios are derived at 95% confidence level. Model-independent limits are also set on the visible cross-section for processes beyond the Standard Model producing missing transverse momentum in association with a Higgs boson decaying into τ-leptons.

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DOE OSTI2023

Anomaly detection search for new resonances decaying into a Higgs boson and a generic new particle $X$ in hadronic final states using $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV $pp$ collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search is presented for a heavy resonance $Y$ decaying into a Standard Model Higgs boson $H$ and a new particle $X$ in a fully hadronic final state. The full Large Hadron Collider run 2 dataset of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector from 2015 to 2018 is used and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb –1 . The search targets the high $Y$-mass region, where the $H$ and $X$ have a significant Lorentz boost in the laboratory frame. A novel application of anomaly detection is used to define a general signal region, where events are selected solely because of their incompatibility with a learned background-only model. It is constructed using a jet-level tagger for signal-model-independent selection of the boosted $X$ particle, representing the first application of fully unsupervised machine learning to an ATLAS analysis. Two additional signal regions are implemented to target a benchmark $X$ decay into two quarks, covering topologies where the $X$ is reconstructed as either a single large-radius jet or two smallradius jets. The analysis selects Higgs boson decays into $b$$\overline{b}$, and a dedicated neural-network-based tagger provides sensitivity to the boosted heavy-flavor topology. No significant excess of data over the expected background is observed, and the results are presented as upper limits on the production cross section $σ$ ($pp$ → $Y$ → $XH$ → $q$$\overline{q}$$b$$\overline{b}$) for signals with $m_Y$ between 1.5 and 6 TeV and $m_X$ between 65 and 3000 GeV

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DOE OSTI2023

Search for Majorana neutrinos in same-sign WW scattering events from pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV

A search for Majorana neutrinos in same-sign WW scattering events is presented. The analysis uses $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV proton–proton collision data with an integrated luminosity of 140 fb -1 recorded during 2015–2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis targets final states including exactly two same-sign muons and at least two hadronic jets well separated in rapidity. The modelling of the main backgrounds, from Standard Model same-sign WW scattering and WZ production, is constrained with data in dedicated signal-depleted control regions. The distribution of the transverse momentum of the second-hardest muon is used to search for signals originating from a heavy Majorana neutrino with a mass between 50 GeV and 20 TeV. No significant excess is observed over the background expectation. The results are interpreted in a benchmark scenario of the Phenomenological Type-I Seesaw model. In addition, the sensitivity to the Weinberg operator is investigated. Upper limits at the 95% confidence level are placed on the squared muon-neutrino–heavy-neutrino mass-mixing matrix element |V μN | 2 as a function of the heavy Majorana neutrino’s mass m N , and on the effective μμ Majorana neutrino mass |m μμ |.

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DOE OSTI2023

Search for pairs of muons with small displacements in pp collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for new phenomena giving rise to pairs of opposite electrically charged muons with impact parameters in the millimetre range is presented, using 139 fb -1 of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV pp collision data from the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The search targets the gap in coverage between existing searches targeting final states with leptons with large displacement and prompt leptons. No significant excess over the background expectation is observed and exclusion limits are set on the mass of long-lived scalar supersymmetric muon-partners (smuons) with much lower lifetimes than previously targeted by displaced muon searches. Smuon lifetimes down to 1 ps are excluded for a smuon mass of 100 GeV, and smuon masses up to 520 GeV are excluded for a proper lifetime of 10 ps, at 95% confidence level. Finally, model-independent limits are set on the contribution from new phenomena to the signal-region yields.

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DOE OSTI2023

Searches for exclusive Higgs and Z boson decays into a vector quarkonium state and a photon using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of ATLAS $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV proton–proton collision data

Searches for the exclusive decays of Higgs and Z bosons into a vector quarkonium state and a photon are performed in the μ + μ - γ final state with a proton– proton collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 collected at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The observed data are compatible with the expected back grounds. The 95% confidence-level upper limits on the branching fractions of the Higgs boson decays into J/ψ γ , ψ(2S) γ , and $Υ$(1S, 2S, 3S) γ are found to be 2.0 × 10 -4 , 10.5×10 -4 , and (2.5, 4.2, 3.4)×10 -4 , respectively, assuming Standard Model production of the Higgs boson. The corresponding 95% CL upper limits on the branching fractions of the Z boson decays are 1.2 × 10 -6 , 2.4 × 10 -6 , and (1.1, 1.3, 2.4) × 10 -6 . An observed 95% CL interval of (-133, 175) is obtained for the κ c /κ γ ratio of Higgs boson coupling modifiers, and a 95% CL interval of (-37, 40) is obtained for κ b /κ γ .

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DOE OSTI2023

Search for a light charged Higgs boson in t → H±b decays, with H± → cb, in the lepton+jets final state in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for a charged Higgs boson, H ± , produced in top-quark decays, t → H ± b, is presented. The search targets H ± decays into a bottom and a charm quark, H ± → cb. The analysis focuses on a selection enriched in top-quark pair production, where one top quark decays into a leptonically decaying W boson and a bottom quark, and the other top quark decays into a charged Higgs boson and a bottom quark. This topology leads to a lepton-plus-jets final state, characterised by an isolated electron or muon and at least four jets. The search exploits the high multiplicity of jets containing b-hadrons, and deploys a neural network classifier that uses the kinematic differences between the signal and the background. The search uses a dataset of proton-proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV between 2015 and 2018 with the ATLAS detector at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, amounting to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 . Observed (expected) 95% confidence-level upper limits between 0.15% (0.09%) and 0.42% (0.25%) are derived for the product of branching fractions $\mathscr{B}$ (t → H ± b) × $\mathscr{B}$(H ± → cb) for charged Higgs boson masses between 60 and 160 GeV, assuming the SM production of the top-quark pairs.

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DOE OSTI2023

Measurements of differential cross sections of Higgs boson production through gluon fusion in the $H\rightarrow WW^{*}\rightarrow e\nu \mu \nu$ final state at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

Higgs boson production via gluon–gluon fusion is measured in the $H\rightarrow WW^{*}\rightarrow e\nu \mu \nu$ decay channel. The dataset utilized corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 collected by the ATLAS detector from $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton–proton collisions delivered by the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018. Differential cross sections are measured in a fiducial phase space restricted to the production of at most one additional jet. The results are consistent with Standard Model expectations, derived using different Monte Carlo generators.

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DOE OSTI2023

Search for flavor-changing neutral-current couplings between the top quark and the Z boson with proton-proton collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for flavor-changing neutral-current couplings between a top quark, an up or charm quark, and a $Z$ boson is presented, using proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analyzed data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 . The search targets both single-top-quark events produced as $gq$ → $tZ$ (with $q$ = $u, c$) and top-quark-pair events, with one top quark decaying through the $t$ → $Zq$ channel. The analysis considers events with three leptons (electrons or muons), a $b$-tagged jet, possible additional jets, and missing transverse momentum. The data are found to be consistent with the background-only hypothesis and 95% confidence-level limits on the $t$ → $Zq$ branching ratios, assuming only tensor operators of the Standard Model effective field theory framework contribute to the $tZq$ vertices. These are 6.2 x 10 -5 (13 x 10 -5 ) for $t$ → $Zu$ ($t$ → $Zc$) for a left-handed $tZq$ coupling, and 6.6 x 10 -5 (12 x 10 -5 ) in the case of a right-handed coupling. These results are interpreted as 95% CL upper limits on the strength of the corresponding couplings, yielding limits for |${C}^{(13)*}_{uW}$| and |${C}^{(13)*}_{uB}$| (|${C}^{(31)}_{uW}$| and |${C}^{(31)}_{uB}$|) of 0.15 (0.16), and limits for |${C}^{(23)*}_{uW}$| and |${C}^{(23)*}_{uB}$| (|${C}^{(32)}_{uW}$| and |${C}^{(32)}_{uB}$|) of 0.22 (0.21), assuming a new-physics energy scale Λ NP of 1 TeV.

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DOE OSTI2023

Comparison of inclusive and photon-tagged jet suppression in 5.02 TeV Pb+Pb collisions with ATLAS

Parton energy loss in the quark–gluon plasma (QGP) is studied with a measurement of photon-tagged jet production in 1.7 nb –1 of Pb+Pb data and 260 pb –1 of pp data, both at $\sqrt{^S{\text{NN}}}$ = 5.02 TeV, with the ATLAS detector. The process $pp$ → γ +jet+X and its analogue in Pb+Pb collisions is measured in events containing an isolated photon with transverse momentum ($p_{\text{T}}$) above 50 GeV and reported as a function of jet $p_{\text{T}}$. This selection results in a sample of jets with a steeply falling $p_{\text{T}}$ distribution that are mostly initiated by the showering of quarks. The $pp$ and Pb+Pb measurements are used to report the nuclear modification factor, $R_{\text{AA}}$, and the fractional energy loss, $S_{\text{loss}}$, for photon-tagged jets. In addition, the results are compared with the analogous ones for inclusive jets, which have a significantly smaller quark-initiated fraction. The $R_{\text{AA}}$ and $S_{\text{loss}}$ values are found to be significantly different between those for photon-tagged jets and inclusive jets, demonstrating that energy loss in the QGP is sensitive to the colour-charge of the initiating parton. Finally, the results are also compared with a variety of theoretical models of colour-charge-dependent energy loss.

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DOE OSTI2023

Search for single production of vector-like T quarks decaying into Ht or Zt in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper describes a search for the single production of an up-type vector-like quark (T) decaying as T → Ht or T → Zt. The search utilises a dataset of pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector during the 2015–2018 data-taking period of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb ₋1 . Data are analysed in final states containing a single lepton with multiple jets and b-jets. The presence of boosted heavy resonances in the event is exploited to discriminate the signal from the Standard Model background. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed, and 95% CL upper limits are set on the production cross section of T quarks in different decay channels. The results are interpreted in several benchmark scenarios to set limits on the mass and universal coupling strength (κ) of the vector-like quark. For singlet T quarks, κ values above 0.53 are excluded for all masses below 2.3 TeV. At a mass of 1.6 TeV, κ values as low as 0.35 are excluded. For T quarks in the doublet scenario, where the production cross section is much lower, κ values above 0.72 are excluded for all masses below 1.7 TeV, and this exclusion is extended to κ above 0.55 for low masses around 1.0 TeV.

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DOE OSTI2023

Evidence for the charge asymmetry in $pp$ → $t\bar{t}$ production at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Inclusive and differential measurements of the top–antitop ($t\bar{t}$) charge asymmetry ${A}_{C}^{t\bar{t}}$ and the leptonic asymmetry ${A}_{C}^{\ell\bar{\ell}}$ are presented in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement uses the complete Run 2 dataset, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb –1 , combines data in the single-lepton and dilepton channels, and employs reconstruction techniques adapted to both the resolved and boosted topologies. A Bayesian unfolding procedure is performed to correct for detector resolution and acceptance effects. The combined inclusive $t\bar{t}$ charge asymmetry is measured to be ${A}_{C}^{t\bar{t}}$ = 0.0068 ± 0.0015, which differs from zero by 4.7 standard deviations. Differential measurements are performed as a function of the invariant mass, transverse momentum and longitudinal boost of the $t\bar{t}$ system. Both the inclusive and differential measurements are found to be compatible with the Standard Model predictions, at next-to-next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics perturbation theory with next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections. The measurements are interpreted in the framework of the Standard Model effective field theory, placing competitive bounds on several Wilson coefficients.

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DOE OSTI2023

Strong Constraints on Jet Quenching in Centrality-Dependent p + Pb Collisions at 5.02 TeV from ATLAS

Jet quenching is the process of color-charged partons losing energy via interactions with quark-gluon plasma droplets created in heavy-ion collisions. The collective expansion of such droplets is well described by viscous hydrodynamics. Similar evidence of collectivity is consistently observed in smaller collision systems, including p p and p + Pb collisions. In contrast, while jet quenching is observed in Pb + Pb collisions, no evidence has been found in these small systems to date, raising fundamental questions about the nature of the system created in these collisions. The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider has measured the yield of charged hadrons correlated with reconstructed jets in 0.36 nb -1 of p + Pb and 3.6 pb -1 of pp collisions at 5.02 TeV. The yields of charged hadrons with ${p}^{ch}_{T}$ > 0.5 GeV near and opposite in azimuth to jets with ${p}^{jet}_{T}$ > 30 or 60 GeV, and the ratios of these yields between p + Pb and pp collisions, I pPb , are reported. The collision centrality of p + Pb events is categorized by the energy deposited by forward neutrons from the struck nucleus. The I pPb values are consistent with unity within a few percent for hadrons with ${p}^{ch}_{T}$ > 4 GeV at all centralities. These data provide new, strong constraints that preclude almost any parton energy loss in central p + Pb collisions.

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DOE OSTI2023

Measurement of the production of a $W$ boson in association with a charmed hadron in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = $\mathrm{13 TeV}$ with the ATLAS detector

The production of a $W$ boson in association with a single charm quark is studied using 140 fb –1 of $\sqrt{s}$ = $13$ $\mathrm{TeV}$ proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The charm quark is tagged by the presence of a charmed hadron reconstructed with a secondary-vertex fit. The $W$ boson is reconstructed from the decay to either an electron or a muon and the missing transverse momentum present in the event. The charmed mesons reconstructed are D + → K – π + π + and D *+ → D 0 π + → (K – π + ) π + and the charge conjugate decays in the fiducial regions where $p$ T ($e,μ$) > 30 GeV, |$η(e,μ)$| < 2.5, $p$ T (D (*) ) > 8 GeV, and |$η$(D (*) )| < 2.2. The integrated and normalized differential cross sections as a function of the pseudorapidity of the lepton from the $W$ boson decay, and of the transverse momentum of the charmed hadron, are extracted from the data using a profile likelihood fit. The measured total fiducial cross sections are ${σ}_{fid}^{OS – SS}$ (W – + D + ) = 50.2 ± 0.2 ${(stat)}_{–2.3}^{+2.4}$(syst) pb, ${σ}_{fid}^{OS – SS}$ (W + + D – ) = 48.5 ± 0.2 ${(stat)}_{–2.2}^{+2.3}$(syst) pb, ${σ}_{fid}^{OS – SS}$ (W – + D *+ ) = 51.1 ± 0.4 ${(stat)}_{–1.8}^{+1.9}$(syst) pb, ${σ}_{fid}^{OS – SS}$ (W + + D *– ) = 50.0 ± 0.4 ${(stat)}_{–1.8}^{+1.9}$(syst) pb. Results are compared with the predictions of next-to-leading-order quantum chromodynamics calculations performed using state-of-the-art parton distribution functions. Additionally, the ratio of charm to anticharm production cross sections is studied to probe the $s$-$\bar{s}$ quark asymmetry. The ratio is found to be ${R}_{c}^{±}$= 0.971 ± 0.006 (stat) ± 0.011 (syst). The ratio and cross-section measurements are consistent with the predictions obtained with parton distribution function sets that have a symmetric $s$-$\bar{s}$ sea, indicating that any $s$-$\bar{s}$ asymmetry in the Bjorken-x region relevant for this measurement is small.

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DOE OSTI2023

Search for pair-produced vector-like top and bottom partners in events with large missing transverse momentum in $pp$ collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for pair-produced vector-like quarks using events with exactly one lepton ($e$ or $μ$), at least four jets including at least one $b$-tagged jet, and large missing transverse momentum is presented. Data from proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC from 2015 to 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb –1 , are analysed. Vector-like partners $T$ and $B$ of the top and bottom quarks are considered, as is a vector-like $X$ with charge +5/3, assuming their decay into a $W$, $Z$, or Higgs boson and a third-generation quark. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectation are observed. Upper limits on the production cross-section of $T$ and $B$ quark pairs as a function of their mass are derived for various decay branching ratio scenarios. The strongest lower limits on the masses are 1.59 assuming mass-degenerate vector-like quarks and branching ratios corresponding to the weak-isospin doublet model, and 1.47 TeV (1.46 TeV) for exclusive $T$→$Zt$ ($B/X$→$Wt$) decays. In addition, lower limits on the $T$ and $B$ quark masses are derived for all possible branching ratios.

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DOE OSTI2023

Measurements of Higgs boson production by gluon-gluon fusion and vector-boson fusion using and vector-boson using $H$ → $WW*$ → $evμv$ decays in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Higgs boson production via gluon-gluon fusion and vector-boson fusion in proton-proton collisions is measured in the $H$ → $WW*$ → $evμv$ decay channel. The Large Hadron Collider delivered proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV between 2015 and 2018, which were recorded by the ATLAS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 . The total cross sections for Higgs boson production by gluon-gluon fusion and vector-boson fusion times the $H$ $\rightarrow$ $WW$* branching ratio are measured to be 12.0 ± 1.4 and ${0.75}_{- 0.16}^{+ 0.19}$ pb, respectively, in agreement with the Standard Model predictions of 10.4 ± 0.6 and 0.81 ± 0.02 pb. Higgs boson production is further characterized through measurements of Simplified Template Cross Sections in a total of 11 kinematic fiducial regions.

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Search for Heavy Neutral Leptons in Decays of $W$ Bosons Using a Dilepton Displaced Vertex in $\sqrt3$ = TeV $pp$ Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

A search for a long-lived, heavy neutral lepton ($\mathscr{N}$) in 139 fb -1 of $\sqrt3$ = TeV $pp$ collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider is reported. The $\mathscr{N}$ is produced via W → $\mathscr{N}$ μ or W → $\mathscr{N}$e and decays into two charged leptons and a neutrino, forming a displaced vertex. The $\mathscr{N}$ mass is used to discriminate between signal and background. No signal is observed, and limits are set on the squared mixing parameters of the $\mathscr{N}$ with the left-handed neutrino states for the $\mathscr{N}$ mass range 3 GeV < $m$ $\mathscr{N}$ < 15 GeV. For the first time, limits are given for both single-flavor and multiflavor mixing scenarios motivated by neutrino flavor oscillation results for both the normal and inverted neutrino-mass hierarchies.

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Studies of the muon momentum calibration and performance of the ATLAS detector with $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV

This paper presents the muon momentum calibration and performance studies for the ATLAS detector based on the $pp$ collisions data sample produced at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV at the LHC during Run 2 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb –1 . An innovative approach is used to correct for potential charge-dependent momentum biases related to the knowledge of the detector geometry, using the $Z$ → $μ^+$ $μ^–$ resonance. The muon momentum scale and resolution are measured using samples of $J/ψ$ → $μ^+$ $μ^–$ and $Z$ → $μ^+$ $μ^–$ events. A calibration procedure is defined and applied to simulated data to match the performance measured in real data. The calibration is validated using an independent sample of $Υ$ → $μ^+$ $μ^–$ events. At the Z ($J/ψ$) peak, the momentum scale is measured with an uncertainty at the 0.05% (0.1%) level, and the resolution is measured with an uncertainty at the 1.5% (2%) level. The charge-dependent bias is removed with a dedicated in situ correction for momenta up to 450 GeV with a precision better than 0.03 TeV –1 .

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