Search NASA⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Ali, B.

Publications and source records attributed to Ali, B..

At least 55 records · Page 3

Search for low-mass resonances decaying into two jets and produced in association with a photon or a jet at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search is performed for localized excesses in the low-mass dijet invariant mass distribution, targeting a hypothetical new particle decaying into two jets and produced in association with either a high transverse momentum photon or a jet. The search uses the full Run 2 data sample from LHC proton-proton collisions collected by the ATLAS experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV during 2015–2018. Two variants of the search are presented for each type of initial-state radiation: one that makes no jet flavor requirements and one that requires both of the jets to have been identified as containing b-hadrons. No excess is observed relative to the Standard Model prediction, and the data are used to set upper limits on the production cross section for a benchmark Z' model and, separately, for generic, beyond the Standard Model scenarios which might produce a Gaussian-shaped contribution to dijet invariant mass distributions. The results extend the current constraints on dijet resonances to the mass range between 200 and 650 GeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for charged-lepton-flavor violating μ τ q t interactions in top-quark production and decay in p p collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

A search for charged-lepton-flavor violating μ τ q t (q = u, c) ) interactions is presented, considering both top-quark production and decay. The data analyzed correspond to 140 fb -1 of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis targets events containing two muons with the same electric charge, a hadronically decaying $\tau$ -lepton and at least one jet, with exactly one b -tagged jet, produced by a μ τ q t interaction. Agreement with the Standard Model expectation within 1.6 standard deviations is observed, and limits are set at the 95% confidence level (CL) on the charged-lepton-flavor violation branching ratio of $\mathcal{B}$(t → μ$\tau$q) < 8.7 x 10 -7 . An effective field theory interpretation is performed yielding 95% CL limits on Wilson coefficients, dependent on the flavor of the associated light quark and the Lorentz structure of the coupling. These range from |c$^{3(2313)}_{lequ}$|Λ 2 < 0.10 TeV -2 for μ$\tau$ut to |c$^{1(2323)}_{lequ}$| /Λ 2 < 1.8 TeV -2 for μ$\tau$ct. An additional interpretation is performed for scalar leptoquark production inducing charged-lepton-flavor violation, with fixed intergenerational couplings. Upper limits on leptoquark coupling strengths are set at the 95% CL, ranging from $\lambda$ LQ = 1.3 to $\lambda$ LQ =3.7 for leptoquark masses between 0.5 and 2.0 TeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Statistical Combination of ATLAS Run 2 Searches for Charginos and Neutralinos at the LHC

Statistical combinations of searches for charginos and neutralinos using various decay channels are performed using 139 fb −1 of 𝑝⁢𝑝 collision data at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Searches targeting pure-wino chargino pair production, pure-wino chargino-neutralino production, or Higgsino production decaying via standard model 𝑊, 𝑍, or ℎ bosons are combined to extend the mass reach to the produced supersymmetric particles by 30–100 GeV. The depth of the sensitivity of the original searches is also improved by the combinations, lowering the 95% C.L. cross-section upper limits by 15%–40%.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Inclusive and differential cross-section measurements of $ t\overline{t}Z$ production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector, including EFT and spin-correlation interpretations

Measurements of both the inclusive and differential production cross sections of a top-quark-top-antiquark pair in association with a Z boson ($t\overline{t}Z$) are presented. Final states with two, three or four isolated leptons (electrons or muons) are targeted. The measurements use the data recorded by the ATLAS detector in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider during the years 2015–2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb -1 . The inclusive cross section is measured to be ${\sigma}_{t\overline{t}Z}$ = 0.86 ± 0.04 (stat.) ± 0.04 (syst.) pb and found to be in agreement with the most advanced Standard Model predictions. The differential measurements are presented as a function of a number of observables that probe the kinematics of the $t\overline{t}Z$ system. Both the absolute and normalised differential cross-section measurements are performed at particle level and parton level for specific fiducial volumes, and are compared with NLO+NNLL theoretical predictions. The results are interpreted in the framework of Standard Model effective field theory and used to set limits on a large number of dimension-6 operators involving the top quark. The first measurement of spin correlations in $t\overline{t}Z$ events is presented: the results are in agreement with the Standard Model expectations, and the null hypothesis of no spin correlations is disfavoured with a significance of 1.8 standard deviations.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurements of jet quenching using semi-inclusive hadron+jet distributions in 𝑝⁢𝑝 and central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The ALICE Collaboration reports measurements of the semi-inclusive distribution of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high pT) charged hadron, in pp and central Pb-Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon–nucleon collision $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV. The large uncorrelated background in central Pb-Pb collisions is corrected using a data-driven statistical approach which enables precise measurement of recoil jet distributions over a broad range in p T,ch jet and jet resolution parameter R. Recoil jet yields are reported for R = 0.2, 0.4, and 0.5 in the range 7 < p T,ch jet < 140 GeV/c and π/2 < φ < π, where φ is the azimuthal angular separation between hadron trigger and recoil jet. The low-p T,ch jet reach of the measurement explores unique phase space for studying jet quenching, the interaction of jets with the quark–gluon plasma generated in high-energy nuclear collisions. Comparison of p T,ch jet distributions from pp and central Pb-Pb collisions probes medium-induced jet energy loss and intra-jet broadening, while comparison of their acopla narity distributions explores in-medium jet scattering and medium response. The measurements are compared to theoretical calculations incorporating jet quenching.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Observation of Medium-Induced Yield Enhancement and Acoplanarity Broadening of Low-𝑝T Jets from Measurements in 𝑝⁢𝑝 and Central Pb-Pb Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

The ALICE Collaboration reports the measurement of semi-inclusive distributions of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high p T ) hadron trigger in proton-proton and central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV. A data-driven statistical method is used to mitigate the large uncorrelated background in central Pb-Pb collisions. Recoil jet distributions are reported for jet resolution parameter R = 0.2, 0.4, and 0.5 in the range 7 < p T.jet < 140 GeV=c and trigger-recoil jet azimuthal separation π/2 < Δφ < π. The measurements exhibit a marked medium-induced jet yield enhancement at low p T and at large azimuthal deviation from Δφ ~ π. The enhancement is characterized by its dependence on Δφ, which has a slope that differs from zero by 4.7σ. Comparisons to model calculations incorporating different formulations of jet quenching are reported. These comparisons indicate that the observed yield enhancement arises from the response of the QGP medium to jet propagation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurements of electroweak W ± Z boson pair production in association with two jets in pp collisions at $ \sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Measurements of integrated and diferential cross-sections for electroweak W ± Z production in association with two jets (W ± Zjj) in proton-proton collisions are presented. The data collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider from 2015 to 2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb -1 . The W ± Zjj candidate events are reconstructed using leptonic decay modes of the gauge bosons. Events containing three identifed leptons, either electrons or muons, and two jets are selected. Processes involving pure electroweak W ± Zjj production at Born level are separated from W ± Zjj production involving a strong coupling. The measured integrated fducial cross-section of electroweak W ± Zjj production per lepton favour is σ W Zjj-EW→ℓ' νℓℓjj = 0.368 ± 0.037 (stat.) ± 0.059 (syst.) ± 0.003 (lumi.) fb, where ℓ and ℓ' are either an electron or a muon. Respective cross-sections of electroweak and strong W ± Zjj production are measured separately for events with exactly two jets or with more than two jets, and in three bins of the invariant mass of the two jets. The inclusive W ± Zjj production cross-section, without separating electroweak and strong production, is also measured to be σ W Zjj→ℓ ' νℓℓjj = 1.462 ± 0.063 (stat.) ± 0.118 (syst.) ± 0.012 (lumi.) fb, per lepton favour. The inclusive W ± Zjj production cross-section is measured diferentially for several kinematic observables. Finally, the measurements are used to constrain anomalous quartic gauge couplings by extracting 95% confdence level intervals on dimension-8 operators.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of jet substructure in boosted $t\overline{t}$ events with the ATLAS detector using 140 fb -1 of 13 TeV $pp$ collisions

Measurements of the substructure of top-quark jets are presented, using 140 fb -1 of 13 TeV pp collision data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Top-quark jets reconstructed with the anti-k t algorithm with a radius parameter R = 1.0 are selected in top-quark pair ($t\overline{t}$) events where one top quark decays semileptonically and the other hadronically, or where both top quarks decay hadronically. The top-quark jets are required to have transverse momentum p T > 350 GeV, yielding large samples of data events with jet p T values between 350 and 600 GeV. One- and two-dimensional differential cross sections for eight substructure variables, defined using only the charged components of the jets, are measured in a particle-level phase space by correcting for the smearing and acceptance effects induced by the detector. The differential cross sections are compared with the predictions of several Monte Carlo simulations in which top-quark pair-production quantum chromodynamic matrix-element calculations at next-to-leading-order precision in the strong coupling constant α S are passed to leading-order parton shower and hadronization generators. The Monte Carlo predictions for measures of the broadness, and also the two-body structure, of the top-quark jets are found to be in good agreement with the measurements, while variables sensitive to the three-body structure of the top-quark jets exhibit some tension with the measured distributions.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Systematic study of flow vector fluctuations in $\sqrt{S_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV Pb-Pb collisions

Measurements of the 𝑝 T -dependent flow vector fluctuations in Pb–Pb collisions at $\sqrt{S_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV using azimuthal correlations with the ALICE experiment at the Large Hadron Collider are presented. A four-particle correlation approach [ALICE Collaboration, Phys. Rev. C 107, L051901 (2023)] is used to quantify the effects of flow angle and magnitude fluctuations separately. This paper extends previous studies to additional centrality intervals and provides measurements of the 𝑝 T -dependent flow vector fluctuations at $\sqrt{S_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV with two-particle correlations. Significant 𝑝 T -dependent fluctuations of the $\vec{𝑉}$ 2 flow vector in Pb–Pb collisions are found across different centrality ranges, with the largest fluctuations of up to ∼15% being present in the 5% most central collisions. In parallel, no evidence of significant 𝑝 T -dependent fluctuations of $\vec{𝑉}$ 3 or $\vec{𝑉}$ 4 is found. Additionally, evidence of flow angle and magnitude fluctuations is observed with more than 5⁢𝜎 significance in central collisions. These observations in Pb–Pb collisions indicate where the classical picture of hydrodynamic modeling with a common symmetry plane breaks down. This has implications for hard probes at high 𝑝 T , which might be biased by 𝑝 T -dependent flow angle fluctuations of at least 23% in central collisions. Given the presented results, existing theoretical models should be reexamined to improve our understanding of initial conditions, quark–gluon plasma properties, and the dynamic evolution of the created system.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Search for pair production of higgsinos in events with two Higgs bosons and missing transverse momentum in $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 13 TeV 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions at the ATLAS experiment

This paper presents a search for pair production of higgsinos, the supersymmetric partners of the Higgs bosons, in scenarios with gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. Each higgsino is assumed to decay into a Higgs boson and a nearly massless gravitino. The search targets events where each Higgs boson decays into $b\bar{b}$, leading to a reconstructed final state with at least three energetic 𝑏-jets and missing transverse momentum. Two complementary analysis channels are used, with each channel specifically targeting either low or high values of the higgsino mass. The low-mass (high-mass) channel exploits 126 (139) fb −1 of $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 13 TeV data collected by the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess above the Standard Model prediction is found. At 95% confidence level, masses between 130 GeV and 940 GeV are excluded for higgsinos decaying exclusively into Higgs bosons and gravitinos. Exclusion limits as a function of the higgsino decay branching ratio to a Higgs boson are also reported.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for singly produced vectorlike top partners in multilepton final states with 139 fb −1 of 𝑝⁢𝑝 collision data at √𝑠 =13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for the single production of a vectorlike top partner (𝑇) with mass greater than 1 TeV decaying into a 𝑍 boson and a top quark is presented, using the full Run 2 dataset corresponding to 139 fb −1 of 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions at √𝑠 =13 TeV, collected in 2015–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The targeted final state is characterized by the presence of a pair of electrons or muons with opposite-sign charges which form a 𝑍-boson candidate, as well as by the presence of 𝑏-tagged jets and forward jets. Events with exactly two or at least three leptons are categorized into two independently optimized analysis channels. No significant excess above the background expectation is observed and the results from the two channels are statistically combined to set exclusion limits at 95% confidence level on the masses and couplings of 𝑇. The results are interpreted in several benchmark scenarios to set limits on the mass and universal coupling strength (𝜅) of the vectorlike quark. For singlet 𝑇 quarks, 𝜅 values between 0.22 and 0.64 are excluded for masses between 1000 and 1975 GeV. For 𝑇 quarks in the doublet scenario, where the production cross section is much lower, 𝜅 values between 0.54 and 0.88 are excluded for masses between 1000 and 1425 GeV.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Search for high-mass resonances in final states with a τ-lepton and missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector

A search for high-mass resonances decaying into a τ-lepton and a neutrino using proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ =13 TeV is presented. The full run 2 data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb -1 recorded by the ATLAS experiment in the years 2015–2018 is analyzed. The τ-lepton is reconstructed in its hadronic decay modes and the total transverse momentum carried out by neutrinos is inferred from the reconstructed missing transverse momentum. The search for new physics is performed on the transverse mass between the τ-lepton and the missing transverse momentum. No excess of events above the Standard Model expectation is observed and upper exclusion limits are set on the W' →τ⁢v production cross section. Heavy W' vector bosons with masses up to 5.0 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level, assuming that they have the same couplings as the Standard Model W boson. For nonuniversal couplings, W' bosons are excluded for masses less than 3.5–5.0 TeV, depending on the model parameters. In addition, model-independent limits on the visible cross section times branching ratio are determined as a function of the lower threshold on the transverse mass of the τ-lepton and missing transverse momentum.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for Nearly Mass-Degenerate Higgsinos Using Low-Momentum Mildly Displaced Tracks in 𝑝⁢𝑝 Collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

Higgsinos with masses near the electroweak scale can solve the hierarchy problem and provide a dark matter candidate, while detecting them at the LHC remains challenging if their mass splitting is 𝒪⁡(1 GeV). This Letter presents a novel search for nearly mass-degenerate Higgsinos in events with an energetic jet, missing transverse momentum, and a low-momentum track with a significant transverse impact parameter using 140 fb −1 of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment. For the first time since LEP, a range of mass splittings between the lightest charged and neutral Higgsinos from 0.3 to 0.9 GeV is excluded at 95% confidence level, with a maximum reach of approximately 170 GeV in the Higgsino mass.

Hadron colliders↗

Multiplicity-dependent production of Σ(1385) ± and Ξ(1530) 0 in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

The production yields of the Σ(1385) ± and Ξ(1530) 0 resonances are measured in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with ALICE. The measurements are performed as a function of the charged-particle multiplicity $\langle$dN ch /dη$\rangle$, which is related to the energy density produced in the collision. The results include transverse momentum (p T ) distributions, p T - integrated yields, mean transverse momenta of Σ(1385) ± and Ξ(1530) 0 , as well as ratios of the p T - integrated resonance yields relative to yields of other hadron species. The Σ(1385) ± /π ± and Ξ(1530) 0 /π ± yield ratios are consistent with the trend of the enhancement of strangeness production from low to high multiplicity pp collisions, which was previously observed for strange and multi-strange baryons. The yield ratio between the measured resonances and the long-lived baryons with the same strangeness content exhibits a hint of a mild increasing trend at low multiplicity, despite too large uncertainties to exclude the flat behaviour. The results are compared with predictions from models such as EPOS-LHC and PYTHIA 8 with Rope shoving. The latter provides the best description of the multiplicity dependence of the Σ(1385) ± and Ξ(1530) 0 production in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Measurement of t -channel production of single top quarks and antiquarks in pp collisions at 13 TeV using the full ATLAS Run 2 data sample

The production of single top quarks and top antiquarks via the t-channel exchange of a virtual W boson is measured in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV at the LHC using 140 fb -1 of ATLAS data. The total cross-sections are determined to be σ(tq) = 137$^{+8}_{-8}$ pb and σ($\bar{t}q$) = 84$^{+6}_{-5}$ pb for top-quark and top-antiquark production, respectively. The combined cross-section is found to be σ(tq + $\bar{t}q$) = 221$^{+13}_{-13}$ pb and the cross-section ratio is R t = σ(tq) / σ($\bar{t}q$) = 1.636$^{+0.036}_{-0.034}$. The predictions at next-to-next-to-leading-order in quantum chromodynamics are in good agreement with these measurements. The predicted value of R t using different sets of parton distribution functions is compared with the measured value, demonstrating the potential to further constrain the functions when using this result in global fits. The measured cross-sections are interpreted in an effective field theory approach, setting limits at the 95% confidence level on the strength of a four-quark operator and an operator coupling the third quark generation to the Higgs boson doublet: -0.37 < C$^{3,1}_{Qq}$ /Λ 2 < 0.06 and -0.87 < C$^{3}_{ΦQ}$ / Λ 2 < 1.42. The constraint |V tb | > 0.95 at the 95% confdence level is derived from the measured value of σ(tq + $\bar{t}q$), assuming that the Wtb interaction is a left-handed weak coupling and that |V tb | $\gg$ |V td |, |V ts |. In a more general approach, pairs of CKM matrix elements involving top quarks are simultaneously constrained, leading to confdence contours in the corresponding two-dimensional parameter spaces.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for new particles in final states with a boosted top quark and missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for events with one top quark and missing transverse momentum in the final state is presented. The fully hadronic decay of the top quark is explored by selecting events with a reconstructed boosted top-quark topology produced in association with large missing transverse momentum. The analysis uses 139 fb -1 of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV recorded during 2015-2018 by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The results are interpreted in the context of simplified models for Dark Matter particle production and the single production of a vector-like T quark. Without significant excess relative to the Standard Model expectations, 95% confidence-level upper limits on the corresponding cross-sections are obtained. The production of Dark Matter particles in association with a single top quark is excluded for masses of a scalar (vector) mediator up to 4.3 (2.3) TeV, assuming m χ = 1 GeV and the model couplings λ q = 0.6 and λ χ = 0.4 (a = 0.5 and g χ = 1). The production of a single vector-like T quark is excluded for masses below 1.8 TeV assuming a coupling to the top quark κ T = 0.5 and a branching ratio for T → Zt of 25%.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Search for jet quenching effects in high-multiplicity pp collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV via di-jet acoplanarity

The ALICE Collaboration reports a search for jet quenching effects in high-multiplicity (HM) proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, using the semi-inclusive azimuthal-difference distribution Δφ of charged-particle jets recoiling from a high transverse momentum (high-p T,trig ) trigger hadron. Jet quenching may broaden the Δφ distribution measured in HM events compared to that in minimum bias (MB) events. The measurement employs a p T,trig -differential observable for data-driven suppression of the contribution of multiple partonic interactions, which is the dominant background. While azimuthal broadening is indeed observed in HM compared to MB events, similar broadening for HM events is observed for simulations based on the PYTHIA 8 Monte Carlo generator, which does not incorporate jet quenching. Detailed analysis of these data and simulations show that the azimuthal broadening is due to bias of the HM selection towards events with multiple jets in the final state. The identification of this bias has implications for all jet quenching searches where selection is made on the event activity.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Azimuthal Angle Correlations of Muons Produced via Heavy-Flavor Decays in 5.02 TeV Pb+Pb and pp Collisions with the ATLAS Detector

Angular correlations between heavy quarks provide a unique probe of the quark-gluon plasma created in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. Results are presented of a measurement of the azimuthal angle correlations between muons originating from semileptonic decays of heavy quarks produced in 5.02 TeV Pb+Pb and pp collisions at the LHC. The muons are measured with transverse momenta and pseudorapidities satisfying p$^μ_T$ > 4 GeV and |η μ | < 2.4, respectively. The distributions of azimuthal angle separation Δ⁢Φ for muon pairs having pseudorapidity separation |Δη| > 0.8, are measured in different Pb +Pb centrality intervals and compared to the same distribution measured in pp collisions at the same center-of-mass energy. Results are presented separately for muon pairs with opposite-sign charges, same-sign charges, and all pairs. A clear peak is observed in all Δ⁢Φ distributions at Δ⁢Φ ~ π, consistent with the parent heavy-quark pairs being produced via hard-scattering processes. The widths of that peak, characterized using Cauchy-Lorentz fits to the Δ⁢Φ distributions, are found to not vary significantly as a function of Pb +Pb collision centrality and are similar for pp and Pb +Pb collisions. This observation will provide important constraints on theoretical descriptions of heavy-quark interactions with the quark-gluon plasma.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗