Two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 2.76 TeV measured with the ALICE experiment

The measurement of pion source radii in Pb-Pb collisions with the ALICE experiment at LHC is presented. By the analysis of Bose-Einstein enhancement in the correlation function of identical pions information on the size and evolution of the source region in space-time can be obtained. The source radii observed at LHC are larger than at RHIC, approximately scaling with the cube root of the particle multiplicity. A decrease of source radii with increasing pair momentum, indicating a collective expansion of the medium, was observed at RHIC and SPS and is also expected at LHC energies. The ALICE data confirm this and provide strict constraints on dynamical models describing the medium expansion. The results suggest that the created fireball has a higher temperature and a longer lifetime as compared to lower energies.Comment: Proceedings for "EPIC@LHC" 2011, Bari, Ital

Simplified Models for Dark Matter and Missing Energy Searches at the LHC

The study of collision events with missing energy as searches for the dark matter (DM) component of the Universe are an essential part of the extensive program looking for new physics at the LHC. Given the unknown nature of DM, the interpretation of such searches should be made broad and inclusive. This report reviews the usage of simplified models in the interpretation of missing energy searches. We begin with a brief discussion of the utility and limitation of the effective field theory approach to this problem. The bulk of the report is then devoted to several different simplified models and their signatures, including s-channel and t-channel processes. A common feature of simplified models for DM is the presence of additional particles that mediate the interactions between the Standard Model and the particle that makes up DM. We consider these in detail and emphasize the importance of their inclusion as final states in any coherent interpretation. We also review some of the experimental progress in the field, new signatures, and other aspects of the searches themselves. We conclude with comments and recommendations regarding the use of simplified models in Run-II of the LHC.Comment: v2. references added, version submitted to journal. v1. 47 pages, 13 plot

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements