Beam-induced and cosmic-ray backgrounds observed in the ATLAS detector during the LHC 2012 proton-proton running period

This paper discusses various observations on beam-induced and cosmic-ray backgrounds in the ATLAS detector during the LHC 2012 proton-proton run. Building on published results based on 2011 data, the correlations between background and residual pressure of the beam vacuum are revisited. Ghost charge evolution over 2012 and its role for backgrounds are evaluated. New methods to monitor ghost charge with beam-gas rates are presented and observations of LHC abort gap population by ghost charge are discussed in detail. Fake jets from colliding bunches and from ghost charge are analysed with improved methods, showing that ghost charge in individual radio-frequency buckets of the LHC can be resolved. Some results of two short periods of dedicated cosmic-ray background data-taking are shown; in particular cosmic-ray muon induced fake jet rates are compared to Monte Carlo simulations and to the fake jet rates from beam background. A thorough analysis of a particular LHC fill, where abnormally high background was observed, is presented. Correlations between backgrounds and beam intensity losses in special fills with very high β* are studied

Beam-induced and cosmic-ray backgrounds observed in the ATLAS detector during the LHC 2012 proton-proton running period

This paper discusses various observations on beam-induced and cosmic-ray backgrounds in the ATLAS detector during the LHC 2012 proton-proton run. Building on published results based on 2011 data, the correlations between background and residual pressure of the beam vacuum are revisited. Ghost charge evolution over 2012 and its role for backgrounds are evaluated. New methods to monitor ghost charge with beam-gas rates are presented and observations of LHC abort gap population by ghost charge are discussed in detail. Fake jets from colliding bunches and from ghost charge are analysed with improved methods, showing that ghost charge in individual radio-frequency buckets of the LHC can be resolved. Some results of two short periods of dedicated cosmic-ray background data-taking are shown; in particular cosmic-ray muon induced fake jet rates are compared to Monte Carlo simulations and to the fake jet rates from beam background. A thorough analysis of a particular LHC fill, where abnormally high background was observed, is presented. Correlations between backgrounds and beam intensity losses in special fills with very high β∗ are studied

Study of the rare decays of B-s(0) and B-0 into muon pairs from data collected during the LHC Run 1 with the ATLAS detector

A study of the decays B0s→μ+μ−Bs0→μ+μ− and B0→μ+μ−B0→μ+μ− has been performed using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 25 fb −1−1 of 7 and 8 TeV proton–proton collisions collected with the ATLAS detector during the LHC Run 1. For the B0B0 dimuon decay, an upper limit on the branching fraction is set at B(B0→μ+μ−)<4.2×10−10B(B0→μ+μ−)<4.2×10−10 at 95 % confidence level. For B0sBs0 , the branching fraction B(B0s→μ+μ−)=(0.9+1.1−0.8)×10−9B(Bs0→μ+μ−)=(0.9−0.8+1.1)×10−9 is measured. The results are consistent with the Standard Model expectation with a p value of 4.8 %, corresponding to 2.0 standard deviations