Measurement of the properties of Higgs boson production at √s = 13 TeV in the H → γγ channel using 139 fb−1 of p p collision data with the ATLAS experiment

Measurements of Higgs boson production cross-sections are carried out in the diphoton decay channel using 139 fb−1 of pp collision data at s√=13 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The analysis is based on the definition of 101 distinct signal regions using machine-learning techniques. The inclusive Higgs boson signal strength in the diphoton channel is measured to be 1.04+0.10−0.09. Cross-sections for gluon-gluon fusion, vector-boson fusion, associated production with a W or Z boson, and top associated production processes are reported. An upper limit of 10 times the Standard Model prediction is set for the associated production process of a Higgs boson with a single top quark, which has a unique sensitivity to the sign of the top quark Yukawa coupling. Higgs boson production is further characterized through measurements of Simplified Template Cross-Sections (STXS). In total, cross-sections of 28 STXS regions are measured. The measured STXS cross-sections are compatible with their Standard Model predictions, with a p-value of 93%. The measurements are also used to set constraints on Higgs boson coupling strengths, as well as on new interactions beyond the Standard Model in an effective field theory approach. No significant deviations from the Standard Model predictions are observed in these measurements, which provide significant sensitivity improvements compared to the previous ATLAS results

Exclusive dielectron production in ultraperipheral Pb+Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV with ATLAS

Exclusive production of dielectron pairs, γγ → e + e −, is studied using Lint = 1.72 nb−1 of data from ultraperipheral collisions of lead nuclei at sNN = 5.02 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The process of interest proceeds via photon–photon interactions in the strong electromagnetic fields of relativistic lead nuclei. Dielectron production is measured in the fiducial region defined by following requirements: electron transverse momentum pTe > 2.5 GeV, absolute electron pseudorapidity |η e | < 2.5, dielectron invariant mass mee > 5 GeV, and dielectron transverse momentum pTee < 2 GeV. Differential cross-sections are measured as a function of mee, average pTe , absolute dielectron rapidity |yee|, and scattering angle in the dielectron rest frame, |cos θ *|, in the inclusive sample, and also with a requirement of no activity in the forward direction. The total integrated fiducial cross-section is measured to be 215±1(stat.)−20+23(syst.)±4(lumi.) μb. Within experimental uncertainties the measured integrated cross-section is in good agreement with the QED predictions from the Monte Carlo programs Starlight and SuperChic, confirming the broad features of the initial photon fluxes. The differential cross-sections show systematic differences from these predictions which are more pronounced at high |yee | and |cos θ * | values. [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

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 pp 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 pchT>0.5 GeV near and opposite in azimuth to jets with pjetT>30 or 60 GeV, and the ratios of these yields between p+Pb and pp collisions, IpPb, are reported. The collision centrality of p+Pb events is categorized by the energy deposited by forward neutrons from the struck nucleus. The IpPb values are consistent with unity within a few percent for hadrons with pchT>4 GeV at all centralities. These data provide new, strong constraints which preclude almost any parton energy loss in central p+Pb collisions

Inclusive and differential cross-sections for dilepton tt ̄ production measured in √s = 13 TeV p p collisions with the ATLAS detector

Differential and double-differential distributions of kinematic variables of leptons from decays of top-quark pairs (tt ̄) are measured using the full LHC Run 2 data sample collected with the ATLAS detector. The data were collected at a pp collision energy of s = 13 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb −1. The measurements use events containing an oppositely charged eμ pair and b-tagged jets. The results are compared with predictions from several Monte Carlo generators. While no prediction is found to be consistent with all distributions, a better agreement with measurements of the lepton p T distributions is obtained by reweighting the tt ̄ sample so as to reproduce the top-quark p T distribution from an NNLO calculation. The inclusive top-quark pair production cross-section is measured as well, both in a fiducial region and in the full phase-space. The total inclusive cross-section is found to be σtt ̄=829±1(stat)±13(syst)±8(lumi)±2(beam)pb, where the uncertainties are due to statistics, systematic effects, the integrated luminosity and the beam energy. This is in excellent agreement with the theoretical expectation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Combination of searches for invisible decays of the Higgs boson using 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at s=13 TeV collected with the ATLAS experiment

Many extensions of the Standard Model predict the production of dark matter particles at the LHC. Sufficiently light dark matter particles may be produced in decays of the Higgs boson that would appear invisible to the detector. This Letter presents a statistical combination of searches for H→invisible decays where multiple production modes of the Standard Model Higgs boson are considered. These searches are performed with the ATLAS detector using 139 fb−1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre–of–mass energy of [Formula presented] at the LHC. In combination with the results at [Formula presented] and [Formula presented], an upper limit on the H→invisible branching ratio of 0.107 (0.077) at the 95% confidence level is observed (expected). These results are also interpreted in the context of models where the 125 GeV Higgs boson acts as a portal to dark matter, and limits are set on the scattering cross-section of weakly interacting massive particles and nucleons

Measurement of the Higgs boson mass in the H → ZZ⁎ → 4l decay channel using 139 fb−1 of s=13 TeV pp collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The mass of the Higgs boson is measured in the H→ZZ⁎→4l decay channel. The analysis uses proton–proton collision data from the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector between 2015 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. The measured value of the Higgs boson mass is 124.99±0.18(stat.)±0.04(syst.) GeV. In final states with muons, this measurement benefits from an improved momentum-scale calibration relative to that adopted in previous publications. The measurement also employs an analytic model that takes into account the invariant-mass resolution of the four-lepton system on a per-event basis and the output of a deep neural network discriminating signal from background events. This measurement is combined with the corresponding measurement using 7 and 8 TeV pp collision data, resulting in a Higgs boson mass of 124.94±0.17(stat.)±0.03(syst.) GeV

Measurement of exclusive pion pair production in proton–proton collisions at √s=7TeV with the ATLAS detector

The exclusive production of pion pairs in the process pp→ ppπ+π- has been measured at s=7TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, using 80μb-1 of low-luminosity data. The pion pairs were detected in the ATLAS central detector while outgoing protons were measured in the forward ATLAS ALFA detector system. This represents the first use of proton tagging to measure an exclusive hadronic final state at the LHC. A cross-section measurement is performed in two kinematic regions defined by the proton momenta, the pion rapidities and transverse momenta, and the pion–pion invariant mass. Cross-section values of 4.8±1.0(stat)-0.2+0.3(syst)μb and 9±6(stat)-2+2(syst)μb are obtained in the two regions; they are compared with theoretical models and provide a demonstration of the feasibility of measurements of this type

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 millimeter range is presented, using 139 fb−1 of √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

Measurement of the cross-sections of the electroweak and total production of a Zγ pair in association with two jets in pp collisions at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This Letter presents the measurement of the fiducial and differential cross-sections of the electroweak production of a Zγ pair in association with two jets. The analysis uses 140 fb−1 of LHC proton–proton collision data taken at s=13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector during the years 2015–2018. Events with a Z boson candidate decaying into either an e+e− or μ+μ− pair, a photon and two jets are selected. The electroweak component is extracted by requiring a large dijet invariant mass and by using the information about the centrality of the system and is measured with an observed and expected significance well above five standard deviations. The fiducial pp→Zγjj cross-section for the electroweak production is measured to be 3.6 ± 0.5 fb. The total fiducial cross-section that also includes contributions where the jets arise from strong interactions is measured to be 16.8−1.8+2.0 fb. The results are consistent with the Standard Model predictions. Differential cross-sections are also measured using the same events and are compared with parton-shower Monte Carlo simulations. Good agreement is observed between data and predictions

Search for an axion-like particle with forward proton scattering in association with photon pairs at ATLAS

A search for forward proton scattering in association with light-by-light scattering mediated by an axion-like particle is presented, using the ATLAS Forward Proton spectrometer to detect scattered protons and the central ATLAS detector to detect pairs of outgoing photons. Proton-proton collision data recorded in 2017 at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV were analysed, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 14.6 fb −1. A total of 441 candidate events were selected. A search was made for a narrow resonance in the diphoton mass distribution, corresponding to an axion-like particle (ALP) with mass in the range 150–1600 GeV. No excess is observed above a smooth background. Upper limits on the production cross section of a narrow resonance are set as a function of the mass, and are interpreted as upper limits on the ALP production coupling constant, assuming 100% decay branching ratio into a photon pair. The inferred upper limit on the coupling constant is in the range 0.04–0.09 TeV −1 at 95% confidence level. [Figure not available: see fulltext.