A Search for the Higgs Boson Produced in Association With a Vector Boson Using the ATLAS Detector at the LHC

This dissertation presents two searches for the Standard Model Higgs boson produced in association with a vector boson and decaying via $H\to b\bar{b}$. Specifically, the processes are: \llbb\ alone, and again in combination with the \vvbb\ and \lvbb\ processes. The dataset used for the analysis consists of 4.7 fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s} =$7~TeV and 20.3 fb$^{-1}$at $\sqrt{s} =$8~TeV from LHC collisions. The search was optimized without bias to a particular mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson. Background processes contributing to the total number of observed events are estimated using a combination of Monte Carlo simluation and data-driven techniques. Utilizing a maximum-likelihood analysis, an observed upper limit on the cross section at the 95\% confidence interval for the \llbb\ channel is set at 2.76 times the Standard Model cross section with an expected limit of 2.54, and the observed upper limit for the combined search is 2.3 times the Standard Model cross section, with an expected limit of 1.01. Furthermore, compatibility with the Standard Model expectation is evaluated through the parameter $\mu$ = $\frac{\sigma_{observed}}{\sigma_{Standard Model}}$ and found to be $0.17\pm1.4$ for the \llbb\ analysis, and $1.09\pm0.61$ for the combined analysis, both consistent with the Standard Model expectation of 1

Search for lepton flavour violation in the eμ continuum with the ATLAS detector in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions at the LHC

This paper presents a search for the t-channel exchange of an R-parity violating scalar top quark (t) in the e^± μ^∓ continuum using 2.1 fb^(−1) of data collected by the ATLAS detector in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. Data are found to be consistent with the expectation from the Standard Model backgrounds. Limits on R-parity-violating couplings at 95 % C.L. are calculated as a function of the scalar top mass (mt). The upper limits on the production cross section for pp → eμX, through the t-channel exchange of a scalar top quark, ranges from 170 fb for m_t=95 GeV to 30 fb for m_t=1000 GeV

A search for tt resonances with the ATLAS detector in 2.05 fb^(−1) of proton-proton collisions at √s =7 TeV

A search for top quark pair resonances in final states containing at least one electron or muon has been performed with the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The search uses a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.05 fb^(−1), which was recorded in 2011 at a proton-proton centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. No evidence for a resonance is found and limits are set on the production cross-section times branching ratio to tt for narrow and wide resonances. For narrow Z′ bosons, the observed 95 % Bayesian credibility level limits range from 9.3 pb to 0.95 pb for masses in the range of m_(Z′)=500 GeV to m_(Z′)=1300 GeV. The corresponding excluded mass region for a leptophobic topcolour Z′ boson (Kaluza-Klein gluon excitation in the Randall-Sundrum model) is m_(Z′)<880 GeV (m_(gKK)< 1130 GeV)

Measurement of dijet production with a veto on additional central jet activity in pp collisions at √s = 7TeV using the ATLAS detector

A measurement of jet activity in the rapidity interval bounded by a dijet system is presented. Events are vetoed if a jet with transverse momentum greater than 20 GeV is found between the two boundary jets. The fraction of dijet events that survive the jet veto is presented for boundary jets that are separated by up to six units of rapidity and with mean transverse momentum 50 < p_T < 500 GeV. The mean multiplicity of jets above the veto scale in the rapidity interval bounded by the dijet system is also presented as an alternative method for quantifying perturbative QCD emission. The data are compared to a next-to-leading order plus parton shower prediction from the powheg-box, an all-order resummation using the hej calculation and the pythia, herwig++ and alpgen event generators. The measurement was performed using pp collisions at √s=7 TeV using data recorded by the ATLAS detector in 2010

An Investigation of Counterfactual Thinking in Individuals Diagnoses with Diabetes

Diabetes affects both the physical and emotional well-being of over 29 million Americans. Thus, it is important to investigate the psychological factors that can influence appropriate diabetes self-care. The present study investigates whether counterfactual thoughts might be related to how an individual copes with diabetes. The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach consisting of a quantitative survey assessing psychosocial factors, and a qualitative interview with the participant. The interview includes questions about the participant’s thoughts and feelings with their experience of diabetes, noting when participants spontaneously generate counterfactual thoughts about how things might be different if they hadn’t been diagnosed with diabetes. Currently, 31 people have completed the protocol (11 males and 20 females). These preliminary results suggest that an increase in counterfactual thinking is marginally associated with higher levels of guilt (r(29) = .326, p = .085). Further, these higher levels of guilt are strongly associated with the maladaptive coping mechanisms of self-blame (r(29) = .671, p \u3c .001) and behavioral disengagement (r(29) = .541, p = .002). Notably, high levels of self-blame and behavioral disengagement were marginally associated with lower levels of diabetes self-efficacy (r(29) = -.303, p = .104, and r(29) = -.331, p =.074, respectively). Appropriate diabetes self-care is essential to the prevention of serious complications like blindness and amputation. This preliminary evidence suggests that certain types of counterfactual thoughts may undermine appropriate diabetes self-care. Further research on counterfactual thinking may assist in the design of educational initiatives to encourage successful diabetes self-care

Measurement of the inclusive jet cross-section in pp collisions at √s = 2.76 TeV and comparison to the inclusive jet cross-section at √s = 7 TeV using the ATLAS detector

The inclusive jet cross-section has been measured in proton–proton collisions at √s = 2.76 TeV in a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.20^(-1) collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2011. Jets are identified using the anti-k_t algorithm with two radius parameters of 0.4 and 0.6. The inclusive jet double-differential cross-section is presented as a function of the jet transverse momentum p_T and jet rapidity y, covering a range of 20≤p_T<430 GeV and |y|<4.4. The ratio of the cross-section to the inclusive jet cross-section measurement at √s = 7 TeV , published by the ATLAS Collaboration, is calculated as a function of both transverse momentum and the dimensionless quantity x_T =2 p_T/√s, in bins of jet rapidity. The systematic uncertainties on the ratios are significantly reduced due to the cancellation of correlated uncertainties in the two measurements. Results are compared to the prediction from next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations corrected for non-perturbative effects, and next-to-leading order Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, the ATLAS jet cross-section measurements at √s = 2.76 TeV and √s = 7 TeV are analysed within a framework of next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations to determine parton distribution functions of the proton, taking into account the correlations between the measurements

Measurement of the tt production cross section in the tau + jets channel using the ATLAS detector

A measurement of the top quark pair production cross section in the final state with a hadronically decaying tau lepton and jets is presented. The analysis is based on proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, with a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.67 fb^(−1). The cross section is measured to be σ_(tt)=194±18 (stat.)±46 (syst.) pb and is in agreement with other measurements and with the Standard Model prediction

Multi-channel search for squarks and gluinos in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

A search for supersymmetric particles in final states with zero, one, and two leptons, with and without jets identified as originating from b-quarks, in 4.7 fb^(−1) of s√=7 TeV pp collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded by the ATLAS detector is presented. The search uses a set of variables carrying information on the event kinematics transverse and parallel to the beam line that are sensitive to several topologies expected in supersymmetry. Mutually exclusive final states are defined, allowing a combination of all channels to increase the search sensitivity. No deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. Upper limits at 95 % confidence level on visible cross-sections for the production of new particles are extracted. Results are interpreted in the context of the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension to the Standard Model and in supersymmetry-inspired models with diverse, high-multiplicity final states

Search for a light charged Higgs boson in the decay channel H^+→cs in tt events using pp collisions at s√=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for a charged Higgs boson (H^+) in tt decays is presented, where one of the top quarks decays via t→H^+ b, followed by H^+→ two jets (cs). The other top quark decays to Wb, where the W boson then decays into a lepton (e/μ) and a neutrino. The data were recorded in pp collisions at s√=7 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2011, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb^(−1). With no observation of a signal, 95 % confidence level (CL) upper limits are set on the decay branching ratio of top quarks to charged Higgs bosons varying between 5 % and 1 % for H^+ masses between 90 GeV and 150 GeV, assuming B(H^+→cs)=100%

Shapley Supercluster Survey: Construction of the photometric catalogues and i-band data release

The Shapley Supercluster Survey is a multi-wavelength survey covering an area of ~23 deg2 (~260 Mpc2 at z = 0.048) around the supercluster core, including nine Abell and two poor clusters, having redshifts in the range 0.045-0.050. The survey aims to investigate the role of the cluster-scale mass assembly on the evolution of galaxies, mapping the effects of the environment from the cores of the clusters to their outskirts and along the filaments. The optical (ugri) imaging acquired with OmegaCAM on the VLT Survey Telescope is essential to achieve the project goals providing accurate multi-band photometry for the galaxy population down to m * + 6. We describe the methodology adopted to construct the optical catalogues and to separate extended and point-like sources. The catalogues reach average 5s limitingmagnitudes within a 3 arcsec diameter aperture of ugri=[24.4,24.6,24.1,23.3] and are 93 per cent complete down to ugri = [23.8,23.8,23.5,22.0] mag, corresponding to ~mr * + 8.5. The data are highly uniform in terms of observing conditions and all acquired with seeing less than 1.1 arcsec full width at half-maximum. The median seeing in r band is 0.6 arcsec, corresponding to 0.56 kpc h70 -1 at z = 0.048. While the observations in the u, g and r bands are still ongoing, the i-band observations have been completed, and we present the i-band catalogue over the whole survey area. The latter is released and it will be regularly updated, through the use of the Virtual Observatory tools. This includes 734 319 sources down to i = 22.0 mag and it is the first optical homogeneous catalogue at such a depth, covering the central region of the Shapley supercluster