Measurement of the rapidity-even dipolar flow in Pb-Pb collisions with the ATLAS detector

The rapidity-even dipolar flow v1 associated with dipole asymmetry in the initial geometry is measured over a broad range in transverse momentum 0.5 GeV<pT<9 GeV, and centrality (0-50)% in Pb-Pb collisions at sqrt(s_NN)=2.76 TeV, recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. The v1 coefficient is determined via a two-component fit of the first order Fourier coefficient, v_{1,1}= cos \Delta\phi, of two-particle correlations in azimuthal angle \Delta\phi=\phi_a-\phi_b as a function of pT^a and pT^b. This fit is motivated by the finding that the pT dependence of v_{1,1}(pT^a,pT^b) data are consistent with the combined contributions from a rapidity-even v1 and global momentum conservation. The magnitude of the extracted momentum conservation component suggests that the system conserving momentum involves only a subset of the event (spanning about 3 units in \eta in central collisions). The extracted v1 is observed to cross zero at pT~1.0 GeV, reaches a maximum at 4-5 GeV with a value comparable to that for v3, and decreases at higher pT. Interestingly, the magnitude of v1 at high pT exceeds the value of the v3 in all centrality interval and exceeds the value of v2 in central collisions. This behavior suggests that the path-length dependence of energy loss and initial dipole asymmetry from fluctuations corroborate to produce a large dipolar anisotropy for high pT hadrons, making the v1 a valuable probe for studying the jet quenching phenomena.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures. Proceedings for the 28th Winter Workshop on Nuclear Dynamics, Dorado Del Mar, Puerto Rico, United States Of America, 7 - 14 Apr 201

Toward the estimation of background fluctuations under newly-observed signals in particle physics

When the number of events associated with a signal process is estimated in particle physics, it is common practice to extrapolate background distributions from control regions to a predefined signal window. This allows accurate estimation of the expected, or average, number of background events under the signal. However, in general, the actual number of background events can deviate from the average due to fluctuations in the data. Such a difference can be sizable when compared to the number of signal events in the early stages of data analysis following the observation of a new particle, as well as in the analysis of rare decay channels. We report on the development of a data-driven technique that aims to estimate the actual, as opposed to the expected, number of background events in a predefined signal window. We discuss results on toy Monte Carlo data and provide a preliminary estimate of systematic uncertainty

On saturation of charged hadron production in pp collisions at LHC

First results on charged hadron transverse momentum spectra in pp collisions obtained by the CMS Collaboration at LHC were analyzed in z-scaling approach. The first LHC data confirm z-scaling. The saturation regime of the scaling function psi(z) observed in pp and antp-pp interactions at lower energy sqrt s = 19-1960 GeV is verified. The saturation of psi(z) for charged hadrons is found down to z=0.05 at the highest energy sqrt s = 2360 GeV reached till now at colliders. A microscopic scenario of hadron production is discussed in connection with search for new signatures of phase transitions in hadron matter. Constituent energy loss and its dependencies on the transverse momentum of charged hadrons and collision energy are estimated. The beam energy scan at LHC in the saturation region is suggested.Comment: LaTeX, 6 pages, 6 figure

RooStatsCms: a tool for analyses modelling, combination and statistical studies

The RooStatsCms (RSC) software framework allows analysis modelling and combination, statistical studies together with the access to sophisticated graphics routines for results visualisation. The goal of the project is to complement the existing analyses by means of their combination and accurate statistical studies.Comment: Proceedings of the 11th Topical Seminar on Innovative Particle and Radiation Detectors. 4 pages and 5 figure

tt charge asymmetry, family and friends

We present the current status of the Tevatron charge asymmetry and its sister asymmetry at the LHC. The relation between both is elucidated, using as framework the collider-independent asymmetries they originate from. Other related observables, such as the t tbar differential distribution and top polarisation, are also discussed.This work has been supported by MICINN by projects FPA2006-05294 and FPA2010-17915, Junta de Andalucía (FQM 101, FQM 03048 and FQM 6552) and Fundaçao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) project CERN/FP/123619/2011

Minimal dark matter in type III seesaw

We explore the possibility of a new dark matter candidate in the supersymmetric type III seesaw mechanism where a neutral scalar component of the Y=0 triplet can be the lightest supersymmetric particle. Its thermal abundance can be in the right range if non-standard cosmology such as kination domination is assumed. The enhanced cross-section of the dark matter annihilation to W+W- can leave detectable astrophysical and cosmological signals whose current observational data puts a lower bound on the dark matter mass. The model predicts the existence of a charged scalar almost degenerate with the dark matter scalar and its lifetime lies between 5.5 cm and 6.3 m. It provides a novel opportunity of the dark mater mass measurement by identifying slowly-moving and highly-ionizing tracks in the LHC experiments. If the ordinary lightest supersymmetric particle is the usual Bino, its decay leads to clean signatures of same-sign di-lepton and di-charged-scalar associated with observable displaced vertices which are essentially background-free and can be fully reconstructed.Comment: 3 figures, 12 pages; An error in the antiproton limit corrected; the lower bound on the dark matter mass strengthened; references added; typos correcte

Centrality dependence of charged particle spectra and RCP in Pb+Pb collisions at \sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The ATLAS experiment at the LHC measures the charged particle spectra and the nuclear modification factor in Pb+Pb collisions at the \sqrt{s_{NN}}=2.76TeV in a transverse momentum range up to 30 GeV and a pseudorapidity range up to |\eta| < 2.5. The measurement reveals the strong suppression of charged hadron production in the most central collisions at a p_T of about 7 GeV. A suppression of more than a factor of 2 is also measured at the upper edge of the analyzed p_T range. The suppression does not show any strong \eta dependence.Comment: Quark Matter 2011 proceeding, 4 page

The impact of XENON100 and the LHC on Supersymmetric Dark Matter

The effect of 2010 and 2011 LHC data are discussed in connection to the potential for the direct detection of supersymmetric dark matter. The impact of the recent XENON100 results are contrasted to these predictions.Comment: 14 pages, 23 figures, To be published in the Proceedings of the 7th DSU Conference, Beijing Chin

Flavour violating squark and gluino decays

We consider scenarios with large flavour violating entries in the squark mass matrices focusing on the mixing between second and third generation squarks. These entries govern both, flavour violating low energy observables on the one hand and squark and gluino decays on the other hand. We first discuss the constraints on the parameter space due to the recent data on B mesons from the B factories and Tevatron. We then consider flavour violating squark and gluino decays and show that they can still be typically of order 10% despite the stringent constraints from low energy data. Finally we briefly comment on the impact for searches and parameter determinations at future collider experiments such as the upcoming LHC or a future International Linear Collider.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures, references update

Evaluation of measurement accuracies of the Higgs boson branching fractions in the International Linear Collider

Precise measurement of Higgs boson couplings is an important task for International Linear Collider (ILC) experiments and will facilitate the understanding of the particle mass generation mechanism. In this study, the measurement accuracies of the Higgs boson branching fractions to the $b$ and $c$ quarks and gluons, $\Delta Br(H\to b\bar{b},\sim c\bar{c},\sim gg)/Br$, were evaluated with the full International Large Detector model (\texttt{ILD\_00}) for the Higgs mass of 120 GeV at the center-of-mass (CM) energies of 250 and 350 GeV using neutrino, hadronic and leptonic channels and assuming an integrated luminosity of $250 {\rm fb^{-1}}$, and an electron (positron) beam polarization of -80% (+30%). We obtained the following measurement accuracies of the Higgs cross section times branching fraction ($\Delta (\sigma \cdot Br)/\sigma \cdot Br$) for decay of the Higgs into $b\bar{b}$, $c\bar{c}$, and $gg$; as 1.0%, 6.9%, and 8.5% at a CM energy of 250 GeV and 1.0%, 6.2%, and 7.3% at 350 GeV, respectively. After the measurement accuracy of the cross section ($\Delta\sigma/\sigma$) was corrected using the results of studies at 250 GeV and their extrapolation to 350 GeV, the derived measurement accuracies of the branching fractions ($\Delta Br/Br$) to $b\bar{b}$, $c\bar{c}$, and gg were 2.7%, 7.3%, and 8.9% at a CM energy of 250 GeV and 3.6%, 7.2%, and 8.1% at 350 GeV, respectively.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure