Search for Nearly Mass-Degenerate Higgsinos Using Low-Momentum Mildly Displaced Tracks in $pp$ Collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector

arXiv (Cornell University) · 2024

• Physics
• Particle physics
• Nuclear physics

Higgsinos with masses near the electroweak scale can solve the hierarchy problem and provide a dark matter candidate, while detecting them at the LHC remains challenging if their mass splitting is $\mathcal{O}(1 \text{GeV})$. This Letter presents a novel search for nearly mass-degenerate Higgsinos in events with an energetic jet, missing transverse momentum, and a low-momentum track with a significant transverse impact parameter using 140 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment. For the first time since LEP, a range of mass splittings between the lightest charged and neutral Higgsinos from $0.3$ GeV to $0.9$ GeV is excluded at 95$\%$ confidence level, with a maximum reach of approximately $170$ GeV in the Higgsino mass.

Measurement of jet substructure in boosted $t\bar{t}$ events with the ATLAS detector using 140 fb$^{-1}$ of 13 TeV $pp$ collisions

arXiv (Cornell University) · 2023 · 1 citations

• Physics
• Particle physics
• Nuclear physics

Measurements of the substructure of top-quark jets are presented, using 140 fb$^{-1}$ of 13 TeV $pp$ collision data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Top-quark jets reconstructed with the anti-$k_{t}$ algorithm with a radius parameter $R=1.0$ are selected in top-quark pair ($t\bar{t}$) events where one top quark decays semileptonically and the other hadronically, or where both top quarks decay hadronically. The top-quark jets are required to have transverse momentum $p_\mathrm{T} > 350$ GeV, yielding large samples of data events with jet $p_\mathrm{T}$ values between 350 and 600 GeV. One- and two-dimensional differential cross-sections for eight substructure variables, defined using only the charged components of the jets, are measured in a particle-level phase space by correcting for the smearing and acceptance effects induced by the detector. The differential cross-sections are compared with the predictions of several Monte Carlo simulations in which top-quark pair-production quantum chromodynamic matrix-element calculations at next-to-leading-order precision in the strong coupling constant $\alpha_\mathrm{S}$ are passed to leading-order parton shower and hadronization generators. The Monte Carlo predictions for measures of the broadness, and also the two-body structure, of the top-quark jets are found to be in good agreement with the measurements, while variables sensitive to the three-body structure of the top-quark jets exhibit some tension with the measured distributions.

Inclusive and differential cross-section measurements of $t\bar{t}Z$ production in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the ATLAS detector, including EFT and spin-correlation interpretations

arXiv (Cornell University) · 2023 · 2 citations

• Physics
• Particle physics
• Nuclear physics

Measurements of both the inclusive and differential production cross sections of a top-quark-top-antiquark pair in association with a $Z$ boson ($t\bar{t}Z$) are presented. Final states with two, three or four isolated leptons (electrons or muons) are targeted. The measurements use the data recorded by the ATLAS detector in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider during the years 2015-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $140$ fb$^{-1}$. The inclusive cross section is measured to be $\sigma_{t\bar{t}Z}= 0.86 \pm 0.04~\mathrm{(stat.)} \pm 0.04~\mathrm{(syst.)}~$pb and found to be in agreement with the most advanced Standard Model predictions. The differential measurements are presented as a function of a number of observables that probe the kinematics of the $t\bar{t}Z$ system. Both the absolute and normalised differential cross-section measurements are performed at particle level and parton level for specific fiducial volumes, and are compared with NLO+NNLL theoretical predictions. The results are interpreted in the framework of Standard Model effective field theory and used to set limits on a large number of dimension-6 operators involving the top quark. The first measurement of spin correlations in $t\bar{t}Z$ events is presented: the results are in agreement with the Standard Model expectations, and the null hypothesis of no spin correlations is disfavoured with a significance of $1.8$ standard deviations.

A detailed map of Higgs boson interactions by the ATLAS experiment ten years after the discovery

Nature · 2022 · 371 citations

• Physics
• Particle physics
• Nuclear physics

. Since then, more than 30 times as many Higgs bosons have been recorded by the ATLAS experiment, enabling much more precise measurements and new tests of the theory. Here, on the basis of this larger dataset, we combine an unprecedented number of production and decay processes of the Higgs boson to scrutinize its interactions with elementary particles. Interactions with gluons, photons, and W and Z bosons-the carriers of the strong, electromagnetic and weak forces-are studied in detail. Interactions with three third-generation matter particles (bottom (b) and top (t) quarks, and tau leptons (τ)) are well measured and indications of interactions with a second-generation particle (muons, μ) are emerging. These tests reveal that the Higgs boson discovered ten years ago is remarkably consistent with the predictions of the theory and provide stringent constraints on many models of new phenomena beyond the standard model.

Search for heavy Higgs bosons decaying into two tau leptons with the ATLAS detector using pp collisions at $\sqrt(s)$ = 13 TeV

Proceedings of The European Physical Society Conference on High Energy Physics — PoS(EPS-HEP2021) · 2022 · 1 citations

• Physics
• Particle physics
• Nuclear physics

A search for heavy neutral Higgs bosons is performed using the LHC Run 2 data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector. The heavy resonance search is performed over the mass range 0.2-2.5~TeV for the $\tau^{+}\tau^{-}$ decay with at least one $\tau$-lepton decaying into handronic final states. The data is in good agreement with the standard model predictions. Results are interpreted in terms of several Minimum Supersymmetry Standard Model scenarios.

AtlFast3: The Next Generation of Fast Simulation in ATLAS

Computing and Software for Big Science · 2022 · 106 citations

• Computer Science
• Computer Science
• Computational science

Abstract The ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider has a broad physics programme ranging from precision measurements to direct searches for new particles and new interactions, requiring ever larger and ever more accurate datasets of simulated Monte Carlo events. Detector simulation with Geant4 is accurate but requires significant CPU resources. Over the past decade, ATLAS has developed and utilized tools that replace the most CPU-intensive component of the simulation—the calorimeter shower simulation—with faster simulation methods. Here, AtlFast3, the next generation of high-accuracy fast simulation in ATLAS, is introduced. AtlFast3 combines parameterized approaches with machine-learning techniques and is deployed to meet current and future computing challenges, and simulation needs of the ATLAS experiment. With highly accurate performance and significantly improved modelling of substructure within jets, AtlFast3 can simulate large numbers of events for a wide range of physics processes.

Jet energy scale and resolution measured in proton–proton collisions at $$\sqrt{s}=13$$ TeV with the ATLAS detector

The European Physical Journal C · 2021 · 248 citations

• Physics
• Nuclear physics
• Particle physics

Abstract Jet energy scale and resolution measurements with their associated uncertainties are reported for jets using 36–81 fb $$^{-1}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msup><mml:mrow/><mml:mrow><mml:mo>-</mml:mo><mml:mn>1</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:msup></mml:math> of proton–proton collision data with a centre-of-mass energy of $$\sqrt{s}=13$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:msqrt><mml:mi>s</mml:mi></mml:msqrt><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>13</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> $${\text {Te}}{\text {V}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mtext>TeV</mml:mtext></mml:math> collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Jets are reconstructed using two different input types: topo-clusters formed from energy deposits in calorimeter cells, as well as an algorithmic combination of charged-particle tracks with those topo-clusters, referred to as the ATLAS particle-flow reconstruction method. The anti- $$k_t$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi>k</mml:mi><mml:mi>t</mml:mi></mml:msub></mml:math> jet algorithm with radius parameter $$R=0.4$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mi>R</mml:mi><mml:mo>=</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.4</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> is the primary jet definition used for both jet types. This result presents new jet energy scale and resolution measurements in the high pile-up conditions of late LHC Run 2 as well as a full calibration of particle-flow jets in ATLAS. Jets are initially calibrated using a sequence of simulation-based corrections. Next, several in situ techniques are employed to correct for differences between data and simulation and to measure the resolution of jets. The systematic uncertainties in the jet energy scale for central jets ( $$|\eta |&lt;1.2$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mo>|</mml:mo><mml:mi>η</mml:mi><mml:mo>|</mml:mo><mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo><mml:mn>1.2</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> ) vary from 1% for a wide range of high- $$p_{{\text {T}}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi>p</mml:mi><mml:mtext>T</mml:mtext></mml:msub></mml:math> jets ( $$250&lt;p_{{\text {T}}} &lt;2000~{\text {Ge}}{\text {V}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>250</mml:mn><mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo><mml:msub><mml:mi>p</mml:mi><mml:mtext>T</mml:mtext></mml:msub><mml:mo>&lt;</mml:mo><mml:mn>2000</mml:mn><mml:mspace/><mml:mtext>GeV</mml:mtext></mml:mrow></mml:math> ), to 5% at very low $$p_{{\text {T}}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi>p</mml:mi><mml:mtext>T</mml:mtext></mml:msub></mml:math> ( $$20~{\text {Ge}}{\text {V}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>20</mml:mn><mml:mspace/><mml:mtext>GeV</mml:mtext></mml:mrow></mml:math> ) and 3.5% at very high $$p_{{\text {T}}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:msub><mml:mi>p</mml:mi><mml:mtext>T</mml:mtext></mml:msub></mml:math> ( $$&gt;2.5~{\text {Te}}{\text {V}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mo>&gt;</mml:mo><mml:mn>2.5</mml:mn><mml:mspace/><mml:mtext>TeV</mml:mtext></mml:mrow></mml:math> ). The relative jet energy resolution is measured and ranges from ( $$24 \pm 1.5$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>24</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>1.5</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> )% at 20 $${\text {Ge}}{\text {V}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mtext>GeV</mml:mtext></mml:math> to ( $$6 \pm 0.5$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mrow><mml:mn>6</mml:mn><mml:mo>±</mml:mo><mml:mn>0.5</mml:mn></mml:mrow></mml:math> )% at 300 $${\text {Ge}}{\text {V}}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mml:mtext>GeV</mml:mtext></mml:math> .

Search for chargino–neutralino pair production in final states with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in $$\sqrt{s} = 13$$ TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

The European Physical Journal C · 2021 · 100 citations

• Computer Science
• Physics
• Algorithm

Abstract A search for chargino–neutralino pair production in three-lepton final states with missing transverse momentum is presented. The study is based on a dataset of $$\sqrt{s} = 13$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msqrt> <mml:mi>s</mml:mi> </mml:msqrt> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>13</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> TeV pp collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 $$\hbox {fb}^{-1}$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msup> <mml:mtext>fb</mml:mtext> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>-</mml:mo> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msup> </mml:math> . No significant excess relative to the Standard Model predictions is found in data. The results are interpreted in simplified models of supersymmetry, and statistically combined with results from a previous ATLAS search for compressed spectra in two-lepton final states. Various scenarios for the production and decay of charginos ( $${\tilde{\chi }}^\pm _1$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>~</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> ) and neutralinos ( $${\tilde{\chi }}^0_2$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>~</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> ) are considered. For pure higgsino $${\tilde{\chi }}^\pm _1{\tilde{\chi }}^0_2$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>~</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> </mml:msubsup> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>~</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> </mml:msubsup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> pair-production scenarios, exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are set on $${\tilde{\chi }}^0_2$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>~</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> masses up to 210 GeV. Limits are also set for pure wino $${\tilde{\chi }}^\pm _1{\tilde{\chi }}^0_2$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>~</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>1</mml:mn> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> </mml:msubsup> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>~</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> </mml:msubsup> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> pair production, on $${\tilde{\chi }}^0_2$$ <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mover> <mml:mi>χ</mml:mi> <mml:mo>~</mml:mo> </mml:mover> </mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> <mml:mn>0</mml:mn> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> masses up to 640 GeV for decays via on-shell W and Z bosons, up to 300 GeV for decays via off-shell W and Z bosons, and up to 190 GeV for decays via W and Standard Model Higgs bosons.

arXiv : Search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson into long-lived particles in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV using displaced vertices in the ATLAS inner detector

2021 · 1 citations

• Physics
• Particle physics
• Nuclear physics

A novel search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson into pairs of long-lived neutral particles, each decaying into a bottom quark pair, is performed using 139 fb$^{-1}$ of $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events consistent with the production of a Higgs boson in association with a leptonically decaying $Z$ boson are analysed. Long-lived particle (LLP) decays are reconstructed from inner-detector tracks as displaced vertices with high mass and track multiplicity relative to Standard Model processes. The analysis selection requires the presence of at least two displaced vertices, effectively suppressing Standard Model backgrounds. The residual background contribution is estimated using a data-driven technique. No excess over Standard Model predictions is observed, and upper limits are set on the branching ratio of the Higgs boson to LLPs. Branching ratios above 10% are excluded at 95% confidence level for LLP mean proper lifetimes $c\tau$ as small as 4 mm and as large as 100 mm. For LLP masses below 40 GeV, these results represent the most stringent constraint in this lifetime regime.

Search for new phenomena in three- or four-lepton events in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt s$ =13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

2021 · 1 citations

• Physics
• Particle physics
• Nuclear physics

A search with minimal model dependence for physics beyond the Standard Model in events featuring three or four charged leptons (3ℓ and 4ℓ, ℓ=e,μ) is presented. The analysis aims to be sensitive to a wide range of potential new-physics theories simultaneously. This analysis uses data from pp collisions delivered by the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of s=13 TeV and recorded with the ATLAS detector, corresponding to the full Run 2 dataset of 139 fb−1. The 3ℓ and 4ℓ phase space is divided into 22 event categories according to the number of leptons in the event, the missing transverse momentum, the invariant mass of the leptons, and the presence of leptons originating from a Z-boson candidate. These event categories are analysed independently for the presence of deviations from the Standard Model. No statistically significant deviations from the Standard Model predictions are observed. Upper limits for all signal regions are reported in terms of the visible cross-section.