Abstract: This paper presents a search for Higgs bosons decaying to four leptons, either electrons or muons, via one or two light exotic gauge bosons Z(d), H -> ZZ(d) -> 4l or H -> Z(d)Z(d) -> 4l. The search was performed using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 20 fb(-1) at the center-of-mass energy of root s = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The observed data are well described by the Standard Model prediction. Upper bounds on the branching ratio of H -> ZZ(d) -> 4l and on the kinetic mixing parameter between the Z(d) and the Standard Model hypercharge gauge boson are set in the range (1-9) x 10(-5) and (4-17) x 10(-2) respectively, at 95% confidence level assuming the Standard Model branching ratio of H -> ZZ* -> 4l, for Z(d) masses between 15 and 55 GeV. Upper bounds on the effective mass mixing parameter between the Z and the Z(d) are also set using the branching ratio limits in the H -> ZZ(d) -> 4l search, and are in the range (1.5-8.7) x 10(-4) for 15 < m(Zd) < 35 GeV. Upper bounds on the branching ratio of H -> Z(d)Z(d) -> 4l and on the Higgs portal coupling parameter, controlling the strength of the coupling of the Higgs boson to dark vector bosons are set in the range (2-3) x 10(-5) and (1-10) x 10(-4) respectively, at 95% confidence level assuming the Standard Model Higgs boson production cross sections, for Z(d) masses between 15 and 60 GeV.

Abstract: A search is presented for pair production of a new heavy quark (Q) that decays into aW boson and a light quark (q) in the final state where one W boson decays leptonically (to an electron or muon plus a neutrino) and the other W boson decays hadronically. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1) of pp collisions at root s = 8 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. No evidence of Q (Q) over bar production is observed. New chiral quarks with masses below 690 GeVare excluded at 95% confidence level, assuming BR(Q -> Wq) = 1. Results are also interpreted in the context of vectorlike quark models, resulting in the limits on the mass of a vectorlike quark in the two-dimensional plane of BR(Q -> Wq) versus BR(Q -> Hq).

Abstract: The ATLAS experiment has performed extensive searches for the electroweak production of charginos, neutralinos, and staus. This article summarizes and extends the search for electroweak supersymmetry with new analyses targeting scenarios not covered by previously published searches. New searches use vector-boson fusion production, initial-state radiation jets, and low-momentum lepton final states, as well as multivariate analysis techniques to improve the sensitivity to scenarios with small mass splittings and low-production cross sections. Results are based on 20 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess beyond Standard Model expectations is observed. The new and existing searches are combined and interpreted in terms of 95% confidence-level exclusion limits in simplified models, where a single production process and decay mode is assumed, as well as within phenomenological supersymmetric models.

Abstract: A search for highly ionizing particles produced in proton-proton collisions at 8 TeV center-of-mass energy is performed by the ATLAS Collaboration at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The data set used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 7.0 fb(-1). A customized trigger significantly increases the sensitivity, permitting a search for such particles with charges and energies beyond what was previously accessible. No events were found in the signal region, leading to production cross section upper limits in the mass range 200-2500 GeV for magnetic monopoles with magnetic charge in the range 0.5g(D) < vertical bar g vertical bar < 2.0g(D), where g(D) is the Dirac charge, and for stable particles with electric charge in the range 10 < vertical bar z vertical bar < 60. Model-dependent limits are presented in given pair-production scenarios, and model-independent limits are presented in fiducial regions of particle energy and pseudorapidity.

Abstract: This paper presents measurements of W(+/-)Z production in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. The gauge bosons are reconstructed using their leptonic decay modes into electrons and muons. The data were collected in 2012 by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1). The measured inclusive cross section in the detector fiducial region is sigma W(+/-)Z -> l'nu ll = 35.1 +/- 0.9(stat) +/- 0.8(sys) +/- 0.8(lumi) fb, for one leptonic decay channel. In comparison, the next-to-leading-order Standard Model expectation is 30.0 +/- 2.1 fb. Cross sections for W(+)Z and W(-)Z production and their ratio are presented as well as differential cross sections for several kinematic observables. Limits on anomalous triple gauge boson couplings are derived from the transverse mass spectrum of the W(+/-)Z system. From the analysis of events with a W and a Z boson associated with two or more forward jets an upper limit at 95% confidence level on the W(+/-)Z scattering cross section of 0.63 fb, for each leptonic decay channel, is established, while the Standard Model prediction at next-to-leading order is 0.13 +/- 0.01 fb. Limits on anomalous quartic gauge boson couplings are also extracted.