Abstract: A search for direct pair production of scalar partners of the top quark (top squarks or scalar third-generation up-type leptoquarks) in the all-hadronic t (t) over bar plus missing transverse momentum final state is presented. The analysis of 139 fb(-1) of root s = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected using the ATLAS detector at the LHC yields no significant excess over the Standard Model background expectation. To interpret the results, a supersymmetric model is used where the top squark decays via (t) over tilde -> t(*) (chi) over tilde (0)(1), with t(*) denoting an on-shell (off-shell) top quark and (chi) over tilde (0)(1) the lightest neutralino. Three specific event selections are optimised for the following scenarios. In the scenario where m((t) over tilde) > m(t) + m((chi) over tilde 10), top squark masses are excluded in the range 400-1250 GeV for (chi) over tilde (0)(1) masses below 200 GeV at 95% confidence level. In the situation where m((t) over tilde) similar to m(t) + m((chi) over tilde 10), top squarkmasses in the range 300-630 GeV are excluded, while in the case where m((t) over tilde) < m(W) + m(b) + m(<(chi)over tilde>10) (with m((t) over tilde) – m((chi) over tilde 10) >= 5 GeV), considered for the first time in an ATLAS all-hadronic search, top squark masses in the range 300-660 GeV are excluded. Limits are also set for scalar third-generation up-type leptoquarks, excluding leptoquarks with masses below 1240 GeV when considering only leptoquark decays into a top quark and a neutrino.

Abstract: We present a novel method for computing the nonperturbative kinetic term of the gluon propagator from an ordinary differential equation, whose derivation hinges on the central hypothesis that the regular part of the three-gluon vertex and the aforementioned kinetic term are related by a partial Slavnov-Taylor identity. The main ingredients entering in the solution are projection of the three-gluon vertex and a particular derivative of the ghost-gluon kernel, whose approximate form is derived from a Schwinger-Dyson equation. Crucially, the requirement of a pole-free answer determines the initial condition, whose value is calculated from an integral containing the same ingredients as the solution itself. This feature fixes uniquely, at least in principle, the form of the kinetic term, once the ingredients have been accurately evaluated. In practice, however, due to substantial uncertainties in the computation of the necessary inputs, certain crucial components need be adjusted by hand, in order to obtain self-consistent results. Furthermore, if the gluon propagator has been independently accessed from the lattice, the solution for the kinetic term facilitates the extraction of the momentum-dependent effective gluon mass. The practical implementation of this method is carried out in detail, and the required approximations and theoretical assumptions are duly highlighted.

Abstract: We construct an effective field theory (EFT) model that describes matter field interactions with Schwarzschild mini-black-holes (SBH's), treated as a scalar field, B0(x). Fermion interactions with SBH's require a complex spurion field, theta ij, which we interpret as the EFT description of “holographic information,” which is correlated with the SBH as a composite system. We consider Hawking's virtual black hole vacuum (VBH) as a Higgs phase, B0=V. Integrating sterile neutrino loops, the information field theta ij is promoted to a dynamical field, necessarily developing a tachyonic instability and acquiring a VEV of order the Planck scale. For N sterile neutrinos this breaks the vacuum to SU(N)xU(1)/SO(N) with N degenerate Majorana masses, and <mml:mfrac>12</mml:mfrac>N(N+1) Nambu-Goldstone neutrino-Majorons. The model suggests many scalars fields, corresponding to all fermion bilinears, may exist bound nonperturbatively by gravity.