Abstract: This paper presents measurements of charged-hadron spectra obtained in pp, p+Pb, and Pb+Pb collisions at root s or root s(NN) = 5.02TeV, and in Xe+Xe collisions at root s(NN) = 5.44TeV. The data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC have total integrated luminosities of 25 pb(-1), 28 nb(-1), 0.50 nb(-1), and 3 μb(-1), respectively. The nuclear modification factors RpPb and R-AA are obtained by comparing the spectra in heavy-ion and pp collisions in a wide range of charged-particle transverse momenta and pseudorapidity. The nuclear modification factor RpPb shows a moderate enhancement above unity with a maximum at p(T) approximate to 3 GeV; the enhancement is stronger in the Pb-going direction. The nuclear modification factors in both Pb+Pb and Xe+Xe collisions feature a significant, centrality-dependent suppression. They show a similar distinct p(T)-dependence with a local maximum at p(T) approximate to 2 GeV and a local minimum at p(T) approximate to 7 GeV. This dependence is more distinguishable in more central collisions. No significant eta |-dependence is found. A comprehensive comparison with several theoretical predictions is also provided. They typically describe RAA better in central collisions and in the pT range from about 10 to 100 GeV.

Abstract: Cross-sections for the production of a Z boson in association with two photons are measured in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1) recorded by the ATLAS experiment during Run 2 of the LHC. The measurements use the electron and muon decay channels of the Z boson, and a fiducial phase-space region where the photons are not radiated from the leptons. The integrated Z(-> ll)gamma gamma cross-section is measured with a precision of 12% and differential cross-sections are measured as a function of six kinematic variables of the Z gamma gamma system. The data are compared with predictions from MC event generators which are accurate to up to next-to-leading order in QCD. The cross-section measurements are used to set limits on the coupling strengths of dimension-8 operators in the framework of an effective field theory.

Abstract: Searches for long-lived particles (LLPs) are among the most promising avenues for discovering physics beyond the Standard Model at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). However, displaced signatures are notoriously difficult to identify due to their ability to evade standard object reconstruction strategies. In particular, the ATLAS track reconstruction applies strict pointing requirements which limit sensitivity to charged particles originating far from the primary interaction point. To recover efficiency for LLPs decaying within the tracking detector volume, the ATLAS Collaboration employs a dedicated large-radius tracking (LRT) passwith loosened pointing requirements. During Run 2 of the LHC, the LRT implementation produced many incorrectly reconstructed tracks and was therefore only deployed in small subsets of events. In preparation for LHC Run 3, ATLAS has significantly improved both standard and large-radius track reconstruction performance, allowing for LRT to run in all events. This development greatly expands the potential phase-space of LLP searches and streamlines LLP analysis workflows. This paper will highlight the above achievement and report on the readiness of the ATLAS detector for track-based LLP searches in Run 3.

Abstract: A measurement of the polarisation of Wbosons produced in top-quark decays is presented, using proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of v s= 13TeV. The data were collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 139fb(-1). The measurement is performed selecting t tevents decaying into final states with two charged leptons (electrons or muons) and at least two b-tagged jets. The polarisation is extracted from the differential cross-section distribution of the cos theta* variable, where theta(*) is the angle between the momentum direction of the charged lepton from the Wboson decay and the reversed momentum direction of the b-quark from the top-quark decay, both calculated in the Wboson rest frame. Parton-level results, corrected for the detector acceptance and resolution, are presented for the cos theta* angle. The measured fractions of longitudinal, left- and right-handed polarisation states are found to be f(0) = 0.684 +/- 0.005 (stat.)+/- 0.014 (syst.), f(L)= 0.318 +/- 0.003 (stat.)+/- 0.008 (syst.) and f(R)=-0.002 +/- 0.002 (stat.)+/- 0.014 (syst.), in agreement with the Standard Model prediction.

Abstract: Measurements and searches performed with the ATLAS detector at the CERN LHC often involve signatures with one or more prompt leptons. Such analyses are subject to 'fake/non-prompt' lepton backgrounds, where either a hadron or a lepton from a hadron decay or an electron from a photon conversion satisfies the prompt-lepton selection criteria. These backgrounds often arise within a hadronic jet because of particle decays in the showering process, particle misidentification or particle interactions with the detector material. As it is challenging to model these processes with high accuracy in simulation, their estimation typically uses data-driven methods. Three methods for carrying out this estimation are described, along with their implementation in ATLAS and their performance.