Abstract: A search for the exotic decay of the Higgs boson (H) into a b (b) over bar resonance plus missing transverse momentum is described. The search is performed with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider using 139 fb(-1) of pp collisions at root s = 13 TeV. The search targets events from ZH production in an NMSSM scenario where H -> chi(similar to 0)(2)chi(similar to 0)(1), with chi(similar to 0)(2) -> a chi(similar to 0)(1), where a is a light pseudoscalar Higgs boson and chi(similar to 0)(1,)(2) are the two lightest neutralinos. The decay of the a boson into a pair of b-quarks results in a peak in the dijet invariant mass distribution. The final-state signature consists of two leptons, two or more jets, at least one of which is identified as originating from a b-quark, and missing transverse momentum. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations and upper limits are set on the product of cross section times branching ratio for a three-dimensional scan of the masses of the chi(similar to 0)(2), chi(similar to 0)(1) and a boson.

Abstract: Using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb(-1) collected with the LHCb detector, seven decay modes of the B-C(+) meson into a J/psi or psi(2S) meson and three charged hadrons, kaons or pions, are studied. The decays B-C (+)-> (psi(2S) -> J/psi pi(+)pi(-))pi(+), B+C -> (psi(2S)pi(+)pi(-)pi(+), B+C -> J/psi K+pi(-)pi(+) and B+C -> J/K+K-K+ are observed for the first time, and evidence for the B-C (+)-> (psi(2S)K+K-pi(+), decay is found, where J/psi and psi(2S) mesons are reconstructed in their dimuon decay modes. The ratios of branching fractions between the different B-C(+) decays are reported as well as the fractions of the decays proceeding via intermediate resonances. The results largely support the factorisation approach used for a theoretical description of the studied decays.

Abstract: The MoEDAL experiment is designed to search for magnetic monopoles and other highly-ionising particles produced in high-energy collisions at the LHC. The largely passive MoEDAL detector, deployed at Interaction Point 8 on the LHC ring, relies on two dedicated direct detection techniques. The first technique is based on stacks of nuclear-track detectors with surface area similar to 18 m(2), sensitive to particle ionisation exceeding a high threshold. These detectors are analysed offline by optical scanning microscopes. The second technique is based on the trapping of charged particles in an array of roughly 800 kg of aluminium samples. These samples are monitored offline for the presence of trapped magnetic charge at a remote superconducting magnetometer facility. We present here the results of a search for magnetic monopoles using a 160 kg prototype MoEDAL trapping detector exposed to 8TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC, for an integrated luminosity of 0.75 fb(-1). No magnetic charge exceeding 0.5g(D) (where g(D) is the Dirac magnetic charge) is measured in any of the exposed samples, allowing limits to be placed on monopole production in the mass range 100 GeV <= m <= 3500 GeV. Model-independent cross-section limits are presented in fiducial regions of monopole energy and direction for 1g(D) <= vertical bar g vertical bar <= 6g(D), and model-dependent cross-section limits are obtained for Drell-Yan pair production of spin-1/2 and spin-0 monopoles for 1g(D) <= vertical bar g vertical bar <= 4g(D). Under the assumption of Drell-Yan cross sections, mass limits are derived for vertical bar g vertical bar = 2g(D) and vertical bar g vertical bar = 3g(D) for the first time at the LHC, surpassing the results from previous collider experiments.