Abstract: To probe the Wtb vertex structure, top-quark and W-boson polarisation observables are measured from t-channel single-top-quark events produced in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.2 fb(-1), recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Selected events contain one isolated electron or muon, large missing transverse momentum and exactly two jets, with one of them identified as likely to contain a b-hadron. Stringent selection requirements are applied to discriminate t-channel single-top-quark events from background. The polarisation observables are extracted from asymmetries in angular distributions measured with respect to spin quantisation axes appropriately chosen for the top quark and the W boson. The asymmetry measurements are performed at parton level by correcting the observed angular distributions for detector effects and hadronisation after subtracting the background contributions. The measured top-quark and W-boson polarisation values are in agreement with the Standard Model predictions. Limits on the imaginary part of the anomalous coupling gR are also set from model-independent measurements.

Abstract: This paper describes a strategy for a general search used by the ATLAS Collaboration to find potential indications of new physics. Events are classified according to their final state into many event classes. For each event class an automated search algorithm tests whether the data are compatible with the Monte Carlo simulated expectation in several distributions sensitive to the effects of new physics. The significance of a deviation is quantified using pseudo-experiments. A data selection with a significant deviation defines a signal region for a dedicated follow-up analysis with an improved background expectation. The analysis of the data-derived signal regions on a new dataset allows a statistical interpretation without the large look-elsewhere effect. The sensitivity of the approach is discussed using Standard Model processes and benchmark signals of new physics. As an example, results are shown for 3.2fb-1 of proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2015, in which more than 700 event classes and more than 105 regions have been analysed. No significant deviations are found and consequently no data-derived signal regions for a follow-up analysis have been defined.

Abstract: Results of a search for H -> tau tau decays are presented, based on the full set of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC during 2011 and 2012. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of 4.5 fb(-1) and 20.3 fb(-1) at centre-of-mass energies of root s = 7 TeV and root s = 8 TeV respectively. All combinations of leptonic (tau -> l nu(nu) over bar with l = e, mu) and hadronic (tau -> hadrons nu) tau decays are considered. An excess of events over the expected background from other Standard Model processes is found with an observed (expected) significance of 4.5 (3.4) standard deviations. This excess provides evidence for the direct coupling of the recently discovered Higgs boson to fermions. The measured signal strength, normalised to the Standard Model expectation, of μ= 1.43(-0.37)(+0.43) is consistent with the predicted Yukawa coupling strength in the Standard Model.

Abstract: Ratios of top-quark pair to Z-boson cross sections measured from proton-proton-collisions at the LHC centre-of-mass energies of root S = 13 TeV, 8 TeV, and 7 TeV are presented by the ATLAS Collaboration. Single ratios, at a given root S for the two processes and at different root S , for each process, as well as double ratios of the two processes at different root S , are evaluated. The ratios are constructed using previously published ATLAS measurements of the t (t) over bar and Z-boson production cross sections, corrected to a common phase space where required, and a new analysis of Z -> l(+)l(-) where l = e, μat root S = 13 TeV performed with data collected in 2015 with an integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb(-1). Correlations of systematic uncertainties are taken into account when evaluating the uncertainties in the ratios. The correlation model is also used to evaluate the combined cross section of the Z -> e (+) e (-) and the Z -> μ(+) μ(-) channels for each value. The results are compared to calculations performed at next-to-next-to-leading-order accuracy using recent sets of parton distribution functions. The data demonstrate significant power to constrain the gluon distribution function for the Bjorken-x values near 0.1 and the light-quark sea for x < 0.02.

Abstract: The production of W boson pairs in association with one jet in pp collisions at root s = 8 TeV is studied using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1) collected by the ATLAS detector during 2012 at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The cross section is measured in a fiducial phase-space region defined by the presence of exactly one electron and one muon, missing transverse momentum and exactly one jet with a transverse momentum above 25 GeV and a pseudorapidity of vertical bar eta vertical bar < 4.5. The leptons are required to have opposite electric charge and to pass transverse momentum and pseudorapidity requirements. The fiducial cross section is found to be sigma(fid,1-jet)(WW) = 136 +/- 6 (stat) +/- 14 (syst) +/- 3 (lumi) fb. In combination with a previous measurement restricted to leptonic final states with no associated jets, the fiducial cross section of WW production with zero or one jet is measured to be sigma(fid,<1-jet)(WW) = 511 +/- 9 (stat) +/- 26 (syst) +/- 10 (lumi) fb. The ratio of fiducial cross sections in final states with one and zero jets is determined to be 0.36 +/- 0.05. Finally, a total cross section extrapolated from the fiducial measurement of WWproduction with zero or one associated jet is reported. The measurements are compared to theoretical predictions and found in good agreement.