Abstract: The decays B-s(0) -> J/psi pi(+)pi-K+K- are studied using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb(-1), collected with the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13TeV. The decays B-s(0) -> J/psi K*(K) over bar *0 and B-s(0) -> chi(c1)(3872)K+K-, where the K+K- pair does not originate from a phi meson, are observed for the first time. Precise measurements of the ratios of branching fractions between intermediate chi(c1)(3872)phi, J/psi K*0 (K) over bar *0, psi(2S)phi and chi(c1)(3872)K+K- states are reported. A structure, denoted as X(4740), is observed in the J/psi phi mass spectrum and, assuming a Breit-Wigner parameterisation, its mass and width are determined to be m(X(4740)) = 4741 +/- 6 +/- 6 MeV/c(2), Gamma(X(4740)) = 53 +/- 15 +/- 11MeV, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. In addition, the most precise single measurement of the mass of the B-s(0) meson is performed and gives a value of m(Bs)(0) = 5366.98 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.13MeV/c(2).

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: A measurement of event-shape variables in proton-proton collisions at large momentum transfer is presented using data collected at root s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Six event-shape variables calculated using hadronic jets are studied in inclusive multijet events using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1). Measurements are performed in bins of jet multiplicity and in different ranges of the scalar sum of the transverse momenta of the two leading jets, reaching scales beyond 2 TeV. These measurements are compared with predictions from Monte Carlo event generators containing leading-order or next-to-leading order matrix elements matched to parton showers simulated to leading-logarithm accuracy. At low jet multiplicities, shape discrepancies between the measurements and the Monte Carlo predictions are observed. At high jet multiplicities, the shapes are better described but discrepancies in the normalisation are observed.

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.

Abstract: Measurements of the Standard Model Higgs boson decaying into a b bbar pair and produced in association with a W or Z boson decaying into leptons, using proton-proton collision data collected between 2015 and 2018 by the ATLAS detector, are presented. The measurements use collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb-1. The production of a Higgs boson in association with a W or Z boson is established with observed (expected) significances of 4.0 (4.1) and 5.3 (5.1) standard deviations, respectively. Cross-sections of associated production of a Higgs boson decaying into bottom quark pairs with an electroweak gauge boson, W or Z, decaying into leptons are measured as a function of the gauge boson transverse momentum in kinematic fiducial volumes. The cross-section measurements are all consistent with the Standard Model expectations, and the total uncertainties vary from 30% in the high gauge boson transverse momentum regions to 85% in the low regions. Limits are subsequently set on the parameters of an effective Lagrangian sensitive to modifications of the WH and ZH processes as well as the Higgs boson decay into b bbar.