Abstract: A study of B-c(+) -> J/psi D-s(+) and B-c(+)-> J/psi D-s*(+) decays using 139 fb(-1) of in- tegrated luminosity collected with the ATLAS detector from root s = 13 TeV pp collisions at the LHC is presented. The ratios of the branching fractions of the two decays to the branching fraction of the B-c(+) -> J/psi pi(+) decay are measured: B(B-c(+) -> J/psi D-s(+))/B(B-c(+) -> J/psi pi(+)) = 2.76 +/- 0.47 and B(B-c(+)-> J/psi D-s*(+))/B(B-c(+) -> J/psi pi(+)) = 5.33 +/- 0.96. The ratio of the branching fractions of the two decays is found to be B(B-c(+)-> J/psi D-s*(+))/B(B-c(+) -> J/psi D-s(+)) = 1.93 +/- 0.26. For the B-c(+)-> J/psi D-s*(+) decay, the transverse polarization fraction, Gamma(+/-+/-)/Gamma, is measured to be 0.70 +/- 0.11. The reported uncertainties include both the statistical and systematic components added in quadrature. The precision of the measurements exceeds that in all previous studies of these decays. These results supersede those obtained in the earlier ATLAS study of the same decays with root s = 7 and 8 TeV pp collision data. A comparison with available theoretical predictions for the measured quantities is presented.

Abstract: A search for Higgs boson production in association with a W or Z boson, in the H -> WW* decay channel, is performed with a data sample collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies root s = 7 TeV and 8TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 4.5 fb(-1) and 20.3 fb(-1), respectively. The W H production mode is studied in two-lepton and three-lepton final states, while twolepton and four-lepton final states are used to search for the ZH production mode. The observed significance, for the combined WH and ZH production, is 2.5 standard deviations while a significance of 0.9 standard deviations is expected in the Standard Model Higgs boson hypothesis. The ratio of the combined W H and Z H signal yield to the Standard Model expectation, mu(VH), is found to be mu(VH) = 3.0(-1.1)(+1.3)(stat.)(-0.7)(+1.0) (sys.) for the Higgs boson mass of 125.36 GeV. The WH and ZH production modes are also combined with the gluon fusion and vector boson fusion production modes studied in the H -> WW* -> l nu l nu decay channel, resulting in an overall observed significance of 6.5 standard deviations and μF-gg+VBF+VH = 1.16(-0.15)(+0.16)(stat.)(-0.15)(+0.18)(sys.). The results are interpreted in terms of scaling factors of the Higgs boson couplings to vector bosons (kappa(V)) and fermions (kappa(F)); the combined results are: vertical bar kappa(V)vertical bar = 1.06(-0.10)(+0.10), vertical bar kappa(F)vertical bar = 0.85(-0.20)(+0.26)

Abstract: A search for nonresonant Higgs boson pair production in the b (b) over bar gamma gamma final state is performed using 140 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. This analysis supersedes and expands upon the previous nonresonant ATLAS results in this final state based on the same data sample. The analysis strategy is optimised to probe anomalous values not only of the Higgs (H) boson self-coupling modifier kappa(lambda) but also of the quartic HHVV (V = W, Z) coupling modifier kappa(2V). No significant excess above the expected background from Standard Model processes is observed. An observed upper limit mu(HH) < 4.0 is set at 95% confidence level on the Higgs boson pair production cross-section normalised to its Standard Model prediction. The 95% confidence intervals for the coupling modifiers are -1.4 < kappa(lambda) < 6.9 and -0.5 < kappa(2V) < 2.7, assuming all other Higgs boson couplings except the one under study are fixed to the Standard Model predictions. The results are interpreted in the Standard Model effective field theory and Higgs effective field theory frameworks in terms of constraints on the couplings of anomalous Higgs boson (self-)interactions.

Abstract: We study the collisional aspects of jet quenching in a high-energy nuclear collision, especially in the final state pion gas. The jet has a large energy, and acquires momentum transverse to its axis more effectively by multiple soft collisions than by few hard scatterings (as known from analogous systems such as J/psi production at Hera). Such regime of large E and small momentum transfer corresponds to Regge kinematics and is characteristically dominated by the pomeron. From this insight we estimate the jet quenching parameter in the hadron medium (largely a pion gas) at the end of the collision, which is naturally small and increases with temperature in line with the gas density and compare it to the jet quenching parameter obtained within the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) phase in widely known perturbative approximations. The physics in the quark-gluon plasma/liquid phase is less obvious, and here we revisit a couple of simple estimates that suggest indeed that the pomeron-mediated interactions are very relevant and should be included in analysis of the jet quenching parameter. Finally, since the occasional hard collisions produce features characteristic of a Levy flight in the q(perpendicular to)(2) plane perpendicular to the jet axis, we suggest one- and two-particle q perpendicular to correlations as interesting experimental probes sensitive to the nature (softness versus hardness) of the interactions of a jet inside the QGP.

Abstract: The development of novel detection devices and systems such as the AX-positron emission tomography (PET) demonstrator often introduce or increase the measurement of atypical coincidence events such as inter-crystal scattering (ICS). In more standard systems, ICS events often go undetected and the small measured fraction may be ignored. As the measured quantity of such events in the data increases, so too does the importance of considering them during image reconstruction. Generally, treatment of ICS events will attempt to determine which of the possible candidate lines of response (LoRs) correctly determine the annihilation photon trajectory. However, methods of assessment often have low success rates or are computationally demanding. In this investigation alternative approaches are considered. Experimental data was taken using the AX-PET prototype and a NEMA phantom. Three methods of ICS treatment were assessed-each of which considered all possible candidate LoRs during image reconstruction. Maximum likelihood expectation maximization was used in conjunction with both standard (line-like) and novel (V-like in this investigation) detection responses modeled within the system matrix. The investigation assumed that no information other than interaction locations was available to distinguish between candidates, yet the methods assessed all provided means by which such information could be included. In all cases it was shown that the signal to noise ratio is increased using ICS events. However, only one method, which used full modeling of the ICS response in the system matrix-the V-like model-provided enhancement in all figures of merit assessed in this investigation. Finally, the optimal method of ICS incorporation was demonstrated using data from two small animals measured using the AX-PET demonstrator.