Abstract: Inclusive four-jet events produced in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of mass energy of root s = 7 TeV are analysed for the presence of hard double-parton scattering using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 37.3 pb(-1), collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The contribution of hard double-parton scattering to the production of four -jet events is extracted using an artificial neural network, assuming that hard double-parton scattering can be approximated by an uncorrelated overlaying of dijet events. For events containing at least four jets with transverse momentum PT >= 20 GeV and pseudorapidity vertical bar eta vertical bar <= 4.4, and at least one having pT >= 42.5 GeV, the contribution of hard double-parton scattering is estimated to be fDps = 0.092(-0.011)(+0.0005) (stat.) (+0.03337)(-0.011) (syst.). After combining this measurement with those of the inclusive dijet and four -jet cross -sections in the appropriate phase space regions, the effective cross-section, sigma(eff,) was determined to be sigma(eff) = 14.9(-1.0)(+1.2) (stat.) (+5.1)(-3.8) (syst.) mb. This result is consistent within the quoted uncertainties with previous measurements of sigma(eff), performed at centre-of-mass energies between 63 GeV and 8 TeV using various final states, and it corresponds to 21(-6%)(+7) of the total inelastic cross-section measured at root s = 7 TeV. The distributions of the observables sensitive to the contribution of hard double-parton scattering, corrected for detector effects, are also provided.

Abstract: Taking into account recent theoretical and experimental inputs on reactor fluxes we reconsider the determination of the weak mixing angle from low energy experiments. We perform a global analysis to all available neutrino-electron scattering data from reactor antineutrino experiments, obtaining sin(2) theta(W) = 0.252 +/- 0.030. We discuss the impact of the new theoretical prediction for the neutrino spectrum, the new measurement of the reactor antineutrino spectrum by the Daya Bay collaboration, as well as the effect of radiative corrections. We also reanalyze the measurements of the nu(e) – e cross section at accelerator experiments including radiative corrections. By combining reactor and accelerator data we obtain an improved determination for the weak mixing angle, sin(2) theta(W) = 0.254 +/- 0.024.

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.

Abstract: A time-dependent angular analysis of B-s(0) -> psi(2S)phi decays is performed using data recorded by the LHCb experiment. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3.0fb(-1) collected during Run 1 of the LHC. The CP-violating phase and decay-width difference of the B-s(0) system are measured to be phi(s)=0.23(-0.28)(+0.29)+/- 0.02rad and Delta Gamma(s)=0.066(-0.044)(+0.041)+/- 0.007ps(-1), respectively, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This is the first time that phi s and Delta Gamma s have been measured in a decay containing the psi(2S) resonance.

Abstract: We analytically investigate backreaction by a quantum scalar field on two rotating Bañados-Teitelboim-Zanelli (BTZ) geometries: that of a black hole and that of a naked singularity. In the former case, we explore the quantum effects on various regions of relevance for a rotating black hole space-time. We find that the quantum effects lead to a growth of both the event horizon and the radius of the ergosphere, and to a reduction of the angular velocity, compared to the unperturbed values. Furthermore, they give rise to the formation of a curvature singularity at the Cauchy horizon and show no evidence of the appearance of a superradiant instability. In the case of a naked singularity, we find that quantum effects lead to the formation of a horizon that shields it, thus supporting evidence for the role of quantum mechanics as a cosmic censor in nature.