Abstract: The results of a search for vector-like top quarks using events with exactly one lepton, at least four jets, and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search is optimised for pair production of vector-like top quarks in the Z(->nu nu) t + X decay channel. LHC pp collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of root S = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016 are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb(-1). No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is seen and upper limits on the production cross-section of a vector-like T quark pair as a function of the T quark mass are derived. The observed (expected) 95% CL lower limits on the T mass are 870 GeV (890 GeV) for the weak-isospin singlet model, 1.05 TeV (1.06 TeV) for the weak-isospin doublet model and 1.16 TeV (1.17 TeV) for the pure Zt decay mode. Limits are also set on the mass as a function of the decay branching ratios, excluding large parts of the parameter space for masses below 1 TeV.

Abstract: A measurement of b-hadron pair production is presented, based on a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 11.4 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions recorded at root s = 8TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are selected in which a b-hadron is reconstructed in a decay channel containing J = psi -> μmu, and a second b-hadron is reconstructed in a decay channel containing a muon. Results are presented in a fiducial volume de fined by kinematic requirements on three muons based on those used in the analysis. The fiducial cross section is measured to be 17.7 +/- 0.1(stat.) +/- 2.0(syst.) nb. A number of normalised differential cross sections are also measured, and compared to predictions from the PYTHIA8, HERWIG++, MADGRAPH5_AMC@NLO+PYTHIA8 and SHERPA event generators, providing new constraints on heavy flavour production.

Abstract: A search for new phenomena in final states characterized by high jet multiplicity, an isolated lepton ( electron or muon) and either zero or at least three b-tagged jets is presented. The search uses 36.1 fb(-1) of root s = 13TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016. The dominant sources of background are estimated using parameterized extrapolations, based on observables at medium jet multiplicity, to predict the b-tagged jet multiplicity distribution at the higher jet multiplicities used in the search. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed and 95% confidence-level limits are extracted constraining four simplified models of R-parity-violating supersymmetry that feature either gluino or top-squark pair production. The exclusion limits reach as high as 2.1TeV in gluino mass and 1.2TeV in top-squark mass in the models considered. In addition, an upper limit is set on the cross-section for Standard Model t (t) over bart (t) over bar production of 60 fb (6.5 x the Standard Model prediction) at 95% confidence level. Finally, model-independent limits are set on the contribution from new phenomena to the signal-region yields.

Abstract: A measurement of the splitting scales occuring in the k(t) jet-clustering algorithm is presented for final states containing a Z boson. The measurement is done using 20.2 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data collected at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 8 TeV by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2012. The measurement is based on charged-particle track information, which is measured with excellent precision in the p(T) region relevant for the transition between the perturbative and the non-perturbative regimes. The data distributions are corrected for detector effects, and are found to deviate from state-of-the-art predictions in various regions of the observables.

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.