Abstract: Current measurements of the temperature and polarization anisotropy power spectra of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) seem to indicate that the naive expectation for the slow-roll hierarchy within the most simple inflationary paradigm may not be respected in nature. We show that a primordial power spectrum with localized features could in principle give rise to the observed slow-roll anarchy when fitted to a featureless power spectrum. From a model comparison perspective, and assuming that nature has chosen a featureless primordial power spectrum, we find that, while with mock Planck data there is only weak evidence against a model with localized features, upcoming CMB missions may provide compelling evidence against such a nonstandard primordial power spectrum. This evidence could be reinforced if a featureless primordial power spectrum is independently confirmed from bispectrum and/or galaxy clustering measurements.

Abstract: Two-particle pseudorapidity correlations are measured in root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV Pb + Pb, root s(NN) = 5.02 TeV p+Pb, and root s = 13 TeV pp collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), with total integrated luminosities of approximately 7 μb(-1), 28 nb(-1), and 65 nb(-1), respectively. The correlation function CN(eta(1),eta(2))is measured as a function of event multiplicity using charged particles in the pseudorapidity range |eta| < 2.4. The correlation function contains a significant short-range component, which is estimated and subtracted. After removal of the short-range component, the shape of the correlation function is described approximately by 1 + < a(1)(2)>(1/2) eta(1) eta(2) in all collision systems over the full multiplicity range. The values of < a(1)(2)>(1/2) are consistent for the opposite-charge pairs and same-charge pairs, and for the three collision systems at similar multiplicity. The values of < a(1)(2)>(1/2) and the magnitude of the short-range component both follow a power-law dependence on the event multiplicity. The short-range component in p + Pb collisions, after symmetrizing the proton and lead directions, is found to be smaller at a given eta than in pp collisions with comparable multiplicity.

Abstract: We study the impact of assumptions about neutrino properties on the estimation of inflationary parameters from cosmological data, with a specific focus on the allowed contours in the n(s)/r plane, where n(s) is the scalar spectral index and r is the tensor-to-scalar ratio. We study the following neutrino properties: (i) the total neutrino mass M-i = Sigma(i)m(i) (where the index i = 1, 2, 3 runs over the three neutrino mass eigenstates); (ii) the number of relativistic degrees of freedom N-eff at the time of recombination; and (iii) the neutrino hierarchy. Whereas previous literature assumed three degenerate neutrino masses or two massless neutrino species (approximations that clearly do not match neutrino oscillation data), we study the cases of normal and inverted hierarchy. Our basic result is that these three neutrino properties induce < 1 sigma shift of the probability contours in the n(s)/r plane with both current or upcoming data. We find that the choice of neutrino hierarchy (normal, inverted, or degenerate) has a negligible impact. However, the minimal cutoff on the total neutrino mass M-v,M-min = 0 that accompanies previous works using the degenerate hierarchy does introduce biases in the n(s)/r plane and should be replaced by M-v,M-min = 0.059 eV as required by oscillation data. Using current cosmic microwave background (CMB) data from Planck and Bicep/Keck, marginalizing over the total neutrino mass M-v and over r can lead to a shift in the mean value of ns of similar to 0.3 sigma toward lower values. However, once baryon acoustic oscillation measurements are included, the standard contours in the n(s)/r plane are basically reproduced. Larger shifts of the contours in the n(s)/r plane (up to 0.8 sigma) arise for nonstandard values of N-eff. We also provide forecasts for the future CMB experiments Cosmic Origins Explorer (COrE, satellite) and Stage-IV (ground-based) and show that the incomplete knowledge of neutrino properties, taken into account by a marginalization over M-v, could induce a shift of similar to 0.4 sigma toward lower values in the determination of ns (or a similar to 0.8 sigma shift if one marginalizes over N-eff). Comparison to specific inflationary models is shown. Imperfect knowledge of neutrino properties must be taken into account properly, given the desired precision in determining whether or not inflationary models match the future data.

Abstract: A measurement of the t (t) over barZ and t (t) over barW production cross sections in final states with either two same-charge muons, or three or four leptons (electrons or muons) is presented. The analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb(-1). The inclusive cross sections are extracted using likelihood fits to signal and control regions, resulting in sigma(t (t) over barZ) = 0.9 +/- 0.3 pb and sigma(t (t) over barW) = 1.5 +/- 0.8 pb, in agreement with the Standard Model predictions.

Abstract: The decays B+-> J/psi 3 pi(+)2 pi(-) and B+ -> psi(2S)pi(+)pi(+)pi(-) are observed for the first time using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb(-1), collected by the LHCb experiment in proton- proton collisions at the centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. The branching fractions relative to that of B+ -> psi(2S)K+ are measured to be B(B+-> J/psi 3 pi(+)2 pi(-))/B(B+ -> psi (2S)K+) = (1.88 +/- 0.17 +/- 0.09)x10(-2). B(B+ -> psi(2S)pi(+)pi(+)pi(-))/B(B+ -> psi (2S)K+) = (3.04 +/- 0.50 +/- 0.26)X10(-2) where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.