Abstract: A test of CP invariance in Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion is performed in the H -> tau tau decay channel. This test uses the Optimal Observable method and is carried out using 36.1 fb(-1) of root s = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Contributions from CP-violating interactions between the Higgs boson and electroweak gauge bosons are described by an effective field theory, in which the parameter (d) over tilde governs the strength of CP violation. No sign of CP violation is observed in the distributions of the Optimal Observable, and (d) over tilde is constrained to the interval [-0.090, 0.035] at the 68% confidence level (CL), compared to an expected interval of (d) over tilde is an element of [ -0.035, 0.033] based upon the Standard Model prediction. No constraints can be set on (d) over tilde at 95% CL, while an expected 95% CL interval of (d) over tilde is an element of [ -0.21, 0.15] for the Standard Model hypothesis was expected.

Abstract: We report the performance of a 10 atm Xenon/trimethylamine time projection chamber (TPC) for the detection of X-rays (30 keV) and gamma-rays (0.511-1.275 MeV) in conjunction with the accurate tracking of the associated electrons. When operated at such a high pressure and in similar to 1%-admixtures, trimethylamine (TMA) endows Xenon with an extremely low electron diffusion (1.3 +/- 0.13 mm-sigma (longitudinal), 0.95 +/- 0.20 mm-sigma (transverse) along 1 m drift) besides forming a convenient Penning-Fluorescent' mixture. The TPC, that houses 1.1 kg of gas in its fiducial volume, operated continuously for 100 live-days in charge amplification mode. The readout was performed through the recently introduced microbulk Micromegas technology and the AFTER chip, providing a 3D voxelization of 8 mm x 8 mm x 1.2 mm for approximately 10 cm/MeV-long electron tracks. Resolution in energy (epsilon) at full width half maximum (R) inside the fiducial volume ranged from R = 14.6% (30 keV) to R = 4.6% (1.275 MeV). This work was developed as part of the R&D program of the NEXT collaboration for future detector upgrades in the search of the neutrino-less double beta decay (beta beta 0 nu) in Xe-136, specifically those based on novel gas mixtures. Therefore we ultimately focus on the calorimetric and topological properties of the reconstructed MeV-electron tracks. In particular, the obtained energy resolution has been decomposed in its various contributions and improvements towards achieving the R =1.4%root MeV/epsilon levels obtained in small sensors are discussed.

Abstract: The neutron capture cross section of Gd-154 was measured from 1 eV to 300 keV in the experimental area located 185 m from the CERN n_TOF neutron spallation source, using a metallic sample of gadolinium, enriched to 67% in Gd-154. The capture measurement, performed with four C6D6 scintillation detectors, has been complemented by a transmission measurement performed at the GELINA time-of-flight facility (JRC-Geel), thus minimising the uncertainty related to sample composition. An accurate Maxwellian averaged capture cross section (MACS) was deduced over the temperature range of interest for s process nucleosynthesis modelling. We report a value of 880(50) mb for the MACS at kT = 30 keV, significantly lower compared to values available in literature. The new adopted Gd-154(n, gamma) cross section reduces the discrepancy between observed and calculated solar s-only isotopic abundances predicted by s-process nucleosynthesis models.

Abstract: We have evaluated the decay modes of the Upsilon(4s), Upsilon(3d), Upsilon(5s), Upsilon(6s) states into B (B) over bar, B (B) over bar* + c.c., B* (B) over bar*, B-s(B) over bar (s), B-s(B) over bar (s)* + c.c., B-s* (B) over bar (s)* using the P-3(0) model to hadronize the bb vector seed, fitting some parameters to the data. We observe that the Upsilon(4s) state has an abnormally large amount of mesonmeson components in the wave function, while the other states are largely b (b) over bar. We predict branching ratios for the different decay channels which can be contrasted with experiment for the case of the Upsilon(5s) state. While globally the agreement is fair, we call the attention to some disagreement that could be a warning for the existence of more elaborate components in the state.

Abstract: The production yield of Z bosons is measured in the electron and muon decay channels in Pb+Pb collisions at /S-NN = 5.02 TeV with the ATLAS detector. Data from the 2015 LHC run corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.49 nb(-1) are used for the analysis. The Z boson yield, normalised by the total number of minimum-bias events and the mean nuclear thickness function, is measured as a function of dilepton rapidity and event centrality. The measurements in Pb+Pb collisions are compared with similar measurements made in proton-proton collisions at the same centre-of-mass energy. The nuclear modification factor is found to be consistent with unity for all centrality intervals. The results are compared with theoretical predictions obtained at next-to-leading order using nucleon and nuclear parton distribution functions. The normalised Z boson yields in Pb+Pb collisions lie 1-3a above the predictions. The nuclear modification factor measured as a function of rapidity agrees with unity and is consistent with a next-to-leading-order QCD calculation including the isospin effect.