The need for large-scale production of highly accurate simulated event samples for the extensive physics programme of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider motivates the development of new simulation techniques. Building on the recent success of deep learning algorithms, variational autoencoders and generative adversarial networks are investigated for modelling the response of the central region of the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter to photons of various energies. The properties of synthesised showers are compared with showers from a full detector simulation using ɢᴇᴀɴᴛ4. Both variational autoencoders and generative adversarial networks are capable of quickly simulating electromagnetic showers with correct total energies and stochasticity, though the modelling of some shower shape distributions requires more refinement. This feasibility study demonstrates the potential of using such algorithms for ATLAS fast calorimeter simulation in the future and shows a possible way to complement current simulation techniques.

The CP properties of the coupling between the Higgs boson and the top quark are investigated using 139 fb⁻¹ of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of s√=13𝑠=13 TeV. The CP structure of the top quark–Higgs boson Yukawa coupling is probed in events with a Higgs boson decaying into a pair of b-quarks and produced in association with either a pair of top quarks, tt¯H𝑡𝑡¯𝐻, or a single top quark, tH. Events containing one or two electrons or muons are used for the measurement. Multivariate techniques are used to select regions enriched in tt¯H𝑡𝑡¯𝐻 and tH events, where dedicated CP-sensitive observables are exploited. In an extension of the Standard Model (SM) with a CP-odd admixture in the top–Higgs Yukawa coupling, the mixing angle between CP-even and CP-odd couplings is measured to be α=11∘+52∘−73∘𝛼=11−73∘∘+52∘, compatible with the SM prediction corresponding to α=0𝛼=0.

A search for quantum black holes in electron+jet and muon+jet invariant mass spectra is performed with 140  fb⁻¹ of data collected by the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at √s=13  TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. The observed invariant mass spectrum of lepton+jet pairs is consistent with Standard Model expectations. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level on the production cross section times branching fractions for quantum black holes decaying into a lepton and a quark in a search region with invariant mass above 2.0 TeV. The resulting quantum black hole lower mass threshold limit is 9.2 TeV in the Arkani-Hamed-Dimopoulos-Dvali model, and 6.8 TeV in the Randall-Sundrum model.

A search for heavy Higgs bosons produced in association with a vector boson and decaying into a pair of vector bosons is performed in final states with two leptons (electrons or muons) of the same electric charge, missing transverse momentum and jets. A data sample of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider between 2015 and 2018 is used. The data correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 139 fb⁻¹. The observed data are in agreement with Standard Model background expectations. The results are interpreted using higher-dimensional operators in an effective field theory. Upper limits on the production cross-section are calculated at 95% confidence level as a function of the heavy Higgs boson’s mass and coupling strengths to vector bosons. Limits are set in the Higgs boson mass range from 300 to 1500 GeV, and depend on the assumed couplings. The highest excluded mass for a heavy Higgs boson with the coupling combinations explored is 900 GeV. Limits on coupling strengths are also provided.

A combination of measurements of the inclusive top-quark pair production cross-section performed by ATLAS and CMS in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV at the LHC is presented. The cross-sections are obtained using top-quark pair decays with an opposite-charge electron–muon pair in the final state and with data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 5 fb⁻¹ at √s = 7 TeV and about 20 fb⁻¹ at √s = 8 TeV for each experiment. The combined cross-sections are determined to be 178.5 ± 4.7 pb at √s = 7 TeV and pb at √s = 8 TeV with a correlation of 0.41, using a reference top-quark mass value of 172.5 GeV. The ratio of the combined cross-sections is determined to be R_8/7 = 1.363 ± 0.032. The combined measured cross-sections and their ratio agree well with theory calculations using several parton distribution function (PDF) sets. The values of the top-quark pole mass (with the strong coupling fixed at 0.118) and the strong coupling (with the top-quark pole mass fixed at 172.5 GeV) are extracted from the combined results by fitting a next-to-next-to-leading-order plus next-to-next-to-leading-log QCD prediction to the measurements. Using a version of the NNPDF3.1 PDF set containing no top-quark measurements, the results obtained are = GeV and α_s(m_Z)=.

This paper presents a statistical combination of searches targeting final states with two top quarks and invisible particles, characterised by the presence of zero, one or two leptons, at least one jet originating from a b-quark and missing transverse momentum. The analyses are searches for phenomena beyond the Standard Model consistent with the direct production of dark matter in pp collisions at the LHC, using 139 fb⁻¹ of data collected with the ATLAS detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The results are interpreted in terms of simplified dark matter models with a spin-0 scalar or pseudoscalar mediator particle. In addition, the results are interpreted in terms of upper limits on the Higgs boson invisible branching ratio, where the Higgs boson is produced according to the Standard Model in association with a pair of top quarks. For scalar (pseudoscalar) dark matter models, with all couplings set to unity, the statistical combination extends the mass range excluded by the best of the individual channels by 50 (25) GeV, excluding mediator masses up to 370 GeV. In addition, the statistical combination improves the expected coupling exclusion reach by 14% (24%), assuming a scalar (pseudoscalar) mediator mass of 10 GeV. An upper limit on the Higgs boson invisible branching ratio of 0.38 () is observed (expected) at 95% confidence level.

The correlations between flow harmonics v_n for n=2, 3, and 4 and mean transverse momentum [p_T] in ¹²⁹Xe+¹²⁹Xe and ²⁰⁸Pb+²⁰⁸Pb collisions at √s=5.44 and 5.02 TeV, respectively, are measured using charged particles with the ATLAS detector. The correlations are potentially sensitive to the shape and size of the initial geometry, nuclear deformation, and initial momentum anisotropy. The effects from nonflow and centrality fluctuations are minimized, respectively, via a subevent cumulant method and an event-activity selection based on particle production at very forward rapidity. The v_n−[p_T] correlations show strong dependencies on centrality, harmonic number n, p_T, and pseudorapidity range. Current models qualitatively describe the overall centrality- and system-dependent trends but fail to quantitatively reproduce all features of the data. In central collisions, where models generally show good agreement, the v₂−[p_T] correlations are sensitive to the triaxiality of the quadruple deformation. Comparison of the model with the Pb+Pb and Xe+Xe data confirms that the ¹²⁹Xe nucleus is a highly deformed triaxial ellipsoid that has neither a prolate nor oblate shape. This provides strong evidence for a triaxial deformation of the ¹²⁹Xe nucleus from high-energy heavy-ion collisions.

Cross-section measurements for a Z boson produced in association with high-transverse-momentum jets (p_T ≥ 100 GeV) and decaying into a charged-lepton pair (e⁺e⁻, μ⁺μ⁻) are presented. The measurements are performed using proton–proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb⁻¹ collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Measurements of angular correlations between the Z boson and the closest jet are performed in events with at least one jet with p_T ≥ 500 GeV. Event topologies of particular interest are the collinear emission of a Z boson in dijet events and a boosted Z boson recoiling against a jet. Fiducial cross sections are compared with state-of-the-art theoretical predictions. The data are found to agree with next-to-next-to-leading-order predictions by NNLOᴊᴇᴛ and with the next-to-leading-order multi-leg generators MADGRAPH5_AMC@NLO and SHERPA.

Measurements of transverse energy-energy correlations and their associated azimuthal asymmetries in multijet events are presented. The analysis is performed using a data sample corresponding to 139 fb^-1 of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 13TeV, collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The measurements are presented in bins of the scalar sum of the transverse momenta of the two leading jets and unfolded to particle level. They are then compared to next-to-next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations for the first time, which feature a significant reduction in the theoretical uncertainties estimated using variations of the renormalisation and factorisation scales. The agreement between data and theory is good, thus providing a precision test of QCD at large momentum transfers Q. The strong coupling constant alpha(s) is extracted as a function of Q, showing a good agreement with the renormalisation group equation and with previous analyses. A simultaneous fit to all transverse energy-energy correlation distributions across different kinematic regions yields a value of alpha(s)( mZ) = 0.1175 +/- 0.0006 (exp.)(+0.0034) (-0.0017) (theo.), while the global fit to the asymmetry distributions yields alpha(s)(m(Z)) = 0.1185 +/- 0.0009 (exp.)(+0.0025)(-0.0012)(theo.).

Measurements of single-, double-, and triple-differential cross-sections are presented for boosted top-quark pair-production in 13 TeV proton–proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The top quarks are observed through their hadronic decay and reconstructed as large-radius jets with the leading jet having transverse momentum (p_T) greater than 500 GeV. The observed data are unfolded to remove detector effects. The particle-level cross-section, multiplied by the branching fraction and measured in a fiducial phase space defined by requiring the leading and second-leading jets to have p_T > 500 GeV and p_T > 350 GeV, respectively, is 331 ± 3(stat.) ± 39(syst.) fb. This is approximately 20% lower than the prediction of fb by POWHEG+PYTHIA 8 with next-to-leading-order (NLO) accuracy but consistent within the theoretical uncertainties. Results are also presented at the parton level, where the effects of top-quark decay, parton showering, and hadronization are removed such that they can be compared with fixed-order next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) calculations. The parton-level cross-section, measured in a fiducial phase space similar to that at particle level, is 1.94 ± 0.02(stat.) ± 0.25(syst.) pb. This agrees with the NNLO prediction of pb. Reasonable agreement with the differential cross-sections is found for most NLO models, while the NNLO calculations are generally in better agreement with the data. The differential cross-sections are interpreted using a Standard Model effective field-theory formalism and limits are set on Wilson coefficients of several four-fermion operators.