Professor Chris Hays

Abstract:

A generic search for anomalous production of events with at least three charged leptons is presented. The search uses a pp-collision data sample at a center-of-mass energy of √s=7 TeV corresponding to 4.6 fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected in 2011 by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Events are required to contain at least two electrons or muons, while the third lepton may either be an additional electron or muon, or a hadronically decaying tau lepton. Events are categorized by the presence or absence of a reconstructed tau-lepton or Z-boson candidate decaying to leptons. No significant excess above backgrounds expected from Standard Model processes is observed. Results are presented as upper limits on event yields from non-Standard-Model processes producing at least three prompt, isolated leptons, given as functions of lower bounds on several kinematic variables. Fiducial efficiencies for model testing are also provided. The use of the results is illustrated by setting upper limits on the production of doubly charged Higgs bosons decaying to same-sign lepton pairs.

Abstract:

The measurement of the jet energy resolution is presented using data recorded with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at √ s = 7 TeV. The sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 35 pb−1. Jets are reconstructed from energy deposits measured by the calorimeters and calibrated using different jet calibration schemes. The jet energy resolution is measured with two different in situ methods which are found to be in agreement within uncertainties. The total uncertainties on these measurements range from 20 % to 10 % for jets within |y| < 2.8 and with transverse momenta increasing from 30 GeV to 500 GeV. Overall, the Monte Carlo simulation of the jet energy resolution agrees with the data within 10 %.

Abstract:

A measurement of the top quark pair production cross section in the final state with a hadronically decaying tau lepton and jets is presented. The analysis is based on proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, with a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.67 fb. The cross section is measured to be σ0074t = 194 ± 18 (stat) ± 46 (syst.) pb and is in agreement with other measurements and with the Standard Model prediction.

Abstract:

A measurement of the ZZ production cross section in proton-proton collisions at √ = 7 TeV using data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. In a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb-1 collected in 2011, events are selected that are consistent either with two Z bosons decaying to electrons or muons or with one Z boson decaying to electrons or muons and a second Z boson decaying to neutrinos. The ZZ → ℓ + ℓ - ℓ ′+ ℓ ′- and ZZ → ℓ + ℓ - ℓv̄v cross sections are measured in restricted phase-space regions. These results are then used to derive the total cross section for ZZ events produced with both Z bosons in the mass range 66 to 116 GeV, σZZtot = 6.7 ± 0.7 (stat.) -0.3+0.4 (stat.) ± 0.3 (lumi.) pb, which is consistent with the Standard Model prediction of 5.89-0.18+0.22 pb calculated at next-to-leading order in QCD. The normalized differential cross sections in bins of various kinematic variables are presented. Finally, the differential event yield as a function of the transverse momentum of the leading Z boson is used to set limits on anomalous neutral triple gauge boson couplings in ZZ production. © 2013 Cern for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration.

Abstract:

This Letter presents a search for high-mass resonances decaying into τ+τ- final states using proton-proton collisions at s=7 TeV produced by the Large Hadron Collider. The data were recorded with the ATLAS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb-1. No statistically significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed; 95% credibility upper limits are set on the cross section times branching fraction of Z' resonances decaying into τ+τ- pairs as a function of the resonance mass. As a result, Z' bosons of the Sequential Standard Model with masses less than 1.40 TeV are excluded at 95% credibility. © 2013 CERN.