Disconnected pseudo-Cℓ covariances for projected large-scale structure data

Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics IOP Publishing 2019:11 (2019) 043

Authors:

C García-García, D Alonso, Emilio Bellini

Abstract:

The disconnected part of the power spectrum covariance matrix (also known as the "Gaussian" covariance) is the dominant contribution on large scales for galaxy clustering and weak lensing datasets. The presence of a complicated sky mask causes non-trivial correlations between different Fourier/harmonic modes, which must be accurately characterized in order to obtain reliable cosmological constraints. This is particularly relevant for galaxy survey data. Unfortunately, an exact calculation of these correlations involves O(ℓmax6) operations that become computationally impractical very quickly. We present an implementation of approximate methods to estimate the Gaussian covariance matrix of power spectra involving spin-0 and spin-2 flat- and curved-sky fields, expanding on existing algorithms {developed in the context of CMB analyses}. These methods achieve an O(ℓmax3) scaling, which makes the computation of the covariance matrix as fast as the computation of the power spectrum itself. We quantify the accuracy of these methods on large-scale structure and weak lensing data, making use of a large number of Gaussian but otherwise realistic simulations. We show that, using the approximate covariance matrix, we are able to recover the true posterior distribution of cosmological parameters to high accuracy. We also quantify the shortcomings of these methods, which become unreliable on the very largest scales, as well as for covariance matrix elements involving cosmic shear B modes. The algorithms presented here are implemented in the public code NaMaster https://github.com/LSSTDESC/NaMaster.

Search for displaced vertices of oppositely charged leptons from decays of long-lived particles in pp collisions at root s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Physics Letters B Elsevier 801 (2019) 135114

Authors:

M Aaboud, G Aad, B Abbott, O Abdinov, B Abeloos, Dk Abhayasinghe, Sh Abidi, Os AbouZeid, Nl Abraham, H Abramowicz, H Abreu, Y Abulaiti, Bs Acharya, S Adachi, L Adamczyk, J Adelman, M Adersberger, A Adiguzel, T Adye, Aa Affolder, Y Afik, C Agheorghiesei, Ja Aguilar-Saavedra, F Ahmadov, G Aielli, S Akatsuka, Tpa Akesson, E Akilli, Av Akimov, Gl Alberghi, J Albert, P Albicocco, MJ Alconada Verzini, S Alderweireldt, M Aleksa, In Aleksandrov, C Alexa, T Alexopoulos, M Alhroob, B Ali, G Alimonti, J Alison, Sp Alkire, C Allaire, Bmm Allbrooke, Bw Allen, Pp Allport, A Aloisio, A Alonso

Abstract:

A search for long-lived particles decaying into an oppositely charged lepton pair, μμ, ee, or eμ, is presented using 32.8fb−1 of pp collision data collected at s=13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Candidate leptons are required to form a vertex, within the inner tracking volume of ATLAS, displaced from the primary pp interaction region. No lepton pairs with an invariant mass greater than 12 GeV are observed, consistent with the background expectations derived from data. The detection efficiencies for generic resonances with lifetimes (cτ) of 100–1000 mm decaying into a dilepton pair with masses between 0.1–1.0 TeV are presented as a function of pT and decay radius of the resonances to allow the extraction of upper limits on the cross sections for theoretical models. The result is also interpreted in a supersymmetric model in which the lightest neutralino, produced via squark–antisquark production, decays into ℓ+ℓ′−ν (ℓ,ℓ′=e, μ) with a finite lifetime due to the presence of R-parity violating couplings. Cross-section limits are presented for specific squark and neutralino masses. For a 700 GeV squark, neutralinos with masses of 50–500 GeV and mean proper lifetimes corresponding to cτ values between 1 mm to 6 m are excluded. For a 1.6 TeV squark, cτ values between 3 mm to 1 m are excluded for 1.3 TeV neutralinos.

ATLAS b-jet identification performance and efficiency measurement with tt¯ events in pp collisions at s√=13 TeV

European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields Springer 79:11 (2019) 970

Abstract:

The algorithms used by the ATLAS Collaboration during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider to identify jets containing b-hadrons are presented. The performance of the algorithms is evaluated in the simulation and the efficiency with which these algorithms identify jets containing b-hadrons is measured in collision data. The measurement uses a likelihood-based method in a sample highly enriched in tt¯ events. The topology of the t→Wb decays is exploited to simultaneously measure both the jet flavour composition of the sample and the efficiency in a transverse momentum range from 20 to 600 GeV. The efficiency measurement is subsequently compared with that predicted by the simulation. The data used in this measurement, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 80.5 fb−1, were collected in proton–proton collisions during the years 2015–2017 at a centre-of-mass energy s√= 13 TeV. By simultaneously extracting both the efficiency and jet flavour composition, this measurement significantly improves the precision compared to previous results, with uncertainties ranging from 1 to 8% depending on the jet transverse momentum.

Observation of inverse Compton emission from a long γ-ray burst

Nature Nature Research 575:7783 (2019) 459-463

Authors:

P Veres, Pn Bhat, Ms Briggs, Wh Cleveland, R Hamburg, Cm Hui, B Mailyan, Rd Preece, Oj Roberts, A von Kienlin, Ca Wilson-Hodge, D Kocevski, M Arimoto, D Tak, K Asano, M Axelsson, G Barbiellini, E Bissaldi, F Fana Dirirsa, R Gill, J Granot, J McEnery, N Omodei, S Razzaque, F Piron, Jl Racusin, Dj Thompson, S Campana, Mg Bernardini, Npm Kuin, Mh Siegel, Sb Cenko, P O'Brien, M Capalbi, A Daì, M De Pasquale, J Gropp, N Klingler, Jp Osborne, M Perri, Rlc Starling, G Tagliaferri, A Tohuvavohu, A Ursi, M Tavani, M Cardillo, C Casentini, G Piano, Ian Heywood

Abstract:

Long-duration γ-ray bursts (GRBs) originate from ultra-relativistic jets launched from the collapsing cores of dying massive stars. They are characterized by an initial phase of bright and highly variable radiation in the kiloelectronvolt-to-megaelectronvolt band, which is probably produced within the jet and lasts from milliseconds to minutes, known as the prompt emission1,2. Subsequently, the interaction of the jet with the surrounding medium generates shock waves that are responsible for the afterglow emission, which lasts from days to months and occurs over a broad energy range from the radio to the gigaelectronvolt bands1-6. The afterglow emission is generally well explained as synchrotron radiation emitted by electrons accelerated by the external shock7-9. Recently, intense long-lasting emission between 0.2 and 1 teraelectronvolts was observed from GRB 190114C10,11. Here we report multi-frequency observations of GRB 190114C, and study the evolution in time of the GRB emission across 17 orders of magnitude in energy, from 5 × 10-6 to 1012 electronvolts. We find that the broadband spectral energy distribution is double-peaked, with the teraelectronvolt emission constituting a distinct spectral component with power comparable to the synchrotron component. This component is associated with the afterglow and is satisfactorily explained by inverse Compton up-scattering of synchrotron photons by high-energy electrons. We find that the conditions required to account for the observed teraelectronvolt component are typical for GRBs, supporting the possibility that inverse Compton emission is commonly produced in GRBs.

Combination of searches for Higgs boson pairs in pp collisions at root s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Physics Letters B Elsevier 800 (2019) 135103

Authors:

G Aad, B Abbott, DC Abbott, James Frost, The ATLAS Collaboration

Abstract:

This letter presents a combination of searches for Higgs boson pair production using up to 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s=13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The combination is performed using six analyses searching for Higgs boson pairs decaying into the bb¯bb¯, bb¯W+W−, bb¯τ+τ−, W+W−W+W−, bb¯γγ and W+W−γγ final states. Results are presented for non-resonant and resonant Higgs boson pair production modes. No statistically significant excess in data above the Standard Model predictions is found. The combined observed (expected) limit at 95% confidence level on the non-resonant Higgs boson pair production cross-section is 6.9 (10) times the predicted Standard Model cross-section. Limits are also set on the ratio (κλ) of the Higgs boson self-coupling to its Standard Model value. This ratio is constrained at 95% confidence level in observation (expectation) to −5.0<κλ<12.0 (−5.8<κλ<12.0). In addition, limits are set on the production of narrow scalar resonances and spin-2 Kaluza–Klein Randall–Sundrum gravitons. Exclusion regions are also provided in the parameter space of the habemus Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model and the Electroweak Singlet Model.