Search for anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking with the ATLAS detector based on a disappearing-track signature in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV

In models of anomaly-mediated supersymmetry breaking (AMSB), the lightest chargino is predicted to have a lifetime long enough to be detected in collider experiments. This letter explores AMSB scenarios in pp collisions at s√=7 TeV by attempting to identify decaying charginos which result in tracks that appear to have few associated hits in the outer region of the tracking system. The search was based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.02 fb[superscript −1] collected with the ATLAS detector in 2011. The pT spectrum of candidate tracks is found to be consistent with the expectation from Standard Model background processes and constraints on the lifetime and the production…

Electron performance measurements with the ATLAS detector using the 2010 LHC proton-proton collision data

Acknowledgements We thank CERN for the very successful operation of the LHC, as well as the support staff from our institutions without whom ATLAS could not be operated efficiently. We acknowledge the support of ANPCyT, Argentina; YerPhI, Armenia; ARC, Australia; BMWF, Austria; ANAS, Azerbaijan; SSTC, Belarus; CNPq and FAPESP, Brazil; NSERC, NRC and CFI, Canada; CERN; CONICYT, Chile; CAS, MOST and NSFC, China; COLCIENCIAS, Colombia; MSMT CR, MPO CR and VSC CR, Czech Republic; DNRF, DNSRC and Lundbeck Foundation, Denmark; ARTEMIS, European Union; IN2P3-CNRS, CEA-DSM/IRFU, France; GNAS, Georgia; BMBF, DFG, HGF, MPG and AvH Foundation, Germany; GSRT, Greece; ISF, MINERVA, GIF, DIP and Benoziyo…

Measurement of the inclusive and dijet cross-sections of b-jets in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of √s =7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb[superscript −1]. The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the ra…

Search for supersymmetry in events with large missing transverse momentum, jets, and at least one tau lepton in 7 TeV proton-proton collision data with the ATLAS detector

A search for supersymmetry (SUSY) in events with large missing transverse momentum, jets, and at least one hadronically decaying τ lepton, with zero or one additional light lepton (e/μ), has been performed using 4.7 fb[superscript −1] of proton-proton collision data at √s = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. No excess above the Standard Model background expectation is observed and a 95 % confidence level visible cross-sectionupper limit for new phenomena is set. In the framework of gauge-mediated SUSY-breaking models, lower limits on the mass scale Λ are set at 54 TeV in the regions where the [bar over τ]1 is the next-to-lightest SUSY particle (tanβ > 20). …

Quantifying carbon dioxide flux from dormant volcanoes with low-temperature fumarolic activity: demonstration from measurements at La Soufrière, Guadeloupe and Campi Flegrei, Italy

Quantifying the flux of magma derived CO2 dissipated by fumarolic fields at dormant volcanoes is fundamental to assess their current state of hydrothermal activity and, therefore, the likelihood of a future phreatic/magmatic eruption. There is, in fact, documented evidence that gas fluxes, and CO2 flux in particular, can increase substantially during volcanic unrests and prior to eruption, due to either degassing of new ascending magma or changes in the hydrothermal system physical regime. Quantifying CO2 emissions is relatively straightforward at open-conduit volcanoes with high-temperature gas venting, which release high enough quantities of SO2 remotely measurable with UV spectroscopy an…

Measurement of the Lund jet plane using charged particles in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions with the ATLAS detector

The prevalence of hadronic jets at the LHC requires that a deep understanding of jet formation and structure is achieved in order to reach the highest levels of experimental and theoretical precision. There have been many measurements of jet substructure at the LHC and previous colliders, but the targeted observables mix physical effects from various origins. Based on a recent proposal to factorize physical effects, this Letter presents a double-differential cross-section measurement of the Lund jet plane using 139  fb−1 of √s=13  TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector using jets with transverse momentum above 675 GeV. The measurement uses charged particles to ac…

Improved luminosity determination in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV using the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The luminosity calibration for the ATLAS detector at the LHC during pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV in 2010 and 2011 is presented. Evaluation of the luminosity scale is performed using several luminosity-sensitive detectors, and comparisons are made of the long-term stability and accuracy of this calibration applied to the pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV. A luminosity uncertainty of Delta L/L = +/- 3.5% is obtained for the 47 pb-1 of data delivered to ATLAS in 2010, and an uncertainty of Delta L/L = +/- 1.8% is obtained for the 5.5 fb-1 delivered in 2011.

Studies of the performance of the ATLAS detector using cosmic-ray muons

Muons from cosmic-ray interactions in the atmosphere provide a high-statistics source of particles that can be used to study the performance and calibration of the ATLAS detector. Cosmic-ray muons can penetrate to the cavern and deposit energy in all detector subsystems. Such events have played an important role in the commissioning of the detector since the start of the installation phase in 2005 and were particularly important for understanding the detector performance in the time prior to the arrival of the first LHC beams. Global cosmic-ray runs were undertaken in both 2008 and 2009 and these data have been used through to the early phases of collision data-taking as a tool for calibrat…

Search for massive colored scalars in four-jet final states in √s = 7 TeV proton–proton collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for pair-produced scalar particles decaying to a four-jet final state is presented. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 34 pb[superscript −1] recorded by the ATLAS detector in 2010. No deviation from the Standard Model is observed. For a scalar mass of 100 GeV (190 GeV) the limit on the scalar gluon pair production cross section at 95% confidence level is 1 nb (0.28 nb). When these results are interpreted as mass limits, scalar-gluons (hyperpions) with masses of 100 to 185 GeV (100 to 155 GeV) are excluded at 95% confidence level with the exception of a mass window of width about 5 GeV (15 GeV) around 140 GeV.

Search for light scalar top quark pair production in final states with two leptons with the ATLAS detector in sqrt(s) = 7 TeV proton-proton collisions

A search is presented for the pair production of light scalar top quarks in s√=7 TeV proton–proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. This analysis uses the full data sample collected during 2011 running that corresponds to a total integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb[superscript −1]. Light scalar top quarks are searched for in events with two opposite-sign leptons (e, μ), large missing transverse momentum and at least one jet in the final state. No excess over Standard Model expectations is found, and the results are interpreted under the assumption that the light scalar top decays to a b-quark in addition to an on-shell chargino whose decay occurs through…

Search for supersymmetry in events with photons, bottom quarks, and missing transverse momentum in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search has been performed for the experimental signature of an isolated photon with high transverse momentum, at least one jet identified as originating from a bottom quark, and high missing transverse momentum. Such a final state may originate from supersymmetric models with gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking in events in which one of a pair of higgsino-like neutralinos decays into a photon and a gravitino while the other decays into a Higgs boson and a gravitino. The search is performed using the full dataset of 7 TeV proton–proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2011, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb−1. A total of 7 candidate events are o…

Search for supersymmetric particles in events with lepton pairs and large missing transverse momentum in sqrt{s} = 7 TeV proton-proton collisions with the ATLAS experiment

Results are presented of searches for the production of supersymmetric particles decaying into final states with missing transverse momentum and exactly two isolated leptons in √ s = 7 TeV proton–proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. Search strategies requiring lepton pairs with identical-sign or opposite-sign electric charges are described. In a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35 pb−1 collected with the ATLAS detector, no significant excesses are observed. Based on specific benchmark models, limits are placed on the squark mass between 450 and 690 GeV for squarks approximately degenerate in mass with gluinos, depending on the supersymmetric mass hierarchy…

Search for pair-produced massive coloured scalars in four-jet final states with the ATLAS detector in proton–proton collisions at √s =7 TeV

A search for pair-produced massive coloured scalar particles decaying to a four-jet final state is performed by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV. The analysed data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.6 fb[superscript −1]. No deviation from the Standard Model is observed in the invariant mass spectrum of the two-jet pairs. A limit on the scalar gluon pair production cross section of 70 pb (10 pb) is obtained at the 95 % confidence level for a scalar gluon mass of 150 GeV (350 GeV). Interpreting these results as mass limits on scalar gluons, masses ranging from 150 GeV to 287 GeV are excluded at the 95 % confidence level.

Intense magmatic gas leakage through the lake of Copahue volcano.

Search for a heavy top-quark partner in final states with two leptons with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The results of a search for direct pair production of heavy top-quark partners in 4.7 fb[superscript −1] of integrated luminosity from pp collisions at s√ = 7 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported. Heavy top-quark partners decaying into a top quark and a neutral non-interacting particle are searched for in events with two leptons in the final state. No excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Limits are placed on the mass of a supersymmetric scalar top and of a spin-1/2 top-quark partner. A spin-1/2 top-quark partner with a mass between 300 GeV and 480 GeV, decaying to a top quark and a neutral non-interacting particle lighter than 100 GeV, is excluded …

CO2 degassing at La Solfatara volcano (Phlegrean Fields): Processes affecting d13C and d18O of soil CO2

Abstract The soil CO2 degassing is a ected by processes of isotope exchange and fractionation during transport across the soil, which can deeply modify the pristine isotope composition. This has been observed in 10 the Solfatara volcano, upon a eld survey of 110 points, where the CO2 ux was measured, together with temperature, CO2 concentra- tion and oxygen and carbon isotopes within the soil. Furthermore, in some selected sites, the measurements were made at di erent depths, in order to analyze vertical gradients. Oxygen isotope composition 15 appears controlled by exchange with soil water (either meteoric or fumarolic condensate), due to the fast kinetic of the isotopic equilib- rium betw…

Performance of the ATLAS detector using first collision data

More than half a million minimum-bias events of LHC collision data were collected by the ATLAS experiment in December 2009 at centre-of-mass energies of 0.9 TeV and 2.36 TeV. This paper reports on studies of the initial performance of the ATLAS detector from these data. Comparisons between data and Monte Carlo predictions are shown for distributions of several track- and calorimeter-based quantities. The good performance of the ATLAS detector in these first data gives confidence for successful running at higher energies.

• Volcanic CO2 measurements via Tunable Diode Laser Spectrometer

The analysis of volcanic gas datasets offer key information to build/validate geological models relevant to a variety of volcanic processes and behaviours, including eruptions. In the last decades, near-infrared room-temperature diode lasers, though in an experimental phase, are finding applications in volcanic gas studies. Here, we report on the application of the GasFinder 2.0, a commercial tunable diode infrared laser-receiver unit, operating in the 1.3-1.7 μm wavelength range, to measuring CO2 concentrations in volcanic gas emissions. At first, our field tests were conducted in three different campaigns at Campi Flegrei volcano (near Pozzuoli, Southern Italy), and, subsequently, also in…

Volcanic CO2 mapping and flux measurements at Campi Flegrei by Tunable Diode Laser absorption Spectroscopy

Near-infrared room-temperature Tunable Diode Lasers (TDL) have recently found increased usage in atmospheric chemistry and air monitoring research, but applications in Volcanology are still limited to a few examples. Here, we explored the potentiality of a commercial infrared laser unit (GasFinder 2.0 from Boreal Laser Ltd) to measurement of volcanic CO2 flux emissions. Our field tests were conducted at Campi Flegrei (near Pozzuoli, Southern Italy), where the GasFinder was used (during three campaigns in October 2012, January 2013 and May 2013) to repeatedly measure the path-integrated concentrations of CO2 along cross-sections of the atmospheric plumes of the two main fumarolic fields in t…