Neural simulation-based inference (NSBI) is a powerful class of machine-learning-based methods for statistical inference that naturally handles high-dimensional parameter estimation without the need to bin data into low-dimensional summary histograms. Such methods are promising for a range of measurements, including at the Large Hadron Collider, where no single observable may be optimal to scan over the entire theoretical phase space under consideration, or where binning data into histograms could result in a loss of sensitivity. This work develops a NSBI framework for statistical inference, using neural networks to estimate probability density ratios, which enables the application to a full-scale analysis. It incorporates a large number of systematic uncertainties, quantifies the uncertainty due to the finite number of events in training samples, develops a method to construct confidence intervals, and demonstrates a series of intermediate diagnostic checks that can be performed to validate the robustness of the method. As an example, the power and feasibility of the method are assessed on simulated data for a simplified version of an off-shell Higgs boson couplings measurement in the four-lepton final states. This approach represents an extension to the standard statistical methodology used by the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider, and can benefit many physics analyses.

This report reviews the published results of searches for possible additional scalar particles and exotic decays of the Higgs boson performed by the ATLAS Collaboration using up to 140 fb−1 of 13 TeV proton–proton collision data collected during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. Key results are examined, and observed excesses, while never statistically compelling, are noted. Constraints are placed on parameters of several models which extend the Standard Model, for example by adding one or more singlet or doublet fields, or offering exotic Higgs boson decay channels. Summaries of new searches as well as extensions of previous searches are discussed. These new results have a wider reach or attain stronger exclusion limits. New experimental techniques that were developed for these searches are highlighted. Search channels which have not yet been examined are also listed, as these provide insight into possible future areas of exploration.

A combination of searches for singly and doubly charged Higgs bosons, H± and H±±, produced via vector-boson fusion is performed using 140 fb−1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. Searches targeting decays to massive vector bosons in leptonic final states (electrons or muons) are considered. New constraints are reported on the production cross-section times branching fraction for charged Higgs boson masses between 200 GeV and 3000 GeV. The results are interpreted in the context of the Georgi-Machacek model for which the most stringent constraints to date are set for the masses considered in the combination.

A combination of searches for the single production of vectorlike top quarks (𝑇) is presented. These analyses are based on proton-proton collisions at √𝑠 =13  TeV recorded in 2015–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139  fb−1. The 𝑇 decay modes considered in this combination are into a top quark and either a Standard Model Higgs boson or a 𝑍 boson (𝑇 →𝐻⁡𝑡 and 𝑇→𝑍⁢𝑡). The individual searches used in the combination are differentiated by the number of leptons (𝑒, 𝜇) in the final state. The observed data are found to be in good agreement with the Standard Model background prediction. Interpretations are provided for a range of masses and couplings of the vectorlike top quark for benchmark models and generalized representations in terms of 95% confidence level limits. For a benchmark signal prediction of a vectorlike top quark SU(2) singlet with electroweak coupling, 𝜅, of 0.5, masses below 2.1 TeV are excluded, resulting in the most restrictive limits to date.

Differential measurements of Higgs boson production in the tau-lepton-pair decay channel are presented in the gluon fusion, vector-boson fusion (VBF), VH and t (t) over barH associated production modes, with particular focus on the VBF production mode. The data used to perform the measurements correspond to 140 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Two methods are used to perform the measurements: the Simplified Template Cross-Section (STXS) approach and an Unfolded Fiducial Differential measurement considering only the VBF phase space. For the STXS measurement, events are categorized by their production mode and kinematic properties such as the Higgs boson's transverse momentum (p(T)(H)), the number of jets produced in association with the Higgs boson, or the invariant mass of the two leading jets (m(jj)). For the VBF production mode, the ratio of the measured cross-section to the Standard Model prediction for m(jj) > 1.5 TeV and p(T)(H) > 200 GeV (p(T)(H) < 200 GeV) is 1.29(-0.34)(+0.39) (0.12(-0.33)(+0.34)). This is the first VBF measurement for the higher-p(T)(H) criteria, and the most precise for the lower-p(T)(H) criteria. The fiducial cross-section measurements, which only consider the kinematic properties of the event, are performed as functions of variables characterizing the VBF topology, such as the signed Delta phi(jj) between the two leading jets. The measurements have a precision of 30%-50% and agree well with the Standard Model predictions. These results are interpreted in the SMEFT framework, and place the strongest constraints to date on the CP-odd Wilson coefficient c(H (W) over tilde).

The production of D^± and Ds± charmed mesons is measured using the D^±/Ds±→ ϕ(μμ)π^± decay channel with 137 fb⁻¹ of s = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider during the years 2016–2018. The charmed mesons are reconstructed in the range of transverse momentum 12 < p<inf>T</inf> < 100 GeV and pseudorapidity |η| < 2.5. The differential cross-sections are measured as a function of transverse momentum and pseudorapidity, respectively, and compared with next-to-leading- order QCD predictions. The predictions are found to be consistent with the measurements in the visible kinematic region within the large theoretical uncertainties.

Jets with different radius parameters R are an important tool for probing quantum chromodynamics processes at different angular scales. Jets with small R=0.2 are instrumental in measurements of the substructure of large-R jets resulting from collimated hadronic decays of energetic W, Z, and Higgs bosons, top quarks, and of potential new resonances. This paper presents measurements of the energy scale, resolution, and associated uncertainties of jets with radius parameters R=0.2 and 0.6, obtained using the ATLAS detector. The results are based on 37fb-1 of proton–proton collision data from the Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of s=13 TeV. A new in situ method for measuring jet energy scale differences between data and Monte Carlo simulations is presented. The systematic uncertainties in the jet energy scale for central jets (|η|<1.2) typically vary from 1% to about 5% as a function of |η| at very low transverse momentum, pT, of around 20 GeV for both R=0.2 and 0.6 jets. The relative energy resolution ranges from (35±6)% at pT=20 GeV to (6±0.5)% at pT=300 GeV for central R=0.2 jets, and is found to be slightly worse for R=0.6 jets. Finally, the effect of close-by hadronic activity on the jet energy scale is investigated and is found to be well modelled by the ATLAS Monte Carlo simulations.

The high-luminosity phase of LHC operations (HL-LHC), will feature a large increase in simultaneous proton-proton interactions per bunch crossing up to 200, compared with a typical leveling target of 64 in Run 3. Such an increase will create a very challenging environment in which to perform charged particle trajectory reconstruction, a task crucial for the success of the ATLAS physics program, and will exceed the capabilities of the current ATLAS Inner Detector (ID). A new all-silicon Inner Tracker (ITk) will replace the current ID in time for the start of the HL-LHC. To ensure successful use of the ITk capabilities in Run 4 and beyond, the ATLAS tracking software has been successfully adapted to achieve state-of-the-art track reconstruction in challenging high-luminosity conditions with the ITk detector. This paper presents the expected tracking performance of the ATLAS ITk based on the latest available developments since the ITk technical design reports.

A measurement of off-shell Higgs boson production in the H∗ → ZZ → 4ℓ decay channel is presented. The measurement uses 140 fb−1 of proton–proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider and supersedes the previous result in this decay channel using the same dataset. The data analysis is performed using a neural simulation-based inference method, which builds per-event likelihood ratios using neural networks. The observed (expected) off-shell Higgs boson production signal strength in the ZZ → 4ℓ decay channel at 68% CL is 0.87+0.75−0.54 (1.00+1.04−0.95). The evidence for off-shell Higgs boson production using the ZZ → 4ℓ decay channel has an observed (expected) significance of 2.5σ (1.3σ). The expected result represents a significant improvement relative to that of the previous analysis of the same dataset, which obtained an expected significance of 0.5σ. When combined with the most recent ATLAS measurement in the ZZ → 2ℓ2ν decay channel, the evidence for off-shell Higgs boson production has an observed (expected) significance of 3.7σ(2.4σ). The off-shell measurements are combined with the measurement of on-shell Higgs boson production to obtain constraints on the Higgs boson total width. The observed (expected) value of the Higgs boson width at 68% CL is 4.3+2.7−1.9 (4.1+3.5−3.4) MeV.

In ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions at the LHC, each nucleus acts a sources of high-energy real photons that can scatter off the opposing nucleus in ultraperipheral photonuclear (𝛾 +𝐴) collisions. Hard scattering processes initiated by the photons in such collisions provide a novel method for probing nuclear parton distributions in a kinematic region not easily accessible to other measurements. ATLAS has measured production of dijet and multijet final states in ultraperipheral Pb+Pb collisions at √𝑠NN =5.02  TeV using a dataset recorded in 2018 with an integrated luminosity of 1.72  nb−1. Photonuclear final states are selected by requiring a rapidity gap in the photon direction; this selects events where one of the outgoing nuclei remains intact. Jets are reconstructed using the anti-𝑘t algorithm with radius parameter, 𝑅 =0.4. Triple-differential cross sections, unfolded for detector response, are measured and presented using two sets of kinematic variables. The first set consists of the total transverse momentum (𝐻T), rapidity, and mass of the jet system. The second set uses 𝐻T and particle-level nuclear and photon parton momentum fractions, 𝑥A and 𝑧𝛾, respectively. The results are compared with leading-order perturbative QCD calculations of photonuclear jet production cross sections, where all leading order predictions using existing fits fall below the data in the shadowing region. More detailed theoretical comparisons will allow these results to strongly constrain nuclear parton distributions, and these data provide results from the LHC directly comparable to early physics results at the planned Electron-Ion Collider.