A search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in proton–proton collisions with the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented. The datasets used correspond to integrated luminosities of approximately 4.8 fb−1 collected at √s=7 TeV in 2011 and 5.8 fb−1 at √s=8 TeV in 2012. Individual searches in the channels H→ZZ(⁎)→4ℓ, H→γγ and H→WW(⁎)→eνμν in the 8 TeV data are combined with previously published results of searches for H→ZZ(⁎), WW(⁎), bb and τ+τ− in the 7 TeV data and results from improved analyses of the H→ZZ(⁎)→4ℓ and H→γγ channels in the 7 TeV data. Clear evidence for the production of a neutral boson with a measured mass of 126.0±0.4(stat)±0.4(sys) GeV is presented. This observation, which has a significance of 5.9 standard deviations, corresponding to a background fluctuation probability of 1.7×10−9, is compatible with the production and decay of the Standard Model Higgs boson

On 2017 August 17 a binary neutron star coalescence candidate (later designated GW170817) with merger time 12:41:04 UTC was observed through gravitational waves by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. The Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor independently detected a gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) with a time delay of ∼ 1.7 s with respect to the merger time. From the gravitational-wave signal, the source was initially localized to a sky region of 31 deg2 at a luminosity distance of 40 − 8 + 8 Mpc and with component masses consistent with neutron stars. The component masses were later measured to be in the range 0.86 to 2.26 M ⊙ . An extensive observing campaign was launched across the electromagnetic spectrum leading to the discovery of a bright optical transient (SSS17a, now with the IAU identification of AT 2017gfo) in NGC 4993 (at ∼ 40 Mpc ) less than 11 hours after the merger by the One-Meter, Two Hemisphere (1M2H) team using the 1 m Swope Telescope. The optical transient was independently detected by multiple teams within an hour. Subsequent observations targeted the object and its environment. Early ultraviolet observations revealed a blue transient that faded within 48 hours. Optical and infrared observations showed a redward evolution over ∼10 days. Following early non-detections, X-ray and radio emission were discovered at the transient’s position ∼ 9 and ∼ 16 days, respectively, after the merger. Both the X-ray and radio emission likely arise from a physical process that is distinct from the one that generates the UV/optical/near-infrared emission. No ultra-high-energy gamma-rays and no neutrino candidates consistent with the source were found in follow-up searches. These observations support the hypothesis that GW170817 was produced by the merger of two neutron stars in NGC 4993 followed by a short gamma-ray burst (GRB 170817A) and a kilonova/macronova powered by the radioactive decay of r-process nuclei synthesized in the ejecta.

A measurement of the Higgs boson mass is presented based on the combined data samples of the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the CERN LHC in the H → γγ and H → ZZ → 4l decay channels. The results are obtained from a simultaneous fit to the reconstructed invariant mass peaks in the two channels and for the two experiments. The measured masses from the individual channels and the two experiments are found to be consistent among themselves. The combined measured mass of the Higgs boson is m H ¼ 125.09 AE 0.21 ðstatÞ AE 0.11 ðsystÞ GeV. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.191803 PACS numbers: 14.80.Bn, 13.85.Qk The study of the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking is one of the principal goals of the CERN LHC program. In the standard model (SM), this symmetry breaking is achieved through the introduction of a complex doublet scalar field, leading to the prediction of the Higgs boson H [1-6], whose mass m H is, however, not predicted by the theory. In 2012, the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations at the LHC announced the discovery of a particle with Higgs-boson-like properties and a mass of about 125 GeV [7][8][9]. The discovery was based primarily on mass peaks observed in the γγ and ZZ → l þ l − l 0þ l 0−(denoted H → ZZ → 4l for simplicity) decay channels, where one or both of the Z bosons can be off shell and where l and l 0 denote an electron or muon. With m H known, all properties of the SM Higgs boson, such as its production cross section and partial decay widths, can be predicted. Increasingly precise measurements [10][11][12][13] have established that all observed properties of the new particle, including its spin, parity, and coupling strengths to SM particles are consistent within the uncertainties with those expected for the SM Higgs boson.The ATLAS and CMS Collaborations have independently measured m H using the samples of proton-proton collision data collected in 2011 and 2012, commonly referred to as LHC Run 1. The analyzed samples correspond to approximately 5 fb −1 of integrated luminosity at ffiffi ffi s p ¼ 7 TeV, and 20 fb −1 at ffiffi ffi s p ¼ 8 TeV, for each experiment. Combined results in the context of the separate experiments, as well as those in the individual channels, are presented in Refs. [12,[14][15][16].This Letter describes a combination of the Run 1 data from the two experiments, leading to improved precision for m H . Besides its intrinsic importance as a fundamental parameter, improved knowledge of m H yields more precise predictions for the other Higgs boson properties. Furthermore, the combined mass measurement provides a first step towards combinations of other quantities, such as the couplings. In the SM, m H is related to the values of the masses of the W boson and top quark through loopinduced effects. Taking into account other measured SM quantities, the comparison of the measurements of the Higgs boson, W boson, and top quark masses can be used to directly test the consistency of the SM [17] and thus to search for evidence of physics beyond the SM.The combination is performed usin...

ForewordThe Pierre Auger Observatory has begun a major Upgrade of its already impressive capabilities, with an emphasis on improved mass composition determination using the surface detectors of the Observatory. Known as AugerPrime, the upgrade will include new 4 m 2 plastic scintillator detectors on top of all 1660 water-Cherenkov detectors, updated and more flexible surface detector electronics, a large array of buried muon detectors, and an extended duty cycle for operations of the fluorescence detectors.This Preliminary Design Report was produced by the Collaboration in April 2015 as an internal document and information for funding agencies. It outlines the scientific and technical case for AugerPrime 1 . We now release it to the public via the arXiv server. We invite you to review the large number of fundamental results already achieved by the Observatory and our plans for the future.The Pierre Auger Collaboration 1 As a result of continuing R&D, slight changes have been implemented in the baseline design since this Report was written. These changes will be documented in a forthcoming Technical Design Report. ix x Executive Summary Present Results from the Pierre Auger ObservatoryMeasurements of the Auger Observatory have dramatically advanced our understanding of ultra-high energy cosmic rays. The suppression of the flux around 5×10 19 eV is now confirmed without any doubt. Strong limits have been placed on the photon and neutrino components of the flux indicating that "top-down" source processes, such as the decay of superheavy particles, cannot account for a significant part of the observed particle flux. A largescale dipole anisotropy of ∼7% amplitude has been found for energies above 8×10 18 eV. In addition there is also an indication of the presence of a large scale anisotropy below the ankle. Particularly exciting is the observed behavior of the depth of shower maximum with energy, which changes in an unexpected, non-trivial way. Around 3×10 18 eV it shows a distinct change of slope with energy, and the shower-to-shower variance decreases. Interpreted with the leading LHC-tuned shower models, this implies a gradual shift to a heavier composition. A number of fundamentally different astrophysical model scenarios have been developed to describe this evolution. The high degree of isotropy observed in numerous tests of the small-scale angular distribution of UHECR above 4×10 19 eV is remarkable, challenging original expectations that assumed only a few cosmic ray sources with a light composition at the highest energies. Interestingly, the largest departures from isotropy are observed for cosmic rays with E > 5.8×10 19 eV in ∼20 • sky-windows. Due to a duty cycle of ∼15% of the fluorescence telescopes, the data on the depth of shower maximum extend only up to the flux suppression region, i.e. 4×10 19 eV. Obtaining more information on the composition of cosmic rays at higher energies will provide crucial means to discriminate between the model classes and to understand the origin of the observed flux suppre...

H. von der Schmitt 99 , J. von Loeben 99 , H. von Radziewski 48 , E. von Toerne 20 , V. Vorobel 126 , V. Vorwerk 11 , M. Vos 166 , R. Voss 29 , T.T. Voss 173 , J.H. Vossebeld 73 , N. Vranjes 12a , M. Vranjes Milosavljevic 12a , V. Vrba 125 , M. Vreeswijk 105 , T. Abstract The simulation software for the ATLAS Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider is being used for large-scale production of events on the LHC Computing Grid. This simulation requires many components, from the generators that simulate particle collisions, through packages simulating the response of the various detectors and triggers. All of these components come together under the ATLAS simulation infrastructure. In this paper, that infrastructure is discussed, including that supporting the detector description , interfacing the event generation, and combining the GEANT4 simulation of the response of the individual detectors. Also described are the tools allowing the software validation, performance testing, and the validation of the simulated output against known physics processes.