Evidence for the charge asymmetry in pp → t(t)over-bar production at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract

<p>Inclusive and differential measurements of the top-antitop ( t (t) over bar) charge asymmetry A(C)(t (t) over bar) and the leptonic asymmetry A(C)(l (l) over bar) are presented in proton-proton collisions at root s = 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement uses the complete Run 2 dataset, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1), combines data in the single-lepton and dilepton channels, and employs reconstruction techniques adapted to both the resolved and boosted topologies. A Bayesian unfolding procedure is performed to correct for detector resolution and acceptance effects. The combined inclusive t (t) over bar charge asymmetry is measured to be A(C)(t (t) over bar) = 0.0068 +/- 0.0015, which differs from zero by 4.7 standard deviations. Differential measurements are performed as a function of the invariant mass, transverse momentum and longitudinal boost of the t (t) over bar system. Both the inclusive and differential measurements are found to be compatible with the Standard Model predictions, at next-to-next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics perturbation theory with next-to-leading-order electroweak corrections. The measurements are interpreted in the framework of the Standard Model effective field theory, placing competitive bounds on several Wilson coefficients.</p>