Observation of light-by-light scattering in ultraperipheral Pb + Pb collisions with the ATLAS detector

ATLAS Collaboration

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.052001

Observation of light-by-light scattering in ultraperipheral Pb + Pb collisions with the ATLAS detector

ATLAS Collaboration

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Abstract

This Letter describes the observation of the light-by-light scattering process, γγ → γγ, in Pb + Pb collisions at √s_NN= 5.02 TeV. The analysis is conducted using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.73 nb^-1, collected in November 2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Light-by-light scattering candidates are selected in events with two photons produced exclusively, each with transverse energy E_T^γ> 3 GeV and pseudorapidity |η_γ| < 2.4, diphoton invariant mass above 6 GeV, and small diphoton transverse momentum and acoplanarity. After applying all selection criteria, 59 candidate events are observed for a background expectation of 12 ± 3 events. The observed excess of events over the expected background has a significance of 8.2 standard deviations. The measured fiducial cross section is 78 ± 13(stat) ± 7(syst) ± 3(lumi) nb.

Original language	English
Article number	052001
Pages (from-to)	052001-1-052001-21
Number of pages	21
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	123
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.052001
Publication status	Published - 2 Aug 2019
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Copyright the Author(s) 2019. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

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10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.052001Licence: CC BY

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Cite this

@article{8e040677d4f446d9ad58188d726b5607,

title = "Observation of light-by-light scattering in ultraperipheral Pb + Pb collisions with the ATLAS detector",

abstract = "This Letter describes the observation of the light-by-light scattering process, γγ → γγ, in Pb + Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV. The analysis is conducted using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.73 nb-1, collected in November 2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Light-by-light scattering candidates are selected in events with two photons produced exclusively, each with transverse energy ETγ > 3 GeV and pseudorapidity |ηγ| < 2.4, diphoton invariant mass above 6 GeV, and small diphoton transverse momentum and acoplanarity. After applying all selection criteria, 59 candidate events are observed for a background expectation of 12 ± 3 events. The observed excess of events over the expected background has a significance of 8.2 standard deviations. The measured fiducial cross section is 78 ± 13(stat) ± 7(syst) ± 3(lumi) nb.",

author = "{ATLAS Collaboration} and G. Aad and B. Abbott and Abbott, {D. C.} and O. Abdinov and {Abed Abud}, A. and K. Abeling and Abhayasinghe, {D. K.} and Abidi, {S. H.} and Abouzeid, {O. S.} and Abraham, {N. L.} and H. Abramowicz and H. Abreu and Y. Abulaiti and Acharya, {B. S.} and B. Achkar and S. Adachi and L. Adam and {Adam Bourdarios}, C. and L. Adamczyk and L. Adamek and J. Adelman and M. Adersberger and A. Adiguzel and S. Adorni and T. Adye and Affolder, {A. A.} and Y. Afik and C. Agapopoulou and Agaras, {M. N.} and A. Aggarwal and C. Agheorghiesei and Aguilar-Saavedra, {J. A.} and F. Ahmadov and Ahmed, {W. S.} and X. Ai and G. Aielli and S. Akatsuka and {\AA}kesson, {T. P.A.} and E. Akilli and Akimov, {A. V.} and {Al Khoury}, K. and Alberghi, {G. L.} and J. Albert and {Alconada Verzini}, {M. J.} and S. Alderweireldt and M. Aleksa and Aleksandrov, {I. N.} and C. Alexa and D. Alexandre and T. Alexopoulos and A. Alfonsi and M. Alhroob and B. Ali and G. Alimonti and J. Alison and Alkire, {S. P.} and C. Allaire and Allbrooke, {B. M.M.} and Allen, {B. W.} and Allport, {P. P.} and A. Aloisio and A. Alonso and F. Alonso and C. Alpigiani and Alshehri, {A. A.} and {Alvarez Estevez}, M. and {{\'A}lvarez Piqueras}, D. and Alviggi, {M. G.} and {Amaral Coutinho}, Y. and A. Ambler and L. Ambroz and C. Amelung and D. Amidei and {Amor Dos Santos}, {S. P.} and S. Amoroso and Amrouche, {C. S.} and F. An and C. Anastopoulos and N. Andari and T. Andeen and Anders, {C. F.} and Anders, {J. K.} and A. Andreazza and V. Andrei and Anelli, {C. R.} and S. Angelidakis and A. Angerami and Anisenkov, {A. V.} and A. Annovi and C. Antel and Anthony, {M. T.} and M. Antonelli and Antrim, {D. J.A.} and F. Anulli and M. Aoki and {Aparisi Pozo}, {J. A.} and {Aperio Bella}, L. and G. Arabidze and Araque, {J. P.} and {Araujo Ferraz}, V. and {Araujo Pereira}, R. and C. Arcangeletti and Arce, {A. T.H.} and Arduh, {F. A.} and Arguin, {J. F.} and S. Argyropoulos and Arling, {J. H.} and Armbruster, {A. J.} and Armitage, {L. J.} and A. Armstrong and O. Arnaez and H. Arnold and A. Artamonov and G. Artoni and S. Artz and S. Asai and N. Asbah and Asimakopoulou, {E. M.} and L. Asquith and K. Assamagan and R. Astalos and Atkin, {R. J.} and M. Atkinson and Atlay, {N. B.} and H. Atmani and K. Augsten and G. Avolio and R. Avramidou and Ayoub, {M. K.} and Azoulay, {A. M.} and G. Azuelos and Baca, {M. J.} and H. Bachacou and K. Bachas and M. Backes and F. Backman and P. Bagnaia and M. Bahmani and H. Bahrasemani and Bailey, {A. J.} and Bailey, {V. R.} and Baines, {J. T.} and M. Bajic and C. Bakalis and Baker, {O. K.} and Bakker, {P. J.} and {Bakshi Gupta}, D. and S. Balaji and Baldin, {E. M.} and P. Balek and F. Balli and Balunas, {W. K.} and J. Balz and E. Banas and A. Bandyopadhyay and Sw Banerjee and Bannoura, {A. A.E.} and L. Barak and Barbe, {W. M.} and Barberio, {E. L.} and D. Barberis and M. Barbero and T. Barillari and Barisits, {M. S.} and J. Barkeloo and T. Barklow and R. Barnea and Barnes, {S. L.} and Barnett, {B. M.} and Barnett, {R. M.} and Z. Barnovska-Blenessy and A. Baroncelli and G. Barone and Barr, {A. J.} and {Barranco Navarro}, L. and F. Barreiro and {Barreiro Guimar{\~a}es Da Costa}, J. and S. Barsov and R. Bartoldus and G. Bartolini and Barton, {A. E.} and P. Bartos and A. Basalaev and A. Bassalat and Bates, {R. L.} and Batista, {S. J.} and S. Batlamous and Batley, {J. R.} and B. Batool and M. Battaglia and M. Bauce and F. Bauer and Bauer, {K. T.} and Bawa, {H. S.} and Beacham, {J. B.} and T. Beau and Beauchemin, {P. H.} and F. Becherer and P. Bechtle and Beck, {H. C.} and Beck, {H. P.} and K. Becker and M. Becker and C. Becot and Beddall, {A. J.} and Beddall, {A. J.} and Bednyakov, {V. A.} and M. Bedognetti and Bee, {C. P.} and Beermann, {T. A.} and M. Begalli and M. Begel and A. Behera and Behr, {J. K.} and F. Beisiegel and Bell, {A. S.} and G. Bella and L. Bellagamba and A. Bellerive and P. Bellos and K. Beloborodov and K. Belotskiy and Belyaev, {N. L.} and D. Benchekroun and N. Benekos and Y. Benhammou and Benjamin, {D. P.} and M. Benoit and Bensinger, {J. R.} and S. Bentvelsen and L. Beresford and M. Beretta and D. Berge and {Bergeaas Kuutmann}, E. and N. Berger and B. Bergmann and Bergsten, {L. J.} and J. Beringer and S. Berlendis and Bernard, {N. R.} and G. Bernardi and C. Bernius and T. Berry and P. Berta and C. Bertella and Bertram, {I. A.} and Besjes, {G. J.} and {Bessidskaia Bylund}, O. and N. Besson and S. Shojaii",

note = "Copyright the Author(s) 2019. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

year = "2019",

month = aug,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.052001",

language = "English",

volume = "123",

pages = "052001--1--052001--21",

journal = "Physical Review Letters",

issn = "0031-9007",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Observation of light-by-light scattering in ultraperipheral Pb + Pb collisions with the ATLAS detector

AU - ATLAS Collaboration

AU - Aad, G.

AU - Abbott, B.

AU - Abbott, D. C.

AU - Abdinov, O.

AU - Abed Abud, A.

AU - Abeling, K.

AU - Abhayasinghe, D. K.

AU - Abidi, S. H.

AU - Abouzeid, O. S.

AU - Abraham, N. L.

AU - Abramowicz, H.

AU - Abreu, H.

AU - Abulaiti, Y.

AU - Acharya, B. S.

AU - Achkar, B.

AU - Adachi, S.

AU - Adam, L.

AU - Adam Bourdarios, C.

AU - Adamczyk, L.

AU - Adamek, L.

AU - Adelman, J.

AU - Adersberger, M.

AU - Adiguzel, A.

AU - Adorni, S.

AU - Adye, T.

AU - Affolder, A. A.

AU - Afik, Y.

AU - Agapopoulou, C.

AU - Agaras, M. N.

AU - Aggarwal, A.

AU - Agheorghiesei, C.

AU - Aguilar-Saavedra, J. A.

AU - Ahmadov, F.

AU - Ahmed, W. S.

AU - Ai, X.

AU - Aielli, G.

AU - Akatsuka, S.

AU - Åkesson, T. P.A.

AU - Akilli, E.

AU - Akimov, A. V.

AU - Al Khoury, K.

AU - Alberghi, G. L.

AU - Albert, J.

AU - Alconada Verzini, M. J.

AU - Alderweireldt, S.

AU - Aleksa, M.

AU - Aleksandrov, I. N.

AU - Alexa, C.

AU - Alexandre, D.

AU - Alexopoulos, T.

AU - Alfonsi, A.

AU - Alhroob, M.

AU - Ali, B.

AU - Alimonti, G.

AU - Alison, J.

AU - Alkire, S. P.

AU - Allaire, C.

AU - Allbrooke, B. M.M.

AU - Allen, B. W.

AU - Allport, P. P.

AU - Aloisio, A.

AU - Alonso, A.

AU - Alonso, F.

AU - Alpigiani, C.

AU - Alshehri, A. A.

AU - Alvarez Estevez, M.

AU - Álvarez Piqueras, D.

AU - Alviggi, M. G.

AU - Amaral Coutinho, Y.

AU - Ambler, A.

AU - Ambroz, L.

AU - Amelung, C.

AU - Amidei, D.

AU - Amor Dos Santos, S. P.

AU - Amoroso, S.

AU - Amrouche, C. S.

AU - An, F.

AU - Anastopoulos, C.

AU - Andari, N.

AU - Andeen, T.

AU - Anders, C. F.

AU - Anders, J. K.

AU - Andreazza, A.

AU - Andrei, V.

AU - Anelli, C. R.

AU - Angelidakis, S.

AU - Angerami, A.

AU - Anisenkov, A. V.

AU - Annovi, A.

AU - Antel, C.

AU - Anthony, M. T.

AU - Antonelli, M.

AU - Antrim, D. J.A.

AU - Anulli, F.

AU - Aoki, M.

AU - Aparisi Pozo, J. A.

AU - Aperio Bella, L.

AU - Arabidze, G.

AU - Araque, J. P.

AU - Araujo Ferraz, V.

AU - Araujo Pereira, R.

AU - Arcangeletti, C.

AU - Arce, A. T.H.

AU - Arduh, F. A.

AU - Arguin, J. F.

AU - Argyropoulos, S.

AU - Arling, J. H.

AU - Armbruster, A. J.

AU - Armitage, L. J.

AU - Armstrong, A.

AU - Arnaez, O.

AU - Arnold, H.

AU - Artamonov, A.

AU - Artoni, G.

AU - Artz, S.

AU - Asai, S.

AU - Asbah, N.

AU - Asimakopoulou, E. M.

AU - Asquith, L.

AU - Assamagan, K.

AU - Astalos, R.

AU - Atkin, R. J.

AU - Atkinson, M.

AU - Atlay, N. B.

AU - Atmani, H.

AU - Augsten, K.

AU - Avolio, G.

AU - Avramidou, R.

AU - Ayoub, M. K.

AU - Azoulay, A. M.

AU - Azuelos, G.

AU - Baca, M. J.

AU - Bachacou, H.

AU - Bachas, K.

AU - Backes, M.

AU - Backman, F.

AU - Bagnaia, P.

AU - Bahmani, M.

AU - Bahrasemani, H.

AU - Bailey, A. J.

AU - Bailey, V. R.

AU - Baines, J. T.

AU - Bajic, M.

AU - Bakalis, C.

AU - Baker, O. K.

AU - Bakker, P. J.

AU - Bakshi Gupta, D.

AU - Balaji, S.

AU - Baldin, E. M.

AU - Balek, P.

AU - Balli, F.

AU - Balunas, W. K.

AU - Balz, J.

AU - Banas, E.

AU - Bandyopadhyay, A.

AU - Banerjee, Sw

AU - Bannoura, A. A.E.

AU - Barak, L.

AU - Barbe, W. M.

AU - Barberio, E. L.

AU - Barberis, D.

AU - Barbero, M.

AU - Barillari, T.

AU - Barisits, M. S.

AU - Barkeloo, J.

AU - Barklow, T.

AU - Barnea, R.

AU - Barnes, S. L.

AU - Barnett, B. M.

AU - Barnett, R. M.

AU - Barnovska-Blenessy, Z.

AU - Baroncelli, A.

AU - Barone, G.

AU - Barr, A. J.

AU - Barranco Navarro, L.

AU - Barreiro, F.

AU - Barreiro Guimarães Da Costa, J.

AU - Barsov, S.

AU - Bartoldus, R.

AU - Bartolini, G.

AU - Barton, A. E.

AU - Bartos, P.

AU - Basalaev, A.

AU - Bassalat, A.

AU - Bates, R. L.

AU - Batista, S. J.

AU - Batlamous, S.

AU - Batley, J. R.

AU - Batool, B.

AU - Battaglia, M.

AU - Bauce, M.

AU - Bauer, F.

AU - Bauer, K. T.

AU - Bawa, H. S.

AU - Beacham, J. B.

AU - Beau, T.

AU - Beauchemin, P. H.

AU - Becherer, F.

AU - Bechtle, P.

AU - Beck, H. C.

AU - Beck, H. P.

AU - Becker, K.

AU - Becker, M.

AU - Becot, C.

AU - Beddall, A. J.

AU - Bednyakov, V. A.

AU - Bedognetti, M.

AU - Bee, C. P.

AU - Beermann, T. A.

AU - Begalli, M.

AU - Begel, M.

AU - Behera, A.

AU - Behr, J. K.

AU - Beisiegel, F.

AU - Bell, A. S.

AU - Bella, G.

AU - Bellagamba, L.

AU - Bellerive, A.

AU - Bellos, P.

AU - Beloborodov, K.

AU - Belotskiy, K.

AU - Belyaev, N. L.

AU - Benchekroun, D.

AU - Benekos, N.

AU - Benhammou, Y.

AU - Benjamin, D. P.

AU - Benoit, M.

AU - Bensinger, J. R.

AU - Bentvelsen, S.

AU - Beresford, L.

AU - Beretta, M.

AU - Berge, D.

AU - Bergeaas Kuutmann, E.

AU - Berger, N.

AU - Bergmann, B.

AU - Bergsten, L. J.

AU - Beringer, J.

AU - Berlendis, S.

AU - Bernard, N. R.

AU - Bernardi, G.

AU - Bernius, C.

AU - Berry, T.

AU - Berta, P.

AU - Bertella, C.

AU - Bertram, I. A.

AU - Besjes, G. J.

AU - Bessidskaia Bylund, O.

AU - Besson, N.

AU - Shojaii, S.

N1 - Copyright the Author(s) 2019. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2019/8/2

Y1 - 2019/8/2

N2 - This Letter describes the observation of the light-by-light scattering process, γγ → γγ, in Pb + Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV. The analysis is conducted using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.73 nb-1, collected in November 2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Light-by-light scattering candidates are selected in events with two photons produced exclusively, each with transverse energy ETγ > 3 GeV and pseudorapidity |ηγ| < 2.4, diphoton invariant mass above 6 GeV, and small diphoton transverse momentum and acoplanarity. After applying all selection criteria, 59 candidate events are observed for a background expectation of 12 ± 3 events. The observed excess of events over the expected background has a significance of 8.2 standard deviations. The measured fiducial cross section is 78 ± 13(stat) ± 7(syst) ± 3(lumi) nb.

AB - This Letter describes the observation of the light-by-light scattering process, γγ → γγ, in Pb + Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV. The analysis is conducted using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.73 nb-1, collected in November 2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC. Light-by-light scattering candidates are selected in events with two photons produced exclusively, each with transverse energy ETγ > 3 GeV and pseudorapidity |ηγ| < 2.4, diphoton invariant mass above 6 GeV, and small diphoton transverse momentum and acoplanarity. After applying all selection criteria, 59 candidate events are observed for a background expectation of 12 ± 3 events. The observed excess of events over the expected background has a significance of 8.2 standard deviations. The measured fiducial cross section is 78 ± 13(stat) ± 7(syst) ± 3(lumi) nb.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85071896312&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.052001

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.052001

M3 - Article

C2 - 31491300

AN - SCOPUS:85071896312

SN - 0031-9007

VL - 123

SP - 052001-1-052001-21

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

IS - 5

M1 - 052001

ER -

Observation of light-by-light scattering in ultraperipheral Pb + Pb collisions with the ATLAS detector

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