Showing papers by "Wolfgang Wagner published in 2016"
TL;DR: This study reviews existing error presentations and proposes the combined investigation of the SNR (expressed in logarithmic units), the unscaled error variances, and the soil moisture sensitivities of the data sets as an optimal strategy for the evaluation of remotely-sensed soil moisture data sets.
249 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a measurement of the inelastic proton-proton cross section using 60''μb^{-1} of pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s] of 13'TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC is presented.
Abstract: This Letter presents a measurement of the inelastic proton-proton cross section using 60 μb^{-1} of pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s] of 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Inelastic interactions are selected using rings of plastic scintillators in the forward region (2.07 10^{-6}, where M_{X} is the larger invariant mass of the two hadronic systems separated by the largest rapidity gap in the event. In this ξ range the scintillators are highly efficient. For diffractive events this corresponds to cases where at least one proton dissociates to a system with M_{X}>13 GeV. The measured cross section is compared with a range of theoretical predictions. When extrapolated to the full phase space, a cross section of 78.1±2.9 mb is measured, consistent with the inelastic cross section increasing with center-of-mass energy.
191 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors describe a model-agnostic search for pairs of jets (dijets) produced by resonant and non-resonant phenomena beyond the Standard Model.
185 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured the transverse momentum and the related angular variable of DrellΓCoYan lepton pairs with the ATLAS detector at the LHC and compared their results to predictions from perturbative and resummed QCD calculations.
Abstract: Distributions of transverse momentum [Formula: see text] and the related angular variable [Formula: see text] of DrellΓCoYan lepton pairs are measured in 20.3┬afb[Formula: see text] of protonΓCoproton collisions at [Formula: see text]┬aTeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Measurements in electron-pair and muon-pair final states are corrected for detector effects and combined. Compared to previous measurements in protonΓCoproton collisions at [Formula: see text]┬aTeV, these new measurements benefit from a larger data sample and improved control of systematic uncertainties. Measurements are performed in bins of lepton-pair mass above, around and below the Z-boson mass peak. The data are compared to predictions from perturbative and resummed QCD calculations. For values of [Formula: see text] the predictions from the Monte Carlo generator ResBos are generally consistent with the data within the theoretical uncertainties. However, at larger values of [Formula: see text] this is not the case. Monte Carlo generators based on the parton-shower approach are unable to describe the data over the full range of [Formula: see text] while the fixed-order prediction of Dynnlo falls below the data at high values of [Formula: see text]. ResBos and the parton-shower Monte Carlo generators provide a much better description of the evolution of the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] distributions as a function of lepton-pair mass and rapidity than the basic shape of the data.
160 citations
25 Feb 2016
TL;DR: The results hold the perspective that simple epigenetic biomarkers, based on few or individual age-associated CpGs, could assist the estimation of biological age, as the precision of age-predictions is rather low on independent microarray datasets.
Abstract: DNA-methylation (DNAm) levels at age-associated CpG sites can be combined into epigenetic aging signatures to estimate donor age. It has been demonstrated that the difference between such epigenetic age-predictions and chronological age is indicative for of all-cause mortality in later life. In this study, we tested alternative epigenetic signatures and followed the hypothesis that even individual age-associated CpG sites might be indicative for life-expectancy. Using a 99-CpG aging model, a five-year higher age-prediction was associated with 11% greater mortality risk in DNAm profiles of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 study. However, models based on three CpGs, or even individual CpGs, generally revealed very high offsets in age-predictions if applied to independent microarray datasets. On the other hand, we demonstrate that DNAm levels at several individual age-associated CpGs seem to be associated with life expectancy - e.g., at CpGs associated with the genesPDE4C and CLCN6. Our results support the notion that small aging signatures should rather be analysed by more quantitative methods, such as site-specific pyrosequencing, as the precision of age-predictions is rather low on independent microarray datasets. Nevertheless, the results hold the perspective that simple epigenetic biomarkers, based on few or individual age-associated CpGs, could assist the estimation of biological age.
140 citations
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that HOTAIR impacts on differentiation of MSCs and that it is associated with senescence-associated DNAm, and targeting of epigenetic modifiers to relevant loci in the genome may involve triple helix formation with HotaIR.
Abstract: There is a growing perception that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) modulate cellular function. In this study, we analyzed the role of the lncRNA HOTAIR in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with particular focus on senescence-associated changes in gene expression and DNA-methylation (DNAm). HOTAIR binding sites were enriched at genomic regions that become hypermethylated with increasing cell culture passage. Overexpression and knockdown of HOTAIR inhibited or stimulated adipogenic differentiation of MSCs, respectively. Modification of HOTAIR expression evoked only very moderate effects on gene expression, particularly of polycomb group target genes. Furthermore, overexpression and knockdown of HOTAIR resulted in DNAm changes at HOTAIR binding sites. Five potential triple helix forming domains were predicted within the HOTAIR sequence based on reverse Hoogsteen hydrogen bonds. Notably, the predicted triple helix target sites for these HOTAIR domains were also enriched in differentially expressed genes and close to DNAm changes upon modulation of HOTAIR Electrophoretic mobility shift assays provided further evidence that HOTAIR domains form RNA-DNA-DNA triplexes with predicted target sites. Our results demonstrate that HOTAIR impacts on differentiation of MSCs and that it is associated with senescence-associated DNAm. Targeting of epigenetic modifiers to relevant loci in the genome may involve triple helix formation with HOTAIR.
131 citations
TL;DR: In this article, an inclusive search for a new-physics signature of lepton-jet resonances has been performed by the ATLAS experiment, where first and second generation leptoquarks were sought in events with two electrons (muons) and two or more jets.
Abstract: An inclusive search for a new-physics signature of lepton-jet resonances has been performed by the ATLAS experiment. Scalar leptoquarks, pair-produced in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV at the large hadron collider, have been considered. An integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb−1, corresponding to the full 2015 dataset was used. First (second) generation leptoquarks were sought in events with two electrons (muons) and two or more jets. The observed event yield in each channel is consistent with Standard Model background expectations. The observed (expected) lower limits on the leptoquark mass at 95% confidence level are 1100 and 1050 GeV (1160 and 1040 GeV) for first and second generation leptoquarks, respectively, assuming a branching ratio into a charged lepton and a quark of 100%. Upper limits on the aforementioned branching ratio are also given as a function of leptoquark mass. Compared with the results of earlier ATLAS searches, the sensitivity is increased for leptoquark masses above 860 GeV, and the observed exclusion limits confirm and extend the published results.
130 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, measurements of W(+/-)Z production in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV were presented, where the gauge bosons were reconstructed using their leptonic decay modes into electrons and m...
Abstract: This paper presents measurements of W(+/-)Z production in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. The gauge bosons are reconstructed using their leptonic decay modes into electrons and m ...
126 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed the relationship between the growing cycle of rice plants and the temporal variation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter at different polarizations.
Abstract: Synthetic aperture radar (SAR)-based multi-temporal backscatter analysis is a common approach that has been widely used for rice mapping. Co-polarized C-band microwave backscatter (HH or VV) and the co-polarization ratio (HH/VV) are the most commonly used data sets for rice mapping due to their high data availability while the utilization of cross-polarized backscatter (HV or VH) has received less attention. In this study, Sentinel 1A time series – acquired in the dual-polarized (VV/VH) Interferometric Wide (IW) swath mode during the spring growing season (October 2015 to March 2016) in the Mekong Delta – were used to analyse the relationship between the growing cycle of rice plants and the temporal variation of SAR backscatter at different polarizations. Results show that VH backscatter is more sensitive to rice growth than VV backscatter. Several vegetation phenological parameters including beginning date, heading date and the length of the growing season were extracted from the VH backscatter t...
123 citations
TL;DR: A striking difference between the EU's 2016 Global Strategy and its 2003 predecessor is the ubiquity of resilience as a new leitmotif, understood as the ability of states and societies to reform, thus withstanding and recovering from internal and external crisis as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: A striking difference between the EU’s 2016 Global Strategy and its 2003 predecessor is the ubiquity of resilience as a new leitmotif, understood as the ability of states and societies to reform, thus withstanding and recovering from internal and external crisis. Resilience provides a middle ground between over-ambitious liberal peace-building and under-ambitious stability, (re)directs attention to local resources and practices, and is ambiguous enough to be acceptable to everyone. The Global Strategy’s leitmotif is an example of the rise and spread of resilience in international discourses about crisis management and humanitarian emergencies. Although there are risks inherent to the way in which resilience reframes risks and crises, its added value lies in its power as convening concept, opening up international organizations to new ways of thinking and working, and providing a common ground for engagement.
99 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a search for squarks and gluinos in final states containing hadronic jets, missing transverse momentum but no electrons or muons is presented; the data were recorded in 2015 by the ATLAS experiment.
Abstract: A search for squarks and gluinos in final states containing hadronic jets, missing transverse momentum but no electrons or muons is presented. The data were recorded in 2015 by the ATLAS experiment ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented evidence for single top-quark production in the s-channel using proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Co...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used the Kampus model to estimate the sensitivity of the stream flow peak to initial soil moisture and found that the largest of the events analysed (in terms of specific peak discharge) was found to have a sensitivity of less than 0.2% flood peak change per % soil moisture change while the smallest event had a sensitivity between 3% and 4% increase in peak discharge.
TL;DR: In this paper, the results from two previously published ATLAS analyses are interpreted in terms of third-generation leptoquarks decaying to [formula: see text] and [Formula] final states.
Abstract: Searches for pair-produced scalar leptoquarks are performed using 20 fb[Formula: see text] of proton-proton collision data provided by the LHC and recorded by the ATLAS detector at [Formula: see text] TeV. Events with two electrons (muons) and two or more jets in the final state are used to search for first (second)-generation leptoquarks. The results from two previously published ATLAS analyses are interpreted in terms of third-generation leptoquarks decaying to [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] final states. No statistically significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed in any channel and scalar leptoquarks are excluded at 95 % CL with masses up to [Formula: see text] 1050 GeV for first-generation leptoquarks, [Formula: see text] 1000 GeV for second-generation leptoquarks, [Formula: see text] 625 GeV for third-generation leptoquarks in the [Formula: see text] channel, and 200 [Formula: see text] 640 GeV in the [Formula: see text] channel.
TL;DR: In this article, a measurement of the double-differential cross section for the Drell-Yan Z/γ∗ → l+l− and photon-induced γγ → l + l− processes where l is an electron or muon was performed for invariant masses of the lepton pairs, mll, between 116 GeV and 1500 GeV.
Abstract: This paper presents a measurement of the double-differential cross section for the Drell-Yan Z/γ∗ → l+l− and photon-induced γγ → l+l− processes where l is an electron or muon. The measurement is performed for invariant masses of the lepton pairs, mll, between 116 GeV and 1500 GeV using a sample of 20.3 fb−1 of pp collisions data at centre-of-mass energy of s=8 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC in 2012. The data are presented double differentially in invariant mass and absolute dilepton rapidity as well as in invariant mass and absolute pseudorapidity separation of the lepton pair. The single-differential cross section as a function of mll is also reported. The electron and muon channel measurements are combined and a total experimental precision of better than 1% is achieved at low mll. A comparison to next-to-next-to-leading order perturbative QCD predictions using several recent parton distribution functions and including next-to-leading order electroweak effects indicates the potential of the data to constrain parton distribution functions. In particular, a large impact of the data on the photon PDF is demonstrated.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]
TL;DR: Contributions from CP-violating interactions between the Higgs boson and electroweak gauge bosons are described in an effective field theory framework, in which the strength of CP violation is governed by a single parameter.
Abstract: A test of CP invariance in Higgs boson production via vector-boson fusion using the method of the Optimal Observable is presented. The analysis exploits the decay mode of the Higgs boson into a pai ...
TL;DR: The 66'ha Hydrological Open Air Laboratory (HOAL) as mentioned in this paper is an experimental and monitoring set-up of an observatory for water-related flow and transport processes involving sediments, nutrients and microbes.
Abstract: . Hydrological observatories bear a lot of resemblance to the more traditional research catchment concept, but tend to differ in providing more long-term facilities that transcend the lifetime of individual projects, are more strongly geared towards performing interdisciplinary research, and are often designed as networks to assist in performing collaborative science. This paper illustrates how the experimental and monitoring set-up of an observatory, the 66 ha Hydrological Open Air Laboratory (HOAL) in Petzenkirchen, Lower Austria, has been established in a way that allows meaningful hypothesis testing. The overarching science questions guided site selection, identification of dissertation topics and the base monitoring. The specific hypotheses guided the dedicated monitoring and sampling, individual experiments, and repeated experiments with controlled boundary conditions. The purpose of the HOAL is to advance the understanding of water-related flow and transport processes involving sediments, nutrients and microbes in small catchments. The HOAL catchment is ideally suited for this purpose, because it features a range of different runoff generation processes (surface runoff, springs, tile drains, wetlands), the nutrient inputs are known, and it is convenient from a logistic point of view as all instruments can be connected to the power grid and a high-speed glassfibre local area network (LAN). The multitude of runoff generation mechanisms in the catchment provides a genuine laboratory where hypotheses of flow and transport can be tested, either by controlled experiments or by contrasting sub-regions of different characteristics. This diversity also ensures that the HOAL is representative of a range of catchments around the world, and the specific process findings from the HOAL are applicable to a variety of agricultural catchment settings. The HOAL is operated jointly by the Vienna University of Technology and the Federal Agency for Water Management and takes advantage of the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems funded by the Austrian Science Funds. The paper presents the science strategy of the set-up of the observatory, discusses the implementation of the HOAL, gives examples of the hypothesis testing and summarises the lessons learned. The paper concludes with an outlook on future developments.
TL;DR: In this paper, an extended collocation (EC) analysis is proposed to estimate error cross-correlations by generalizing the triple collocation analysis to an arbitrary number of data sets and relaxing the previously made assumption of zero error crosscorrelation for certain data set combinations.
Abstract: Global soil moisture records are essential for studying the role of hydrologic processes within the larger earth system Various studies have shown the benefit of assimilating satellite-based soil moisture data into water balance models or merging multisource soil moisture retrievals into a unified data set However, this requires an appropriate parameterization of the error structures of the underlying data sets While triple collocation (TC) analysis has been widely recognized as a powerful tool for estimating random error variances of coarse-resolution soil moisture data sets, the estimation of error cross covariances remains an unresolved challenge Here we propose a method—referred to as extended collocation (EC) analysis—for estimating error cross-correlations by generalizing the TC method to an arbitrary number of data sets and relaxing the therein made assumption of zero error cross-correlation for certain data set combinations A synthetic experiment shows that EC analysis is able to reliably recover true error cross-correlation levels Applied to real soil moisture retrievals from Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E) C-band and X-band observations together with advanced scatterometer (ASCAT) retrievals, modeled data from Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS)-Noah and in situ measurements drawn from the International Soil Moisture Network, EC yields reasonable and strong nonzero error cross-correlations between the two AMSR-E products Against expectation, nonzero error cross-correlations are also found between ASCAT and AMSR-E We conclude that the proposed EC method represents an important step toward a fully parameterized error covariance matrix for coarse-resolution soil moisture data sets, which is vital for any rigorous data assimilation framework or data merging scheme
TL;DR: In this paper, a detailed study of techniques for identifying boosted, hadronically decaying W bosons using 20.3 fb −¹ of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy √s = 8 TeV.
Abstract: This paper reports a detailed study of techniques for identifying boosted, hadronically decaying W bosons using 20.3 fb −¹ of proton–proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy √s = 8 TeV. A range of techniques for optimising the signal jet mass resolution are combined with various jet substructure variables. The results of these studies in Monte Carlo simulations show that a simple pairwise combination of groomed jet mass and one substructure variable can provide a 50 % efficiency for identifying W bosons with transverse momenta larger than 200 GeV while maintaining multijet background efficiencies of 2–4 % for jets with the same transverse momentum. These signal and background efficiencies are confirmed in data for a selection of tagging techniques.
TL;DR: In this paper, a measurement of the complete set of angular coefficients A0−7 describing these distributions in the Z-boson Collins-Soper frame was presented, which correspond to 20.3 fb−1 of pp collisions at s=8 TeV, collected by the ATLAS detector at the CERN LHC.
Abstract: The angular distributions of Drell-Yan charged lepton pairs in the vicinity of the Z-boson mass peak probe the underlying QCD dynamics of Z-boson production. This paper presents a measurement of the complete set of angular coefficients A0−7 describing these distributions in the Z-boson Collins-Soper frame. The data analysed correspond to 20.3 fb−1 of pp collisions at s=8 TeV, collected by the ATLAS detector at the CERN LHC. The measurements are compared to the most precise fixed-order calculations currently available (O(αs2)) and with theoretical predictions embedded in Monte Carlo generators. The measurements are precise enough to probe QCD corrections beyond the formal accuracy of these calculations and to provide discrimination between different parton-shower models. A significant deviation from the (O(αs2)) predictions is observed for A0 − A2. Evidence is found for non-zero A5,6,7, consistent with expectations.[Figure not available: see fulltext.]
TL;DR: A measurement of the average number of charged particles inside jets using 20.3 fb of data recorded with the ATLAS detector in dijet events using quark and gluon jet fractions and the resulting charged-particle multiplicity is compared to several models.
Abstract: The number of charged particles inside jets is a widely used discriminant for identifying the quark or gluon nature of the initiating parton and is sensitive to both the perturbative and non-pertur ...
TL;DR: In this article, a search for direct pair production of the supersymmetric partner of the top quark, decaying via a scalar tau to a nearly massless gravitino, has been performed using 20 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 8 TeV.
Abstract: A search for direct pair production of the supersymmetric partner of the top quark, decaying via a scalar tau to a nearly massless gravitino, has been performed using 20 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 8 TeV. The data were collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2012. Top squark candidates are searched for in events with either two hadronically decaying tau leptons, one hadronically decaying tau and one light lepton, or two light leptons. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is found. Exclusion limits at 95 % confidence level are set as a function of the top squark and scalar tau masses. Depending on the scalar tau mass, ranging from the 87 GeV LEP limit to the top squark mass, lower limits between 490 and 650 GeV are placed on the top squark mass within the model considered.
TL;DR: A negative impact of the vegetation correction on the soil moisture, with a decrease in correlation up to 0.4, emphasizes the need for a dynamic vegetation correction in areas with high interannual variability.
Abstract: In microwave remote sensing of the Earth's surface, the satellite signal holds information on both soil moisture and vegetation. This necessitates a correction for vegetation effects when retrieving soil moisture. This paper assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the existing vegetation correction as part of the Vienna University of Technology (TU-Wien) method for soil moisture retrieval from coarse-scale active microwave observations. In this method, vegetation is based on a multiyear climatology of backscatter variations related to phenology. To assess the plausibility of the correction method, we first convert the correction terms for retrievals from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) into estimates of vegetation optical depth $\tau_{a}$ using a water-cloud model. The spatial and temporal behaviors of the newly developed $\tau_{a}$ are compared with the optical depth retrieved from passive microwave observations with the land parameter retrieval model $\tau_{p}$ . Spatial patterns correspond well, although low values for $\tau_{a}$ are found over boreal forests. Temporal correlation between the two products is high $(R = 0.5)$ , although negative correlations are observed in drylands. This comparison shows that $\tau_{a}$ and thus the vegetation correction method are sensitive to vegetation dynamics. Effects of the vegetation correction on soil moisture retrievals are investigated by comparing retrieved soil moisture before and after applying the correction term to modeled soil moisture. The vegetation correction increases the quality of the soil moisture product. In areas of high interannual variability in vegetation dynamics, we observed a negative impact of the vegetation correction on the soil moisture, with a decrease in correlation up to 0.4. It emphasizes the need for a dynamic vegetation correction in areas with high interannual variability.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors measured the charged particle distributions in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, using a data sample of nearly 9 million events, corresponding to an integrated luminosity.
TL;DR: In this paper, the results of a search for gluinos in final states with an isolated electron or muon, multiple jets and large missing transverse momentum using proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV are presented.
Abstract: The results of a search for gluinos in final states with an isolated electron or muon, multiple jets and large missing transverse momentum using proton--proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV are presented. The dataset used was recorded in 2015 by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb$^{-1}$. Six signal selections are defined that best exploit the signal characteristics. The data agree with the Standard Model background expectation in all six signal selections, and the largest deviation is a 2.1 standard deviation excess. The results are interpreted in a simplified model where pair-produced gluinos decay via the lightest chargino to the lightest neutralino. In this model, gluinos are excluded up to masses of approximately 1.6 TeV depending on the mass spectrum of the simplified model, thus surpassing the limits of previous searches.
TL;DR: In this paper, the production of W-+/- Z events in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV is measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC.
TL;DR: The study highlights the feasibility of using SRPs in hydrological applications over the Mediterranean region with benefits in discharge simulations also in well gauged areas and the need of the recalibration of model parameter values for each SRP is highlighted.
TL;DR: In this paper, the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider was used to measure photon production in root S-NN = 2.76-TeV Pb + Pb collisions.
Abstract: Prompt photon production in root S-NN = 2.76-TeV Pb + Pb collisions has been measured by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider using data collected in 2011 with an integrated luminosity ...
TL;DR: In this article, high-mass resonances in the dijet invariant mass spectrum with one or two jets identified as $b$-jets are performed using an integrated luminosity of $3.2$ fb$^{-1}$ of proton--proton collisions with a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider.
TL;DR: In this article, the cross-section for the production of a single top quark in association with a W boson in proton-proton collisions at is measured and the dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-...
Abstract: The cross-section for the production of a single top quark in association with a W boson in proton-proton collisions at is measured. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(- ...