ATLAS and CMS measurements of the $t\bar{t}$ cross section, including off-shell and near threshold

Abstract

Recent measurements of the $t\bar{t}$ cross section, performed both inclusively and differentially by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations, are reported. In particular, off-shell effects are probed in the $pp\to W^+bW^-\bar{b}$ and $pp\to e^\pmμ^\mp +b\bar{b}$ processes, and modelling aspects of the POWHEG bb4$\ell$ Monte Carlo generator are discussed. Cross section and properties measurements are also performed at the threshold: we review an indirect extraction of the top quark Yukawa coupling, as well as the recent observations by both experiments of an excess of events near the top pair production threshold that is consistent with the formation of quasi-bound states.