0000000000053622
AUTHOR
D.w. Kim
Updated measurement of the τ lepton lifetime
A new measurement of the mean lifetime of the tau lepton is presented. Three different analysis methods are applied to a sample of 90000 tau pairs, collected in 1993 and 1994 with the ALEPH detector at LEP. The average of this measurement and those previously published by ALEPH is tau_tau = 290.1 +- 1.5 +- 1.1 fs.
Studies of Quantum Chromodynamics with the ALEPH Detector
Previously published and as vet unpublished QCD results obtained with the ALEPH detector at LEP1 are presented. The unprecedented statistics allows detailed studies of both perturbative and non-perturbative aspects of strong interactions to be carried out using hadronic Z and tau decays. The studies presented include precise determinations of the strong coupling constant. tests of its flavour independence, tests of the SU(3) gauge structure of QCD, study of coherence effects, and measurements of single-particle inclusive distributions and two-particle correlations for many identified baryons and mesons. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.
A measurement of the inclusive b → sγ branching ratio
The flavour changing neutral current decay b --> s gamma has been detected in hadronic Z decays collected by ALEPH at LEP. The signal is isolated in lifetime-tagged b (b) over bar events by the presence of a hard photon associated with a system of high momentum and high rapidity hadrons. The background processes are normalised from the data themselves. The inclusive branching ratio is measured to be (3.11 +/- 0.80(stat) +/- 0.72(syst)) x 10(-4), consistent with the Standard Model expectation via penguin processes. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. The flavour changing neutral current decay b → sγ has been detected in hadronic Z decays collected by ALEPH at …
Search for the Bc meson in hadronic Z decays
A search for the B-c meson decaying into the channels J/psi pi(+) and J/psi l(+)nu(l) (l = e or mu) is performed in a sample of 3.9 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH detector. This search results in the observation of 0 and 2 candidates in each of these channels, respectively, while 0.44 and 0.81 background events are expected. The following 90% confidence level upper limits are derived: Br(Z --> BcX)/Br(Z --> q (q) over bar BR(B-c(+) --> J/psi pi(+)) BcX)/Br(Z-->q (q) over bar)Br(B-c(+) --> J/psi l(+)nu) J/psi(e(+)e(-))mu(+)nu(mu) candidate with very low background probability, found in an independent analysis, is also described in detail. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Scie…
Measurement of the W mass in e(+)e(-) collisions at production threshold
In June 1996, the LEP centre-of-mass energy was raised to 161 GeV. Pair production of W bosons in e(+)e(-) collisions was observed for the first time by the LEP experiments. An integrated luminosity of 11 pb(-1) was recorded in the ALEPH detector, in which WW candidate events were observed. In 6 events both Ws decay leptonically. In 16 events, one W decays leptonically, the other into hadrons. In the channel where both Ws decay into hadrons, a signal was separated from the large background by means of several multi-variate analyses. The W pair cross-section is measured to be sigma(ww) = 4.23 +/- 0.73(stat.) +/- 0.19(syst.) pb. From this cross-section, the W mass is derived within the framew…
Scalar quark searches in $e^+ e^-$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 181-184 GeV
Searches for scalar top, scalar bottom and degenerate scalar quarks have been performed with data collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP. The data sample consists of 57 pb^-1 taken at sqrt{s} = 181-184 GeV. No evidence for scalar top, scalar bottom or degenerate scalar quarks was found in the channels tilde{t} --> c chi, tilde{t} --> b l snu, tilde{b} --> b chi, and tilde{q} --> q chi. From the channel tilde{t} --> c chi a limit of 74 GeV/c^2 has been set on the scalar top quark mass, independent of the mixing angle. This limit assumes a mass difference between the stop and the chi in the range 10-40 GeV/c^2. From the channel tilde{t} --> b l snu the mixing-angle-indepen…
Search for neutral Higgs bosons from supersymmetry in Z decays
The light scalar Higgs boson h and the pseudoscalar Higgs boson A of the minimal supersymmetric standard model have been searched for in the processes e+e−→hff and e+e−→hA using data collected by ALEPH at the LEP e+e− collider, with center of mass energies at and near the Z peak. Using a variety of signatures adapted to various mass ranges for h and A, we have excluded a large domain in the parameter space. For large values of ν2ν1, the ratio of the vacuum expectation values of the two Higgs fields, the whole range from 0 to 38.8 GeV is excluded for Mh and MA at 95% CL.
Search for charginos and neutralinos with R-parity violation at =130 136
Searches for charginos and neutralinos produced in e+e− collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV have been performed under the assumptions that R-parity is not conserved, that the dominant R-parity violating coupling involves only leptonic fields, and that the lifetime of the lightest supersymmetric particle can be neglected. In the 5.7 pb−1 data sample collected by ALEPH, no candidate events were found. As a result, chargino and neutralino masses and couplings are constrained and the domains previously excluded at LEP1 are extended.
Measurement of the b → τ-ν̄τX branching ratio
The definitions of “anthropology” found in various dictionaries cover a whole range of terms and in this section we provide an overview of all its connotations. In this way a variety of reflections about the essence of man become possible, for instance as : summit of creation; source of his own values; specific biological reality; intelligence (but what is this, really?); knowing subject or object of knowledge; social being and product of a culture. Following these lines of thought one realises that all these preoccupations have already been taken up, or at least touched upon, by communication theory.
Searches for the standard Higgs boson
Abstract A data sample corresponding to about 100 000 hadronic Z decays collected by ALEPH at LEP has been used to search for the standard Higgs boson produced in the reaction e + e − → H 0 Z 0∗ . No indication for any signal was found, and a 95% CL lower limit on the Higgs boson mass has been set at 41.6 GeV.
Search for high mass photon pairs in (f= e, μ, τ, v, q) at LEP
Abstract The result of a search for high mass photon pairs from the processes e + e − → f f γγ (f = e, μ, τ, v and q) with the ALEPH detector is reported. The result for f = e , μ and τ is to be compared with the observation of 4 events by the L3 Collaboration with invariant masses, M γγ , of the two photons near 60 GeV. From a data sample approximately twice as large taken from 1990 to 1992, 6 events are found with M γγ distributed between 50 GeV and 72 GeV, while 4.9 events are expected from a QED calculation. There is no evidence for a mass peak; only one event ( μ + μ − γγ ) at M γγ = 59.4 ± 0.2 GeV is compatible with the L3 observation. In addition, for M γγ > 50 GeV, no event is found…
Study of muon-pair production at centre-of-mass energies from 20 to 136 GeV with the ALEPH detector
The total cross section and the forward-backward asymmetry for the process e(+)e --> mu(+)mu(-)(n gamma) are measured in the energy range 20-136 GeV by reconstructing the effective centre-of-mass energy after initial state radiation. The analysis is based on the data recorded with the ALEPH detector at LEP between 1990 and 1995, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 143.5 pb(-1). Two different approaches are used: in the first one an exclusive selection of events with hard initial state radiation in the energy range 20-88 GeV is directly compared with the Standard Model predictions showing good agreement. In the second one, all events are used to obtain a precise measurement of …
Resonant structure and flavour tagging in the Bπ±system using fully reconstructed B decays
Abstract Starting from a sample of four million hadronic Z decays collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP, 404 charged and neutral B mesons are fully reconstructed and used to look for resonant structure in the Bπ system. An excess of events is observed above the expected background in the Bπ mass spectrum at a mass ≈5.7 GeV/c 2 , consistent with the production and decay to B (∗) π of the B ∗∗ states predicted by Heavy Quark Symmetry (HQS). In the framework of HQS, it is found that the mass of the B 2 ∗ state is (5739 + 8 −11 ( stat ) +6 −4 ( syst )) MeV/c 2 and the relative production rate of the B ∗∗ system is BR(b→B ∗∗ →B (∗) π)/BR(b→B u,d )=(31±9 (stat) +6 −5 (syst)) % . In the same sa…
Search for a new weakly interacting particle
Abstract A search for events of the type e + e − →l + l − X 0 , where X 0 can be any weakly interacting particle which couples to the Z, has been performed with the ALEPH detector at LEP, by searching for acollinear lepton pairs. Such particles can be excluded up to a mass of 7.0 GeV/c 2 for a value of the ratio of branching fractions, Br( Z →X 0 l + l − )/Br(Z→ l + l − ), greater than 2.5 × 10 −3 if the X 0 has third component of isospin, I 3 greater than 1 2 and decays to a pair of virtual gauge bosons. When this analysis is combined with the previous results of the Higgs particle searches from ALEPH, this limit can be extended to an X 0 mass of 60 GeV/c 2 .
Centrality, rapidity and transverse momentum dependence of J/ψ suppression in Pb–Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV
The inclusive J/.nuclear modification factor (R-AA) in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 2.76TeVhas been measured by ALICE as a function of centrality in the e+ e-decay channel at mid-rapidity (| y| < 0.8) and as a function of centrality, transverse momentum and rapidity in the + -decay channel at forward-rapidity (2.5 < y < 4). The J/.yields measured in Pb-Pb are suppressed compared to those in ppcollisions scaled by the number of binary collisions. The RAAintegrated over a centrality range corresponding to 90% of the inelastic Pb-Pb cross section is 0.72 - 0.06(stat.) - 0.10(syst.) at mid-rapidity and 0.58 - 0.01(stat.) - 0.09(syst.) at forward-rapidity. At low transverse momentum, signi…
A measurement of Rb using a lifetime-mass tag
ALEPH's published measurement of R-b = Gamma(Z --> b (b) over bar)/Gamma(Z --> hadrons) using a lifetime tag is updated using the full LEP 1 data sample. Considerable effort has been devoted to understanding systematic effects. Charm background is better controlled by combining the lifetime tag with a tag based on the b/c hadron mass difference. Furthermore, the algorithm used to reconstruct the event primary vertex is designed so as to reduce correlations between the two hemispheres of an event. The value of R-b is measured to be 0.2167 +/- 0.0011(stat) +/- 0.0013(syst). (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. RI ANTONELLI, ANTONELLA/C-6238-2011; Passalacqua, Luca/F-5127-2011; Murtas, …
Search for excited leptons in Z0 decay
Due to the severity of system-wide power outages, though their probability of occurrence is slight, regulatory authorities require that a system restoration plan be drawn up and kept up to date at all times. The power outage that affected northeastern North America in 2003 proved the need for such a requirement. The particular structure of Hydro-Quebec's power system requires the use of a highly specific system restoration procedure. The daily preparation of the system restoration plan is based on a strategy whose application requires that a restoration sequence be drawn up that uses available equipment, the electrical behavior of which has been validated using appropriate studies. Over the…
Harmonic decomposition of two particle angular correlations in Pb–Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV
Angular correlations between unidentified charged trigger (t) and associated (a) particles are measured by the ALICE experiment in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV for transverse momenta 0.25 p(T)(a). The shapes of the pair correlation distributions are studied in a variety of collision centrality classes between 0 and 50% of the total hadronic cross section for particles in the pseudorapidity interval |eta| 0.8, and are referred to as "long-range correlations". Fourier components V-n Delta equivalent to are extracted from the long-range azimuthal correlation functions. If particle pairs are correlated to one another through their individual correlation to a common symmetry plane, …
Charm counting in b decays
??? The inclusive production of charmed particles in Z--> decays has been measured from the yield of D-0, D+, D-s(+) and Lambda(c)(+) decays in a sample of events with high b purity collected with the ALEPH detector from 1992 to 1995. From these measurements, adding the charmonia production rate and an estimate of the charmed strange baryon contribution, the average number of charm quarks per b decay is determined to be n(c)=1.230+/-0.036+/-0.038+/-0.053, where the uncertainties are due to statistics, systematic effects and branching ratios, respectively.
Search for supersymmetric particles using acoplanar charged-particle pairs from Z0 decays
We have performed a search for supersymmetric particles using acoplanar pairs of oppositely-charged particles in decays of the Z0. In 0.53 pb−1 of integrated luminosity near the Z0 peak, we observe two events where approximately four are expected from background, allowing limits to be extended on combined photino and slepton masses, and also on combined photino and chargino masses.
Test of the flavour independence of αs
Abstract Using about 950000 hadronic events collected during 1991 and 1992 with the ALEPH detector, the ratios r b = α s b α s udsc and r uds = α s uds α s cb have been measured in order to test the flavour independence of the strong coupling constant α s . The analysis is based on event-shape variables using the full hadronic sample, two b -quark samples enriched by lepton tagging and lifetime tagging, and a light-quark sample enriched by lifetime antitagging. The combined results are r b = 1.002±0.023 and r uds = 0.971 ± 0.023.
Search for the neutral Higgs bosons of the MSSM in e(+)e(-) collisions at root s from 130 to 172 GeV
The process e(+)e(-) --> hA is used to search for the Higgs bosons of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), in the b (b) over bar b (b) over bar and tau(+)tau(-)b (b) over bar final states, The search is performed in the data collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP, at centre-of-mass energies between 130 and 172 GeV and with a total luminosity of 27.2 pb(-1). No candidate events are found in either of the final states, in agreement with the expected background of 0.91 events from all Standard Model processes. Combined with searches for e(+)e(-) --> hZ, this results in a 95% C.L. lower limit on the masses of both h and A of 62.5 GeV/c(2), for tan beta > 1. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scie…
Measurement of the branching fraction for D0 → K-π+
The branching fraction for D-0 --> K(-)pi(+) is measured with the statistics collected by ALEPH from 1991 to 1994. The method is based on the comparison between the rate for the reconstructed D*+ --> (D) pi(+), D-0 --> K(-)pi(+) decay chain and the rate for inclusive soft pion production at low transverse momentum with respect to the nearest jet. The result is B(D-0 --> K(-)pi(+)) = (3.90 +/- 0.09 +/- 0.12)% (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. RI ANTONELLI, ANTONELLA/C-6238-2011; Passalacqua, Luca/F-5127-2011; Murtas, Fabrizio/B-5729-2012; St.Denis, Richard/C-8997-2012; Sanchez, Federico/F-5809-2012; Forti, Francesco/H-3035-2011; Ferrante, Isidoro/F-1017-2012
Search for a non-minimal Higgs boson produced in the reaction →
Abstract A data sample corresponding to 1.23 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP has been searched for signals of the production of a non-minimal CP-even Higgs boson h in the reaction e + e − → hZ ∗ . The h decay modes considered were: those of the minimal standard model Higgs boson, with modified branching ratios; decays into a pair of CP-odd Higgs bosons A; and decays into invisible final states. Only one event was found, a very acoplanar e+e− pair which could originate from the standard model background process e + e − → e + e − v v . Upper limits for the cross-section of the reaction e + e − → hZ ∗ have been derived as a function of mh, the mass of the Higgs…
Search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in e+e− collisions at =161, 170 172
The reaction e(+)e(-) --> HZ is used to search for the Standard Model Higgs boson, The data sample consists of integrated luminosities of 10.9 pb(-1), 1.1 pb(-1), and 9.5 pb(-1) collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP during 1996, at centre-of-mass energies of 161, 170 and 172 GeV, respectively. No candidate events were found, in agreement with the expected background of 0.84 events from all Standard Model processes. This search results in a 95% C.L. lower limit on the Higgs boson mass of 69.4 GeV/c(2). When combined with earlier ALEPH searches performed at energies at and around the Z peak, this limit increases to 70.7 GeV/c(2). (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
Search for sleptons in e+e− collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 161 GeV and 172 GeV
The data recorded by the ALEPH experiment at LEP at centre-of-mass energies of 161 GeV and 172 GeV were analysed to search for sleptons, the supersymmetric partners of leptons. No evidence for the production of these particles was found. The number of candidates observed is consistent with the background expected from four-fermion processes and gammagamma-interactions. Improved mass limits at 95% C.L. are reported.
Search for decays of the Z0 into a photon and a pseudoscalar meson
Abstract A search is reported for decays of the Z 0 into π 0 γ , ηγ and η ′ (958) γ in e + e − collisions using data collected during a scan around the Z 0 mass. In order to search for π 0 γ final states, in which the two photons from the π 0 decay are unresolved, the production of pairs of high-energy electromagnetic clusters is studied. The data are compared with the expectations from the pure QED process e + e − → γγ , and a 95% confidence level upper limit on the branching ratio of the Z 0 into π 0 γ of 4.9 × 10 −4 is derived. For η′γ, the decay modes of the mesons that contain two charged particles are largely free from QED background. These modes are used to place upper limits of 4.6 …
Measurement of the and B− meson lifetimes
Abstract The lifetimes of the B 0 and B − mesons have been measured with the ALEPH detector at LEP. Semileptonic decays of B 0 and B − mesons were partially reconstructed by identifying events containing a lepton with an associated D ∗+ or D 0 meson. The proper time of the B meson was estimated from the measured decay length and the momentum and mass of the D -lepton system. A fit to the proper time of 77 D ∗+ l − and 77 D 0 l − candidates, combined with a constraint on the lifetime ratio ( τ − τ 0 ) arising from the relative rates of observed D ∗+ l − and D 0 l − events, yielded the following lifetimes: τ 0 =1.52 −0.18 +0.20 ( stat. ) −0.13 +0.07 ( syst. ) ps , τ − = 1.47 −0.19 +0.22 ( sta…
Search for excited neutrinos in Z decay
Excited neutrinos decaying into a neutrino and a photon are searched for in the ALEPH detector at LEP. No evidence is found for Z decay into vv∗ or v∗v∗ final states. Upper limits are derived on excited neutrino couplings up to excited neutrino masses close to the Z mass. Lower limits on the v∗ mass, independent of the v∗ decay modes, are deduced from the total Z width.
Suppression of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in central Pb–Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV
Inclusive transverse momentum spectra of primary charged particles in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV have been measured by the ALICE Collaboration at the LHC. The data are presented for central and peripheral collisions, corresponding to 0-5% and 70-80% of the hadronic Pb-Pb cross section. The measured charged particle spectra in |eta| < 0.8 and 0.3 < p(T) < 20 GeV/c are compared to the expectation in pp collisions at the same root s(NN), scaled by the number of underlying nucleon-nucleon collisions. The comparison is expressed in terms of the nuclear modification factor R-AA. The result indicates only weak medium effects (R-AA approximate to 0.7) in peripheral collisions. In cen…
Two-pion Bose–Einstein correlations in central Pb–Pb collisions at sNN=2.76 TeV
The first measurement of two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 2.76 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. We observe a growing trend with energy now not only for the longitudinal and the outward but also for the sideward pion source radius. The pion homogeneity volume and the decoupling time are significantly larger than those measured at RHIC. (C) 2010 CERN. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Searches for scalar top and scalar bottom quarks at LEP2
Searches for scalar top and bottom quarks have been performed with data collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP. The data sample consists of 21.7 pb^-1 taken at sqrt{s} = 161, 170, and 172~GeV and 5.7 pb^-1 taken at sqrt{s} = 130 and 136~GeV. No evidence for scalar top quarks or scalar bottom quarks was found in the channels stop --> c chi, stop --> b l snu, and sbottom --> b chi. For the channel stop --> c chi a limit of 67 GeV/c^2 has been set on the scalar top quark mass, independent of the mixing angle between the supersymmetric partners of the left and right-handed states of the top quark. This limit assumes a mass difference between the stop and the chi of at least 10 GeV/c…
Measurement of the branching ratio and an upper limit on
Abstract Using 1.45 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP, the b → τ − ν - τ X branching ratio is measured to be 2.75 ± 0.30 ± 0.37%. In addition an upper limit of 1.8 × 10 −3 at 90% confidence level is placed upon the exclusive branching ratio of B − → τ − ν - τ . These measurements are consistent with SM expectations, and put the constraint tan β M h ± GeV −1 at 90% confidence level on all Type II two Higgs doublet models (such as the MSSM).
Direct photon production in Pb–Pb collisions atsNN=2.76 TeV
Direct photon production at mid-rapidity in Pb–Pb collisions at √sNN = 2.76 TeV was studied in the transverse momentum range 0.9<pT<14 GeV/c. Photons were detected with the highly segmented electromagnetic calorimeter PHOS and via conversions in the ALICE detector material with the e+e− pair reconstructed in the central tracking system. The results of the two methods were combined and direct photon spectra were measured for the 0–20%, 20–40%, and 40–80% centrality classes. For all three classes, agreement was found with perturbative QCD calculations for pT≳5 GeV/c. Direct photon spectra down to pT≈1 GeV/c could be extracted for the 20–40% and 0–20% centrality classes. The significance of th…
Observation of charmless hadronic B decays
Four candidates for charmless hadronic B decay are observed in a data sample of four million hadronic Z decays recorded by the ALEPH detector at LEP. The probability that these events come from background sources is estimated to be less than 10(-6). The average branching of weakly decaying B hadrons (a mixture of B-d(0), B-s(0) and Lambda(b) weighted by their production The average branching ratio of weakly decaying B hadrons (a mixture of B-d(0) cross sections and lifetimes, here denoted B) into two long-lived charged hadrons (pions, kaons or protons) is measured to be Br(B-->h(+)h(-))=(1.7(-0.7)(+1.0)+/-0.2)x10(-5). The relative branching fraction Br(B-d(s)(0)-->pi(+)pi(-)(K-))/Br(B-d(s)(…
Measurement of the strong coupling constant using τ decays
The strong coupling constant is determined from the leptonic branching ratios, the lifetime, and the invariant mass distribution of the hadronic final state of the tau lepton, using data accumulated at LEP with the ALEPH detector. The strong coupling constant measurement, alpha(s), (m(tau)2) = 0.330 +/-0.046, evolved to the Z mass, yields alpha(s)(M(Z)2) = 0. 1 18 +/- 0.005. The error includes experimental and theoretical uncertainties, the latter evaluated in the framework of the Shifman, Vainshtein and Zakharov (SVZ) approach. The method allows the non-perturbative contribution to the hadronic decay rate to be determined to be 0.3 +/- 0.5% . RI Perrier, Frederic/A-5953-2011; ANTONELLI, AN…
Beauty production in pp collisions at s=2.76 TeV measured via semi-electronic decays
The ALICE Collaboration at the LHC reports measurement of the inclusive production cross section of electrons from semi-leptonic decays of beauty hadrons with rapidity |y|<0.8 and transverse momentum 1<pT<10 GeV/c, in pp collisions at s=2.76 TeV. Electrons not originating from semi-electronic decay of beauty hadrons are suppressed using the impact parameter of the corresponding tracks. The production cross section of beauty decay electrons is compared to the result obtained with an alternative method which uses the distribution of the azimuthal angle between heavy-flavour decay electrons and charged hadrons. Perturbative QCD predictions agree with the measured cross section within the exper…
Production and decay of charmed mesons at the Z resonance
Abstract In a sample of 190 000 hadronic Z decays, three signals of charm production are observed: two from the exclusive decays D ° → K − π + and D ∗+ → D °π + → K − π + π + and one in the transverse-momentum distribution of soft hadrons relative to the nearest jet. The features of these signals are in good agreement with expectations based on the standard model and previous measurements of the branching fractions. The number of D ∗± → K ± π ± π ± per hadronic decay of the Z is measured to be (5.11±0.34) × 10 −3 , and the branching ratio B(D 0 → K − π + ) is (3.62 ± 0.34 ± 0.44)%. Charm hadronization has been studied. The average fraction of the beam energy carried by the D ∗ meson is foun…
Measurement of the D∗± cross section in two photon collisions at LEP
Abstract The inclusive production of D ∗± mesons in photon-photon collisions has been measured by the Aleph experiment at LEP with a beam energy of 45 GeV. The D ∗+ are detected in their decay to D 0 π + with the D 0 observed in three separate decay modes: (1) K − π + , (2) K − π + π 0 and (3) K − π + π − π + , and analagously for the D ∗− modes. A total of 33 events was observed from an integrated luminosity of 73 pb −1 which corresponds to a cross section for Σ( e + e − → e + e − D ∗± X ) of 155 ± 33 ± 21 pb. This result is compatible with both the direct production γγ → c c in the Born approximation and with a more complete calculation which includes both radiative QCD corrections and co…
Measurements of |Vcb|, form factors and branching fractions in the decays → ℓ and → ℓ
Two samples of exclusive semileptonic decays, 579 B0 -> D*+l-νl events and 261 B0 -> D+l-νl events, are selected from approximately 3.9 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP. From the reconstructed differential decay rate of each sample, the product of the hadronic form factor F(ω) at zero recoil of the D(*)+ meson and the CKM matrix element Vcb are measured to be FD*+ (1) Vcb = (31.9 +/- 1.8stat +/- 1.9syst) × 10-3,FD+ (1) Vcb = (27.8 +/- 6.8stat +/- 6.5syst) × 10-3. The ratio of the form factorsFD+ (1) and FD*+ (1) is measured to beFD+ (1)/FD*+ (1) = 0.87 +/- 0.22stat +/- 0.21syst. A value of Vcb is extracted from the two samples, using theoretical constraints o…
Search for the standard model Higgs boson at the LEP2 collider near
Abstract During 1997 the ALEPH experiment at LEP gathered 57 pb −1 of data at centre-of-mass energies near 183 GeV . These data are used to look for possible signals from the production of the Standard Model Higgs boson in the reaction e+e−→HZ. No evidence of a signal is found in the data; seven events are selected, in agreement with the expectation of 7.2 events from background processes. This observation results in an improved lower limit on the mass of the Higgs boson: m H >87.9 GeV /c 2 at 95% confidence level.
Measurement of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays in p–Pb collisions at sNN=5.02TeV
The production of electrons from heavy-flavour hadron decays was measured as a function of transverse momentum (pT) in minimum-bias p–Pb collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV using the ALICE detector at the LHC. The measurement covers the pT interval 0.5 < pT < 12 GeV/c and the rapidity range −1.065 < ycms < 0.135 in the centre-of-mass reference frame. The contribution of electrons from background sources was subtracted using an invariant mass approach. The nuclear modification factor RpPb was calculated by comparing the pT-differential invariant cross section in p–Pb collisions to a pp reference at the same centre-of-mass energy, which was obtained by interpolating measurements at √s = 2.76 TeV an…
ALEPH: a Detector for Electron-Positron Annihilations at LEP
Process-centred Software Engineering Environments (PSEE) are the most recent generation of environments supporting software development activities. Most of PSEE are based on mechanisms promoting enforcement and automation of process activities. In this kind of mechanisms the process models are prescribed in a detailed and complete way. But the experience shows that supporting processes is more concerned with the flexibility of guidance offered during the process performance than with enforcement of a collection of predefined process models. In this paper, we present a solution to support strategic processes in a PSEE by providing a flexible guidance during process enactment.
A measurement of the gluon splitting rate into bb̄ pairs in hadronic Z decays
Abstract A measurement of the fraction of hadronic Z decays in which a gluon splits into a b b pair, g b b , is presented using data collected by ALEPH from 1992 to 1995 at the Z resonance. The selection is based on four-jet events. Events are selected by means of topological cuts and a lifetime tag. The result is g b b =(2.77±0.42 (stat)±0.57 (syst))×10 −3 .
Measurement of the B hadron lifetime
The average lifetime of B hadrons has been measured by the ALEPH experiment at LEP. Events containing B hadrons are selected by the identification of leptons with high transverse momentum in hadronic Z decays, and the lifetime is extracted from a fit to the impact parameter distribution of the lepton tracks. From a sample of 1.7×105 hadronic Z decays a lifetime of 1.29±0.06±0.10 ps is measured.
Measurement of B- mixing at the Z
Abstract From more than 175 000 hadronic Z decays observed with the ALEPH detector at LEP, we select 823 events with pairs of leptons in the final state. From these we measure χ , the probability thata b hadron which is observed to decay originated as a b hadron. We find χ =0.132 −0.026 +0.027 .
Measurement of the strong coupling constant alfa_s from global event-shape variables of hadronic Z decays
Abstract An analysis of global event-shape variables has been carried out for the reaction e+e−→Z0→hadrons to measure the strong coupling constant αs. This study is based on 52 720 hadronic events obtained in 1989/90 with the ALEPH detector at the LEP collider at energies near the peak of the Z-resonance. In order to determine αs, second order QCD predictions modified by effects of perturbative higher orders and hadronization were fitted to the experimental distributions of event-shape variables. From a detailed analysis of the theoretical uncertainties we find that this approach is best justified for the differential two-jet rate, from which we obtain αs(MZ2) = 0.121 ± 0.002(stat.)±0.003(s…
Determination of A(FB)(b) using jet charge measurements in Z decays
An improved measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry in Z --> b (b) over bar decays is presented, based on a sample of 4.1 million hadronic Z decays collected by ALEPH between 1991 and 1995. Data are analysed as a function of polar angle of the event axis and b purity. The event tagging efficiency and mean b-jet hemisphere charge are measured directly from data. From the measured forward-backward jet charge asymmetry, the b quark asymmetry at root s= m(Z) is determined to be: A(FB)(b) = 0.1017 +/- 0.0032(syst.) +/- 0.0032(syst.). In the context of the Standard Model this corresponds to a value of the effective weak mixing angle of sin(2) theta(W)(eff)= 0.23109 +/- 0.00096. (C) 1998 Pub…