Three-prong τ decays with charged kaons

Final states with charged kaons in three-prong τ decays are studied by exploiting the particle identification from the dE/dx measurement. The results are based on a sample of about 1.6 × 105 detected τ pairs collected with the ALEPH detector between 1991 and 1995 around the Z peak. The following branching ratios have been measured: B(τ- → K−K+π−ντ) = (1.63 ± 0.21 ± 0.17) × 10−3, B(τ− → K−π+π−ντ) = (2.14 ± 0.37 ± 0.29) × 10−3, B(τ− → K−K+π−π0ντ) = (0.75 ± 0.29 ± 0.15) × 10−3, and B(τ− → K−π+π−π0ντ) = (0.61 ± 0.39 ± 0.18) × 10−3. The first two measurements are more precise than the current world averages, while the last two channels are investigated for the first time. The 95% C.L. upper limi…

First Measurement of the Absolute Branching Fraction of Λ→pμ−ν¯μ

The absolute branching fraction of Λ→pμ−ν¯μ is reported for the first time based on an e+e− annihilation sample of 10×109 J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector at s=3.097 GeV. The branching fraction is determined to be B(Λ→pμ−ν¯μ)=[1.48±0.21(stat)±0.08(syst)]×10−4, which is improved by about 30% in precision over the previous indirect measurements. Combining this result with the world average of B(Λ→pe−ν¯e), we obtain the ratio {[Γ(Λ→pμ−ν¯μ)]/[Γ(Λ→pe−ν¯e)]} to be 0.178±0.028, which agrees with the standard model prediction assuming lepton flavor universality. The asymmetry of the branching fractions of Λ→pμ−ν¯μ and Λ¯→p¯μ+νμ is also determined, and no evidence for CP violation is fo…

Study of the fragmentation of b quarks into B mesons at the Z peak

The fragmentation of b quarks into B mesons is studied with four million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH experiment during the years 1991-1995. A semi-exclusive reconstruction of B->l nu D(*) decays is performed, by combining lepton candidates with fully reconstructed D(*) mesons while the neutrino energy is estimated from the missing energy of the event. The mean value of xewd, the energy of the weakly-decaying B meson normalised to the beam energy, is found to be mxewd = 0.716 +- 0.006 (stat) +- 0.006 (syst) using a model-independent method; the corresponding value for the energy of the leading B meson is mxel = 0.736 +- 0.006 (stat) +- 0.006 (syst). The reconstructed spectra …

Two-dimensional analysis of Bose-Einstein correlations in hadronic Z decays at LEP

Complete Measurement of the Λ Electromagnetic Form Factors.

The exclusive process e+e−→ΛΛ¯, with Λ→pπ− and Λ¯→p¯π+, has been studied at s=2.396 GeV for measurement of the timelike Λ electric and magnetic form factors, GE and GM. A data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 66.9 pb−1, was collected with the BESIII detector for this purpose. A multidimensional analysis with a complete decomposition of the spin structure of the reaction enables a determination of the modulus of the ratio R=|GE/GM| and, for the first time for any baryon, the relative phase ΔΦ=ΦE−ΦM. The resulting values are R=0.96±0.14(stat)±0.02(syst) and ΔΦ=37°±12°(stat)±6°(syst), respectively. These are obtained using the recently established and most precise value of …

Search for CP violation in the decay Z → τ+τ−

Data collected by ALEPH in the years 1990, 1991 and 1992 have been used to update a previous search for CP violation in the decay of the Z into tau(+)tau(-). The measurement of the weak dipole form factor of the tau lepton has been performed by studying correlations between the tau leptons. No signal of CP violation was found. The weak dipole form factor is found to be ($) over tilde d(tau) = (+0.15 +/- 0.58(stat) +/- 0.38(sys)) 10(-17)e . cm, obtained with 19628 identified tau(+)tau(-) events. This gives an upper limit on the weak dipole form factor of j\($) over tilde d(tau)\ < 1.5 . 10(-17)e . cm at the 95% confidence level.

The forward-backward asymmetry for charm quarks at the Z pole

From 1.4 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP, an enriched sample of Z --> c $$($) over bar c events is extracted by requiring the presence of a high momentum D*(+/-). The charm quark forward-backward charge asymmetry at the Z pole is measured to be A(FB)(0,c) = (8.0 +/- 2.4)% corresponding to an effective electroweak mixing angle of sin(2) theta(W)(eff) = 0.2302 +/- 0.0054.

Single vector boson production in e(+)e(-) collisions at centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV

The cross sections for single vector boson production in the Wenu and Zee channels are measured from the data collected by AA the ALEPH detector at LEP for centre-of-mass energies between 183 and 209 GeV. These data correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 683 pb(-1). Single-W production is studied in both hadronic and leptonic decay channels. Hadronic and dimuon decays are used for single-Z production. The measured cross sections agree with the Standard Model predictions.

A study of tau decays involving eta and omega mesons

The 132 pb(-1) of data collected by ALEPH from 1991 to 1994 have been used to analyze eta and omega production in 7 decays. The following branching fractions have been measured: B(tau(-) --> nu(tau)omega h(-)) = (1.91 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.06) x 10(-2), B(tau(-) --> nu(tau)omega h(-)pi(0)) = (4.3 +/- 0.6 +/- 0.5) x 10(-3), B(tau(-) --> nu(tau)eta K-) = (2.9(-1.2)(+1.3) +/- 0.7) x 10(-4), B(tau(-) --> nu(tau)eta(h)(-)pi(0)) = (1.8 +/- 0.4 +/- 0.2) x 10(-3) and the 95% C.L. limit B(tau(-) --> nu(tau)eta pi(-)) < 6.2 x 10(-4) has been obtained. The omega pi(-) and eta pi(-)pi(0) rates and dynamics are found in agreement with the predictions made from e(+)e(-) annihilation data with the help of isospi…

Measurement of the cross section for open b-quark production in two-photon interactions at LEP

Deuteron and anti-deuteron production in e+ e- collisions at the Z resonance

Deuteron and anti-deuteron production in Z decays has been observed in the ALEPH experiment at LEP. The production rate of anti-deuterons is measured to be per hadronic Z decay in the anti-deuteron momentum range from 0.62 to 1.03 GeV/c. The coalescence parameter , which characterizes the likelihood of anti-deuteron production, is measured to be in Z decays. These measurements indicate that the production of anti-deuterons is suppressed in collisions compared to that in pp and photoproduction collisions

Measurement of the Effective b quark Fragmentation Function At the Z resonance

Using a sample of about 1.46 million hadronic Z decays collected between 1991 and 1993 with the ALEPH detector at LEP, the energy distribution of the B-0 and B-+/- mesons produced at the Z resonance is measured by reconstructing semileptonic decays B --> l nu(l)D(X) or B --> l nu(l)D*(+)(X). The charmed mesons are reconstructed through the decay modes D-0 --> K(-)pi(+), D-0, --> K(-)pi(+)pi(-)pi(+),D+ --> K(-)pi(+)pi(+), and D*(+) --> D-0 pi(+). The neutrino energy is estimated from the missing energy in the lepton hemisphere. Accounting for B* and B** production, the shape of the scaled energy distribution x(E)((b)) for mesons containing a b quark is compared to the predictions of differen…

Two-particle correlations in pp, (p)over-bar(p)over-bar and (KSKS0)-K-0 pairs from hadronic Z decays

Two-particle correlations in pp, and pairs have been studied in hadronic Z decays recorded at LEP with the ALEPH detector. The correlations were measured as a function of the four-momentum difference Q of the pair. For pp, pairs a depletion of events is observed in the region , and for pairs an enhancement of events is observed in the region . These features are consistent with expectations from Fermi–Dirac and Bose–Einstein statistics, respectively.

Measurement of triple gauge WWγ couplings at LEP2 using photonic events

A study of events with photons and missing energy has been performed with the data sample obtained with the ALEPH detector at centre-of-mass energies from 161 to 184 GeV,corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of about 80 pb**-1.The measured distributions are in agreement with Standard Model predictions, leading to constraints on W W gamma gauge coupling parameters Delta(kappa_gamma) and lambda_gamma. The results from the fit to the cross sectionsand to the energy and angular distributions of the photons are: Delta(kappa_gamma) = 0.05 +1.15/-1.10 (stat) +/- 0.25 (syst) lambda_gamma = 0.05 +1.55/-1.45 (stat) +/- 0.30 (syst) A study of events with photons and missing energy has been pe…

Study of the subjet structure of quark and gluon jets

Measurements of the subjet structure of quark and gluon jets in hadronic Z decays are presented. The analysis is based on one million hadronic events recorded by the ALEPH detector. Roughly symmetric three-jet events are selected with a coarse jet-resolution cut-off, y(1). Gluon jets are identified with a purity of 94.6% in those events where evidence of long-lived heavy-flavour hadrons in the other two jets is found. The jets are then analyzed using a smaller cut-off y(0) (< y(1)) so that subjets are resolved. The properties of the jets (subjet multiplicities [N-q], [N-g] and rates R(n)(g(q)) for n = 1,2,3,4) are determined and are found to be in good agreement with the expectations of per…

Michel Parameters and tau neutrino Helicity From Decay Correlations In Z->tau+tau-

The Michel parameters and the average tau-neutrino helicity are measured using correlations between the decays of the tau(+) and tau(-) produced on the Z resonance and observed in the ALEPH detector at LEP. The Michel parameters, rho(e), eta(e), xi(e), (delta xi)(e), are determined from tau --> e ($) over bar upsilon(e) upsilon(tau) with e = (e, mu), and the average tau neutrino helicity, (h(upsilon(tau))), from tau --> h tau with h = (pi, rho, a(1)). The results obtained with e-mu universality are: rho(e) = 0.751 +/- 0.039 +/- 0.022, eta(e) = -0.04 +/- 0.15 +/- 0.11, xi(e) = 1.18 +/- 0.15 +/- 0.06, (delta xi)(e) = 0.88 +/- 0.11 +/- 0.07, and the average tau neutrino helicity (h(upsilon(tau…

Evidence for the direct two-photon transition from ψ(3686) to J/ψ.

The two-photon transition ψ(3686)→γγJ/ψ is studied in a sample of 1.06×10(8) ψ(3686) decays collected by the BESIII detector. The branching fraction is measured to be (3.1±0.6(stat)(-1.0)(+0.8)(syst))×10(-4) using J/ψ→e(+)e(-) and J/ψ→μ(+)μ(-) decays, and its upper limit is estimated to be 4.5×10(-4) at the 90% confidence level. This work represents the first measurement of a two-photon transition among charmonium states. The orientation of the ψ(3686) decay plane and the J/ψ polarization in this decay are also studied. In addition, the product branching fractions of sequential E1 transitions ψ(3686)→γχ(cJ) and χ(cJ)→γJ/ψ(J=0,1,2) are reported.

Search for Single Top Production in $e^{+} e^{-}$ Collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ up to 209 GeV

Single top production via the flavour changing neutral current reactions e+e- -&gt; \bar{t}c, \bar{t}u is searched for within the 214 pb-1 of data collected by ALEPH at centre-of-mass energies between 204 and 209 GeV. No deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed and upper limits on the single top production cross sections are derived. The combination with data collected at lower centre-of-mass energies yields an upper limit on the branching ratio BR(t -&gt; Zc)+BR(t -&gt; Zu) 14%, for BR(t -&gt; ��c)+BR(t -&gt; ��u)= 0 and mt=174 GeV/c2.

Bose-Einstein correlations in W-pair decays with an event-mixing technique

Bose-Einstein correlations in W-pair decays are studied using data collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP at e+e- centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV. The analysis is based on the comparison of WW→qq̄qq̄ events to "mixed" events constructed with the hadronic part of WW→qq̄ℓν events. The data are in agreement with the hypothesis that Bose-Einstein correlations are present only for pions from the same W decay. The JETSET model with Bose-Einstein correlations between pions from different W bosons is disfavoured.

Improved measurement of the triple gauge-boson couplings gamma WW and ZWW in e(+)e(-) collisions

Triple gauge-boson couplings ?WW and ZWW involving single-photon, single-W and W-pair production are determined using data samples collected at LEP with the ALEPH detector at centre-of-mass energies between 183 and 209 GeV. The integrated luminosity used is 700 pb-1 for the single-photon measurement and 683 pb-1 for the W channels. Restricting the measurement to C- and P-conserving terms and applying local SU(2) L×U(1)Y gauge invariance, the measured values of the parameters g1 Z, ?? and ?? are: g1 Z=1.001±0. 027(stat)±0.013(syst), ??=0.971±0.055(stat) ±0.030(syst), ??=-0.012±0.027(stat) ±0.011(syst) for single-parameter fits, where the two other parameters are fixed to their Standard Model…

Measurements of the b baryon lifetime

Using about 1.5 million hadronic Z decays recorded with the ALEPH detector, the lifetime of the b baryons has been measured using two independent data samples. From a maximum likelihood fit to the impact parameter distribution of leptons in 519 Lambda l(-) combinations containing a b baryon sample of 290 decays, the measured b baryon lifetime is tau(b-baryon) = 1.05(-0.11)(+0.12)(stat) +/-0.09(syst) ps. The lifetime of the Lambda(b)(0) baryon from a maximum likelihood fit to the proper time distribution of 58 Lambda(c)(+)l(-) candidates containing a Lambda(b)(0) sample of 44 decays, is tau(Lambda b0) = 1.02(-0.18)(+0.23)(stat) +/- 0.06(syst) ps.