0000000000085721
AUTHOR
Thomson F
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…
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.
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…
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.