0000000000538447
AUTHOR
E. Graugès
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 …
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…
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…
A study of single W production in e+e− collisions at –183 GeV
Abstract Single W production is studied in the data recorded with the ALEPH detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies between 161 and 183 GeV. The cross section is measured to be σW=0.41±0.17(stat.)±0.04(syst.) pb at 183 GeV, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. Limits on non-standard WWγ couplings are deduced as −1.6 γ (λ γ =0) and −1.6 γ (κ γ =1) at 95% C.L. A search for effectively invisible decays of the W boson in W pair production is performed, leading to an upper limit on the branching ratio of 1.3% ( Γ inv =27 MeV ) at 95% C.L.
Study of the exclusive initial-state-radiation production of the D¯¯¯D system
A study of exclusive production of the $D \bar D$ system through initial-state r adiation is performed in a search for charmonium states, where $D=D^0$ or $D^+$. The $D^0$ mesons are reconstructed in the $D^0 \to K^- \pi^+$, $D^0 \to K^- \pi^+ \pi^0$, and $D^0 \to K^- \pi^+ \pi^+ \pi^-$ decay modes. The $D^+$ is reconstructed through the $D^+ \to K^- \pi^+ \pi^+$ decay mode. The analysis makes use of an integrated luminosity of 288.5 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the BaBar experiment. The $D \bar D$ mass spectrum shows a clear $\psi(3770)$ signal. Further structures appear in the 3.9 and 4.1 GeV/$c^2$ regions. No evidence is found for Y(4260) decays to $D \bar D$, implying an up per limit $\frac{\…
A direct measurement of |Vcs| in hadronic W decays using a charm tag
Abstract The inclusive charm production rate in W decays is measured from a study of the properties of final state particles. The sample of W pairs is selected from 67.7 pb−1 collected by ALEPH in 1996 and 1997 at centre-of-mass energies near 172 and 183 GeV in the channels W+W−→4q and W + W − →lνq q . The branching fraction of hadronic W decays to a final state containing a c quark, RWc= Γ(W→cX)/Γ(W→hadrons), is measured to be 0.51±0.05stat±0.03syst. This allows a direct determination of the CKM matrix element |Vcs|=1.00±0.11stat±0.07syst.
Search for the glueball candidates f0(1500) and fJ(1710) in γγ collisions
Abstract Data taken with the ALEPH detector at LEP1 have been used to search for γγ production of the glueball candidates f0(1500) and fJ(1710) via their decay to π+π−. No signal is observed and upper limits to the product of γγ width and π+π− branching ratio of the f0(1500) and the fJ(1710) have been measured to be Γ(γγ→f 0 (1500))· B R (f 0 (1500)→π + π − ) keV and Γ(γγ→f J (1710))· B R (f J (1710)→π + π − ) keV at 95% confidence level.
Searches for sleptons and squarks in e(+)e(-) collisions at 189 GeV
The data collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV by ALEPH at LEP, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 173.6 pb$^{-1}$, are analysed in a search for the scalar partners of quarks and leptons predicted in supersymmetric models. No evidence for any such particles was found in the decay channels $\sle \to \ell \chi$, $\stop \rightarrow \mathrm{c}\neu$, $\stop \rightarrow \mathrm{b}\ell\snu$, $\sbot \rightarrow \mathrm{b}\neu$, and $\mathrm{\tilde{q}} \rightarrow \mathrm{q}\neu$. Improved mass lower limits have been obtained in the framework of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.
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.
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 .
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…