0000000000619405
AUTHOR
A. Pascual
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Previously published and as vet unpublished QCD results obtained with the ALEPH detector at LEP1 are presented.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.
Four-jet final state production in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV
The four-jet final state is analyzed to search for hadronic decays of pair-produced heavy particles. The analysis uses the ALEPH data collected at LEP in November 1995 at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 5.7 pb(-1). An excess of four-jet events is observed with respect to the standard model predictions. In addition, these events exhibit an enhancement in the sum of the two di-jet masses around 105 GeV/c(2). The properties of these events are studied and compared to the expectations from standard processes and to pair production hypotheses. RI ANTONELLI, ANTONELLA/C-6238-2011; Passalacqua, Luca/F-5127-2011; Murtas, Fabrizio/B-5729-…
Improved tau polarisation measurement
Using 22 pb−1 of data collected at LEP in 1992 on the peak of the Z resonance, the ALEPH collaboration has measured the polarisation of the tau leptons decaying into $$ev\bar v, \mu v\bar v$$ ,πν, ρν and a1 ν from their individual decay product distributions. The measurement of the tau polarisation as a function of the production polar angle yields the two parametersN τ andN e, where, in terms of the axial and vector couplingsg Al andg Vl,N l=2g Vl gAl/(g Vl 2 +g 2 ). This analysis follows to a large extent the methods devised for the 1990 and 1991 data but with improvements which bring a better understanding of the systematic uncertainties. Combining the 1992 measurements with our previous…
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…
Search for contact interactions in the reactionse + e −→l + l − ande + e −→γγ
Contact interactions are searched for using the differential cross sections for the reactions e + e -→ e + e -, e + e -→ µ + µ -, e + e -→ τ + τ - and e + e -→γγ measured at 12 energies around the Z peak and corresponding to about 20 pb-1 of cumulated luminosity. Four-fermion contact term models assuming various chiralities of lepton currents are fitted to the lepton data and lower limits on the energy scale Λ of such terms are set at 95% c.l. The limits vary in the range 0.9 4.7 TeV, depending on the model and on the lepton flavour. The eeγγ contact terms are searched for assuming various chiralities. Limits on the energy scale Λ between 79 and 130 GeV are extracted from the data. The resu…
Physical forcing and physical/biochemical variability of the Mediterranean Sea: a review of unresolved issues and directions for future research
Malanotte-Rizzoli, Paola ... et. al.-- 76 pages
Transverse momentum correlations in hadronic Z decays
Using data obtained with the ALEPH detector at the Z resonance, a measure based on transverse momentum is shown to exhibit a correlation between the two halves of a hadronic event which cannot be explained by energy-momentum conservation, flavour conservation, the imposition of an event axis or imperfect event reconstruction. Two possible interpretations based on existing Monte Carlo models are examined: a) ARIADNE, with the correlation forming early in the parton shower and with the transition from partons to hadrons playing only a minor part; b) JETSET, with the correlation forming at the fragmentation stage. A correlation technique based on a jet cluster analysis is used to make a compar…
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 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.
Tau leptonic branching ratios
A sample of 62249 tau-pair events is selected from data taken with the ALEPH detector in 1991, 1992 and 1993. The measurement of the branching fractions for tau decays into electrons and muons is presented with emphasis on the study of systematic effects from selection, particle identification and decay classification. The results obtained are: B-e=17.79+/-0.12(stat)+/-0.06(syst)(%) and B-mu=17.31+/-0.11(stat)+/-0.05(syst)(%). Combined with the most recent ALEPH determination of the tau lifetime, these results provide a relative measurement of the leptonic couplings in the weak charged current for transverse W bosons: g(mu)/g(e)=1.0002+/-0.0051 and g(tau)/g(mu)=0.9943+/-0.0065. RI ANTONELLI…
Determination of sin2 θeff w using jet charge measurements in hadronic Z decays
The electroweak mixing angle is determined with high precision from measurements of the mean difference between forward and backward hemisphere charges in hadronic decays of the Z. A data sample of 2.5 million hadronic Z decays recorded over the period 1990 to 1994 in the ALEPH detector at LEP is used. The mean charge separation between event hemispheres containing the original quark and antiquark is measured for bb̄ and cc̄ events in subsamples selected by their long lifetimes or using fast D*'s. The corresponding average charge separation for light quarks is measured in an inclusive sample from the anticorrelation between charges of opposite hemispheres and agrees with predictions of hadr…
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 …
Studies of QCD in ${\rm e^+ e^-}\to $ hadrons at $E_{\rm cm} = 130$ and 136 GeV
Studies of QCD in $\mbox{e}^+\mbox{e}^- \rightarrow$ Hadrons at $E_{cm} = $} 130 and 136 GeV The ALEPH Collaboration An analysis of the properties of hadronic final states produced in electron-positron annihilation at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV is presented. The measurements are based on a data sample of 5.7 $\mbox{pb}^{-1}$ collected in November 1995 with the \Aleph detector at LEP. Inclusive charged particle distributions, jet rates and event-shape distributions are measured and the results are compared with the predictions of QCD-based models. From the measured distributions quantities are determined for which the dependence on the centre-of-mass energy can be predicted b…
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…
Measurement of Prompt Photon Production In Hadronic-z Decays
The production of isolated photons in hadronic Z decays is measured with the ALEPH detector at LEP using a sample of 450 000 hadronic events. The corrected rate is given for several values of the minimum invariant mass squared cut between the photon and the jets. This measurement of final state radiation from the quarks is compared with the predictions of parton shower models JETSET, ARIADNE and HERWIG as well as with the predictions of QCD matrix element calculations. RI Perrier, Frederic/A-5953-2011; ANTONELLI, ANTONELLA/C-6238-2011; Buttar, Craig/D-3706-2011; Stahl, Achim/E-8846-2011; Passalacqua, Luca/F-5127-2011; Murtas, Fabrizio/B-5729-2012; St.Denis, Richard/C-8997-2012; Forti, Franc…
Inclusive production of neutral vector mesons in hadronic Z decays
Data on the inclusive production of the neutral vector mesons rho(0)(770), omega(782), K*(0)(892), and phi (1020) in hadronic Z decays recorded with the ALEPH detector at LEP are presented and compared to Monte Carlo model predictions. Bose-Einstein effects are found to be important in extracting a reliable value for the p(0) production rate. An average p(0) multiplicity of 1.45 +/- 0.21 per event is obtained. The omega is detected via its three pion decay mode omega --> pi(+)pi(-)pi(0) and has a total rate of 1.07 +/- 0.14 per event. The multiplicity of the K*(0) is 0.83 +/- 0.09, whilst that of the phi is 0.122 +/- 0.009, both measured using their charged decay modes. The measurements pro…
Four-fermion production in $e^+e^-$ collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV
Four-fermion events have been selected in a data sample of 5.8 pb(-1) collected with the ALEPH detector at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV. The final states l(+)l(-), l(+)l(-)l(+)l(-), , and <l(+)l(-) have been examined Five events are observed in the data, in agreement with the Standard Model predictions of 6.67 +/- 0.38 events from four-fermion processes and 0.14(-0.05)(+0.19) from background processes. RI ANTONELLI, ANTONELLA/C-6238-2011; Passalacqua, Luca/F-5127-2011; Murtas, Fabrizio/B-5729-2012; Sanchez, Federico/F-5809-2012; Ferrante, Isidoro/F-1017-2012
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, …
Measurements of the charged particle multiplicity distribution in restricted rapidity intervals
Charged particle multiplicity distributions have been measured with the ALFPH detector in restricted rapidity intervals \Y\ less than or equal to 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 along the thrust axis and also without restriction on rapidity. The distribution for the full range can be parametrized by a log-normal distribution. For smaller windows one finds a more complicated structure, which is understood to arise from perturbative effects. The negative-binomial distribution fails to describe the data both with and without the restriction on rapidity. The JETSET model is found to describe all aspects of the data while the width predicted by HERWIG is in significant disagreement.
Measurement of the ratio using event shape variables
Abstract The branching fraction of Z → b b relative to all hadronic decays of the Z has been measured using event shape variables to preferentially select Z → b b events. The method chosen applies a combination of shape discriminators and the selection of high transverse momentum leptons to event hemispheres. From a sample of 440 000 hadronic Z decays collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP, the ration Γ b b Γ had = 0.228±0.005( stat. )±0.005( syst. ) is measured.
Study of D0– mixing and D0 doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays
Abstract Using a sample of four million hadronic Z events collected in ALEPH from 1991 to 1995, the decays D ∗+ → D 0 π s + , with D0 decaying to K−π+ or to K+π−, are studied. The relative branching ratio B(D0→K+π−)/B(D0→K−π+) is measured to be 1.84±0.59( stat. ) ±0.34( syst. ) %. The two possible contributions to the D0→K+π− decay, doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays and D0– D 0 mixing, are disentangled by measuring the proper-time distribution of the reconstructed D0's. Assuming no interference between the two processes, the upper limit obtained on the mixing rate is 0.92% at 95% CL . The possible effect of interference between the two amplitudes is also assessed.
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.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Continuum of Care in 11 European Union Countries at the End of 2016 Overall and by Key Population: Have We Made Progress?
Abstract Background High uptake of antiretroviral treatment (ART) is essential to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and related mortality; however, gaps in care exist. We aimed to construct the continuum of HIV care (CoC) in 2016 in 11 European Union (EU) countries, overall and by key population and sex. To estimate progress toward the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 target, we compared 2016 to 2013 estimates for the same countries, representing 73% of the population in the region. Methods A CoC with the following 4 stages was constructed: number of people living with HIV (PLHIV); proportion of PLHIV diagnosed; proportion of those diagnosed …
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
An experimental study of γγ → hadrons at LEP
An analysis of γγ interactions has been performed using untagged hadronic data obtained by the ALEPH detector at LEP. The data show at low transverse momentum (pt) are well reproduced by a model based on the vector meson dominance mechinism (VDM). At high pt thrust the presence of hard scattering processes is demonstrated. This component is well described in shape and normalization by a QCD calculation.
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…
First measurement of the quark-to-photon fragmentation function
Earlier measurements at LEP of isolated hard photons in hadronic Z decays, attributed to radiation from primary quark pairs, have been extended in the ALEPH experiment to include hard photon production inside hadron jets. Events are selected where all particles combine democratically to form hadron jets, one of which contains a photon with a fractional energy z greater than or equal to 0.7. After statistical subtraction of non-prompt photons, the quark-to-photon fragmentation function, D(z), is extracted directly from the measured 2-jet rate. By taking into account the perturbative contributions to D(z) obtained from an O(alpha alpha(s)) QCD calculation, the unknown non-perturbative compone…
Production of orbitally excited charm mesons in semileptonic B decays
A sample of 3.6 million hadronic Z decays recorded between 1991 and 1995 with the ALEPH detector at LEP is used to investigate semileptonic decays of B mesons into final states involving orbitally excited charm mesons. Topological vertex criteria are used to search for decays involving narrow D** states as well as wide D** resonances and non-resonant D(*)pi final states. The sum of the branching ratios for these processes is measured to be Br((B) over bar --> D pi l(-)(v) over bar) + Br((B) over bar --> D*pi l(-)(v) over bar) = (2.26 +/-t 0.29(stat) +/- 0.33(syst))%, which accounts for a significant fraction of the deficit between inclusive measurements and the sum of exclusive semileptonic…
A precise measurement of ΓZ→bb/ΓZ→hadrons
A measurement of the partial width ratio Γbb/Γhad using a method which tags the Z --> bb decays through the lif etime of the produced heavy hadrons is presented. This method relies on the tracking precision afforded by a double-sided silicon vertex detector. The tag algorithm makes a probabilistic interpretation of three-dimensional track impact parameters, using the data to measure the resolution. By tagging the two b hadrons separately, both Γbb/Γhad and the tag efficiency can be determined from the data. For a 26% efficiency of tagging a single b hadron within the vertex detector solid angle coverage, a purity of 96% is achieved. A value of Γbb/Γhad = 0.2192+/-0.0026(stat.)+/-0.0016(Γcc/…
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.
Improved measurement of theB 0 andB + meson lifetimes
The lifetimes of the B 0 and B + mesons have been measured with the Aleph detector at LEP, using approximately 3 million hadronic Z decays collected in the period 1991 1994. In the first of three methods, semileptonic decays of B 0 and B + mesons were partially reconstructed by identifying events containing a lepton with an associated D*- orbar D^0 meson. The second method used fully reconstructed B 0 and B + mesons. The third method, used to measure the B 0 lifetime, employed a partial reconstruction technique to identify B 0→ D*- π + X decays. The combined results are begin{gathered} tau _0 = 1.55 ± 0.06 ± 0.03 ps, \ tau _ + = 1.58 ± 0.09 ± 0.03 ps, \ tfrac{{tau _ + }}{{tau _0 }} = 1.03 ±…
Inclusive π±, K± and(p,p¯) differential cross-sections at the Z resonance
Inclusive π±, K± and $$(p,\bar p)$$ differential cross-sections in hadronic decays of the Z have been measured as a function ofz=P hadron/P beam, the scaled momentum. The results are based on approximately 520 000 events measured by the ALEPH detector at LEP during 1992. Charged particles are identified by their rate of ionization energy loss in the ALEPH Time Projection Chamber. The position, ξ*, of the peak in the ln(1/z) distribution is determined, and the evolution of the peak position with centre-of-mass energy is compared with the prediction of QCD.
Production of excited beauty states in Z decays
A data sample of about 3.0 million hadronicZ decays collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP in the years 1991 through 1994 is used to make an inclusive selection of B hadron events. In this event sample 4227±140±252B* mesons in the decayB*→Bγ and 1944±108±161B** u,d mesons decaying into a B meson and a charged pion are reconstructed. Here and in the followingB** u,d denotes the eightL=1(bū) and (bd) states and their charge conjugate. For the well establishedB* meson the following quantities are obtained:ΔM=M B*−MB=(45.30±0.35±0.87) MeV/c2 andN B*/(N B+N B*)=(77.1±2.6±7.0)%. The angular distribution of the photons in theB* rest frame is used to measure the relative contribution of longitudi…
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…
Determination of sin^2(theta(eff)(w)) using jet charge measurements in hadronic Z decays
The electroweak mixing angle is determined with high precision from measurements of the mean difference between forward and backward hemisphere charges in hadronic decays of the Z. A data sample of 2.5 million hadronic Z decays recorded over the period 1990 to 1994 in the ALEPH detector at LEP is used. The mean charge separation between event hemispheres containing the original quark and antiquark is measured for b (b) over bar and c (c) over bar events in subsamples selected by their long lifetimes or using fast D*'s. The corresponding average charge separation for light quarks is measured in an inclusive sample from the anticorrelation between charges of opposite hemispheres and agrees wi…
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).
Inclusive production of neutral pions in hadronic Z decays
A measurement of the inclusive production of pi(0) mesons in hadronic Z decays is presented and compared to Monte Carlo model predictions. The analysis is based on approximately 2 million hadronic events recorded with the ALEPH detector at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 91.2 GeV. Neutral pions are reconstructed using photons measured in the electromagnetic calorimeter and photons from conversion pairs. The inclusive pi(0) momentum spectrum is measured in the range 0.025 < x(p) = p/p(beam) < 1. In this range the number of pi(0) per hadronic Z is found to be 4.80 +/- 0.07(stat) +/- 0.31(sys). The differential inclusive pi(0) cross section is also measured as a function of transver…
Search for sleptons in e(+)e(-) collisions at centre-of-mass energies up to 184 GeV
The data collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP at centre-of-mass energies around 183 GeV are analysed to search for sleptons, the partners of leptons in supersymmetric theories. The previously published search for acoplanar leptons and missing energy has been updated. New searches have been developed to cover a wider range of slepton signals. These include single electrons, acoplanar leptons accompanied by two photons plus missing energy as well as particles with lifetime. No evidence for the production of any such particles is found. Slepton mass limits are reported within gravity mediated and gauge mediated SUSY breaking scenarios. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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 triple gauge-boson couplings at 172 GeV
The triple gauge-boson couplings, αWΦ, αW and αBΦ, have been measured using 34 semileptonically and 54 hadronically decaying W+W- candidate events. The events were selected in the data recorded during 1996 with the ALEPH detector at 172 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 10.65 pb-1. The triple gauge-boson couplings have been measured using optimal observables constructed from kinematic information of W+W- events. The results are in agreement with the Standard Model expectation.
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…
Tau hadronic branching ratios
From 64492 selected tau-pair events, produced at the Zeta(o) resonance, the measurement of the tau decays into hadrons from a global analysis using 1991, 1992 and 1993 ALEPH data is presented. Special emphasis is given to the reconstruction of photons and pi(o)'s, and the removal of fake photons. A detailed study of the systematics entering the pi(o) reconstruction is also given. A complete and consistent set of tau hadronic branching ratios is presented for 18 exclusive modes. Most measurements are more precise than the present world average. The new level of precision reached allows a stringent test of tau - mu universality in hadronic decays, g(tau)/g(mu) = 1.0013 +/- 0.0095, and the fir…
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…
Measurement ofD s + meson production inZ decays and of theB s 0 lifetime
D + mesons produced inZ 0→bb events were separated from theZ 0→cc component using a lifetime tag. Using a sample of 1.5 million hadronicZ decays collected with theAleph detector theB 0 andD s + yields have been measured: $$\begin{gathered} \hfill B(b \to \bar B_s^0 )B(\bar B_s^0 \to D_s^ + ) = 0.088 \pm 0.020(stat.) \\ \hfill \pm 0.020(stat.) \\ \hfill B(c \to D_s^ + ) = 0.088 \pm 0.020(stat.)_{ - 0.016}^{ + 0.019} (syst.) \\ \end{gathered} $$ TheB 0 lifetime was measured in aB 0 enriched sample reconstructing the decay length from the vertex of theD + with a hadron from theB 0 decay. The result obtained is: $$\tau _{B_s } = 1.61_{ - 0.29}^{ + 0.30} (stat.)_{ - 0.016}^{ + 0.018} (syst.)$$ p…
Searches for the neutral Higgs bosons of the MSSM in e+e− collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 181–184 GeV
The data collected by ALEPH at LEP at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 181 to 184 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 57 pb(-1), are analysed to search for pair-produced neutral Higgs bosons h and A, in the b (b) over bar b (b) over bar and tau(+)tau(-)b (b) over bar final states. Two events are found in the data with 2.5 expected from standard model processes. When combined with the lower energy data collected by ALEPH and with earlier reported searches for associated hZ production, these analyses are interpreted in the context of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model (MSSM). For standard choices of MSSM parameter sets, this combination results in 95%…
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
Using a data sample corresponding to about 1 233 000 hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH experiment at LEP, the reaction e+e- --> HZ* has been used to search for the standard model Higgs boson, in association with missing energy when Z* --> nunuBAR, or with a pair of energetic leptons when Z* --> e+e- or mu+mu-. No signal was found and, at the 95% confidence level, m(H) exceeds 58.4 GeV/c2. RI ANTONELLI, ANTONELLA/C-6238-2011; Buttar, Craig/D-3706-2011; Stahl, Achim/E-8846-2011; Passalacqua, Luca/F-5127-2011; Murtas, Fabrizio/B-5729-2012; St.Denis, Richard/C-8997-2012; Forti, Francesco/H-3035-2011; Ferrante, Isidoro/F-1017-2012
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 the W mass by direct reconstruction in e+e- collisions at 172 GeV
The mass of the W boson is obtained from reconstructed invariant mass distributions in W-pair events. The sample of W pairs is selected from 10.65 pb(-1) collected with the ALEPH detector at a mean centre-of-mass energy of 172.09 GeV. The invariant mass distribution of simulated events are fitted to the experimental; distributions and the following W masses are obtained: WW --> , m(W) = 81.30 +/- 0.47(stat.) +/- 0.11(syst.)GeV/c(2), WW --> l nu (l=e,mu), m(W) = 80.54 +/- 0.47(stat.) +/- 0.11(syst.)GeV/c(2), WW --> tau nu, m(W) = 79.56 +/- 1.08(stat.) +/- 0.23(syst.) GeV/c(2). The statistical errors are the expected errors for Monte Carlo samples of the same integrated luminosity as the data…
Machine learning risk prediction of mortality for patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2: the COVIDSurg mortality score
The British journal of surgery 108(11), 1274-1292 (2021). doi:10.1093/bjs/znab183
Correlation measurements in Z→τ+τ− and the τ neutrino helicity
Using data collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP correlations between the decay products of the τ+ and τ- produced in the decay of the Z have been measured. The measurements performed in the decays τ-->πν and τ-->ϱν place limits on deviations from the Standard Model. These are given by the parameter ζ with ζ = -1 for the Standard Model. The measured values are ζπ = -0.95 +/- 0.11 +/- 0.05 and ζϱ = -1.03 +/- 0.11 +/- 0.05. For models which predict ζπ = ζϱ = ζ - interpreted as the average τ neutrino helicity - the measurement is ζ = -0.99 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.04.
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…