arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A. Bondar.
Six of the key physics measurements that will be made by the LHCb experiment, concerning CP asymmetries and rare B decays, are discussed in detail. The "road map" towards the precision measurements is presented, including the use of control channels and other techniques to understand the performance of the detector with the first data from the LHC.
We present the result of a search for charge asymmetry in B^+ -> J/psi K^+ decays. The CP-violating charge asymmetry is measured to be A_CP(B^+ -> J/psi K^+) = [-0.76 +/- 0.50 (stat) +/- 0.22 (syst)]%.
The Belle detector at the KEKB electron-positron collider has collected almost 1 billion Y(4S) events in its decade of operation. Super-KEKB, an upgrade of KEKB is under construction, to increase the luminosity by two orders of magnitude during a three-year shutdown, with an ultimate goal of 8E35 /cm^2 /s luminosity. To exploit the increased luminosity, an upgrade of the Belle detector has been proposed. A new international collaboration Belle-II, is being formed. The Technical Design Report presents physics motivation, basic methods of the accelerator upgrade, as well as key improvements of the detector.
Decays of b hadrons into final states containing a D0 meson and a muon are used to measure the b anti-b production cross-section in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV at the LHC. In the pseudorapidity interval 2 < eta < 6 and integrated over all transverse momenta we find that the average cross-section to produce b-flavoured or anti-b-flavoured hadrons is (75.3 +/- 5.4 +/- 13.0) microbarns.
This paper presents a finding of the correlation between the width of a strong diffuse interstellar band at 6196A and the excitation temperature of C2 based on high resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio spectra. The excitation temperature was determined from absorption lines of the Phillips A-X and Mulliken D-X systems. The width and shape of the narrow 6196A DIB profile apparently depend on the C2 temperature, being broader for higher values.
Using high-resolution (~85000) and high signal-to-noise ratio (~200) optical spectra acquired with the European Southern Observatory Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph, we have determined the interstellar column densities of C2 for six Galactic lines of sight with E(B- V) ranging from 0.33 to 1.03. For our purposes, we identified and measured absorption lines belonging to the (1, 0), (2, 0) and (3, 0) Phillips bands A1Πu-X1Σ+g. We report on the identification of a few lines of the C2 (4, 0) Phillips system towards HD 147889. The curve-of-growth method is applied to the equivalent widths to determine the column densities of the individual rotational levels of C2. The excitation temperature is extracted from the rotational diagrams. The physical parameters of the intervening molecular clouds (e.g. gas kinetic temperatures and densities of collision partners) were estimated by comparison with the theoretical model of excitation of C2.
We report a measurement of $CP$ violating asymmetries in $B^0(\overline{B}^0) \to K^+ K^- K^0_S$ decays with a time-dependent Dalitz approach. This analysis is based on a data sample of $657\times 10^6$ $B\overline{B}$ pairs accumulated at the $Υ(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. As the result of an unbinned maximum likelihood fit to the selected candidates, the mixing-induced and direct $CP$ violation parameters, $ϕ^{\rm eff}_1$ and ${\cal A}_{CP}$ are obtained for $B^0 \to ϕ(1020) K^0_S$, $B^0 \to f_0(980) K^0_S$ and other $B^0 \to K^+ K^- K^0_S$ decays. We find four solutions that describe the data. There are \{eqnarray*} ϕ_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to ϕ(1020) K^0_S) & = & (32.2 \pm 9.0 \pm 2.6 \pm 1.4)^{\circ}; ϕ_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to ϕ(1020) K^0_S) & = & (26.2 \pm 8.8 \pm 2.7 \pm 1.2)^{\circ};\\ ϕ_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to ϕ(1020) K^0_S) & = & (27.3 \pm 8.6 \pm 2.8 \pm 1.3)^{\circ}\; {\rm and}\\ ϕ_1^{\rm eff}(B^0\to ϕ(1020) K^0_S) & = & (24.3 \pm 8.0 \pm 2.9 \pm 5.2)^{\circ}.{eqnarray*}\ The values for the $CP$ violating phase in $B^0\to ϕ(1020) K^0_S$ are similar but other properties of the Dalitz plot are quite different for the four solutions. These four solutions have consistent $ϕ^{\rm eff}_1$ values for all three $B$ meson decay channels and none of them deviates significantly from the values measured in $B \to (c\bar{c}) K^0$ decays with the currently available statistics. In addition, we find no significant direct $CP$ violation.
The production of K_short mesons in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 0.9 TeV is studied with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The luminosity of the analysed sample is determined using a novel technique, involving measurements of the beam currents, sizes and positions, and is found to be 6.8 +/- 1.0 microbarn^-1. The differential prompt K_short production cross-section is measured as a function of the K_short transverse momentum and rapidity in the region 0 < pT < 1.6 GeV/c and 2.5 < y < 4.0. The data are found to be in reasonable agreement with previous measurements and generator expectations.
We present the result of a search for charge asymmetry in B^+ -> J/psi K^+ decays. The CP-violating charge asymmetry is measured to be A_CP(B^+ -> J/psi K^+) = [-0.76 +/- 0.50 (stat) +/- 0.22 (syst)]%.
We report a first measurement of inclusive B -> X_s eta decays, where X_s is a charmless state with unit strangeness. The measurement is based on a pseudo-inclusive reconstruction technique and uses a sample of 657 x 10^6 BB-bar pairs accumulated with the Belle detector at the KEKB e^+e^- collider. For M_{X_s} < 2.6 GeV/c^2, we measure a branching fraction of (26.1 +/- 3.0 (stat) +1.9 -2.1 (syst) +4.0 -7.1 (model)) x 10^-5 and a direct CP asymmetry of A_{CP} = -0.13 +/- 0.04 +0.02 -0.03. Over half of the signal occurs in the range M_{X_s} > 1.8 GeV/c^2.
We present a new measurement of the unitarity triangle angle phi3 using a Dalitz plot analysis of the KsPi+Pi- decay of the neutral D meson produced in B->D(*)K decays. The method exploits the interference between D0 and D0bar to extract the angle phi3, strong phase delta and the ratio r of suppressed and allowed amplitudes. We apply this method to a 605 fb-1 data sample collected by the Belle experiment. The analysis uses three decays: B->DK, and B->D*K with D*->DPi0 and D*->Dgamma, as well as the corresponding charge-conjugate modes. From a combined maximum likelihood fit to the three modes, we obtain phi3 = 78.4^+10.8_-11.6 +- 3.6 (syst) +- 8.9 (model) degrees. CP conservation in this process is ruled out at the confidence level (1-CL)=5x10^-4, or 3.5 standard deviations.
A novel concept of optical signal recording in two-phase avalanche detectors, with Geiger-mode Avalanche Photodiodes (G-APD) is described. Avalanche-scintillation photons were measured in a thick Gas Electron Multiplier (THGEM) in view of potential applications in rare-event experiments. The effective detection of avalanche scintillations in THGEM holes has been demonstrated in two-phase Ar with a bare G-APD without wavelength shifter, i.e. insensitive to VUV emission of Ar. At gas-avalanche gain of 400 and under \pm 70^\circ viewing-angle, the G-APD yielded 640 photoelectrons (pe) per 60 keV X-ray converted in liquid Ar; this corresponds to 0.7 pe per initial (prior to multiplication) electron. The avalanche-scintillation light yield measured by the G-APD was about 0.7 pe per avalanche electron, extrapolated to 4pi acceptance. The avalanche scintillations observed occurred presumably in the near infrared (NIR) where G-APDs may have high sensitivity. The measured scintillation yield is similar to that observed by others in the VUV. Other related topics discussed in this work are the G-APD's single-pixel and quenching resistor characteristics at cryogenic temperatures.
Characteristic properties of a Geiger Mode APD (G-APD) in a THGEM-based cryogenic two-phase Ar avalanche detector were studied in view of potential applications in rare-event experiments. G-APD signal amplitude and noise characteristics at cryogenic temperatures turned out to be superior to those at room temperature. The effective detection of avalanche scintillations from THGEM-multiplier holes in two-phase Ar has been demonstrated using a G-APD without wavelength shifter. At an avalanche gain of 60, the avalanche scintillation yield measured by the G-APD was as high as 0.9 photoelectrons per avalanche electron, extrapolated to 4pi acceptance.
This report presents the results of studies that investigate the physics reach at a Super $B$ factory, an asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider with a design luminosity of $8 \times 10^{35}$ cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$, which is around 50 times as large as the peak luminosity achieved by the KEKB collider. The studies focus on flavor physics and CP violation measurements that could be carried out in the LHC era. The physics motivation, key observables, measurement methods and expected precisions are presented.
One of the major challenges of particle physics has been to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of quark flavor and measurements and theoretical interpretations of their results have advanced tremendously: apart from masses and quantum numbers of flavor particles, there now exist detailed measurements of the characteristics of their interactions allowing stringent tests of Standard Model predictions. Among the most interesting phenomena of flavor physics is the violation of the CP symmetry that has been subtle and difficult to explore. Till early 1990s observations of CP violation were confined to neutral $K$ mesons, but since then a large number of CP-violating processes have been studied in detail in neutral $B$ mesons. In parallel, measurements of the couplings of the heavy quarks and the dynamics for their decays in large samples of $K, D$, and $B$ mesons have been greatly improved in accuracy and the results are being used as probes in the search for deviations from the Standard Model. In the near future, there will be a transition from the current to a new generation of experiments, thus a review of the status of quark flavor physics is timely. This report summarizes the results of the current generation of experiments that is about to be completed and it confronts these results with the theoretical understanding of the field.
Electron emission properties of two-phase Ar avalanche detectors are studied. The detectors investigated comprised a liquid Ar or Ar+N2 layer followed by a multi-GEM multiplier operated in the saturated vapour at 84 K. Two components of the electron emission through the liquid-gas interface were observed: fast and slow. In Ar, the slow emission component dominated even at higher fields, reaching 2 kV/cm. In Ar+N2 on the contrary, the fast emission component dominated at higher fields, the slow component being disappeared. This is explained by the electron backscattering effect in the gas phase. The slow component decay time constant was inversely proportional to the electric field, which is compatible with thermionic emission model. The electron emission efficiencies in two-phase Ar and Ar+N2 were estimated to be close to each other.
We report the results of the Monte-Carlo study of the method to determine the CKM angle phi3 using Dalitz plot analysis of D0 decay from B->DK process. Our main goal is to find the optimal strategy for a model-independent phi3 extraction. We find that the analysis using decays of CP-tagged D mesons only cannot provide a completely model-independent measurement in the case of limited data sample. The procedure involving binned analysis of B->DK and psi(3770)->(K0 pi+ pi-)_D (K0 pi+ pi-)_D decays is proposed, that allows to reach the phi3 precision comparable to unbinned model-dependent fit.
The characteristic properties of two-phase Ar avalanche detectors, including those obtained with CsI photocathode, are further studied. Such detectors are relevant in the field of coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering and dark matter search experiments. The detectors investigated comprised a 1 cm thick liquid Ar layer followed by a triple-GEM multiplier. In these detectors, typical gains reaching 10000 were obtained with good reproducibility and a stable operation for at least one day was demonstrated. Amplitude and pulse-shape characteristics are presented under irradiation with X-rays, gamma-rays and neutrons from different radioactive sources. The detection of both primary scintillation and ionization signals at higher gains, at a deposited energy of 60 keV, has been demonstrated.