Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

C. A. Aidala

Publications and source records attributed to C. A. Aidala.

At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
arXiv2019

Measurement of the mass and production rate of $Ξ_b^-$ baryons

The first measurement of the production rate of $Ξ_b^-$ baryons in $pp$ collisions relative to that of $Λ_b^0$ baryons is reported, using data samples collected by the LHCb experiment, and corresponding to integrated luminosities of $1$, $2$ and $1.6$ fb$^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s}=7,~8$ and $13$ TeV, respectively. In the kinematic region $2 < η< 6$ and $p_{\rm T}<20$ GeV/$c$, we measure \begin{align*} \frac{f_{Ξ_b^-}}{f_{Λ_b^0}}\frac{\mathcal{B}(Ξ_b^-\to J/ψΞ^-)}{\mathcal{B}(Λ_b^0\to J/ψΛ)} &= (10.8\pm0.9\pm0.8)\times10^{-2}~~[\sqrt{s}=7,8~{\rm TeV}],\\ \frac{f_{Ξ_b^-}}{f_{Λ_b^0}}\frac{\mathcal{B}(Ξ_b^-\to J/ψΞ^-)}{\mathcal{B}(Λ_b^0\to J/ψΛ)} &= (13.1\pm1.1\pm1.0)\times10^{-2}~~[\sqrt{s}=13~{\rm TeV}], \end{align*} where $f_{Ξ_b^-}$ and $f_{Λ_b^0}$ are the fragmentation fractions of $b$ quarks into $Ξ_b^-$ and $Λ_b^0$ baryons, respectively, ${\mathcal{B}}$ represents branching fractions, and the uncertainties are due to statistical and experimental systematic sources. The values of $f_{Ξ_b^-}/f_{Λ_b^0}$ are obtained by invoking SU(3) symmetry in the $Ξ_b^-\to JψΞ^-$ and $Λ_b^0\to J/ψΛ$ decays. Production asymmetries between $Ξ_b^-$ and $\barΞ_b^+$ baryons are also reported. The mass of the $Ξ_b^-$ baryon is also measured relative to that of the $Λ_b^0$ baryon, from which it is found that \begin{align*} m(Ξ_b^-) &= 5796.70\pm0.39\pm0.15\pm0.17~{\rm MeV}/c^2, \end{align*} where the last uncertainty is due to the precision on the known $Λ_b^0$ mass. This result represents the most precise determination of the $Ξ_b^-$ mass.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2019

Prompt $Λ^+_c$ production in $p\mathrm{Pb}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV

The production of $Λ^+_c$ baryons produced directly at the interacting point is studied in proton-lead collisions collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $1.58\mathrm{nb}^{-1}$ recorded at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5.02$ TeV. Measurements of the differential cross-section and the forward-backward production ratio are reported for $Λ^+_c$ baryons with transverse momenta in the range $2<p_{T}<10$GeV/$c$ and rapidities in the ranges $1.5<y^*<4.0$ and $-4.5<y^*<-2.5$ in the nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass system. The ratio of cross-sections of $Λ^+_c$ baryons and $D^0$ mesons is also reported. The results are compared with next-to-leading order calculations that use nuclear parton distribution functions.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2019

Search for $CP$ violation through an amplitude analysis of $D^0 \rightarrow K^+ K^- π^+ π^-$ decays

A search for $CP$ violation in the Cabibbo-suppressed $D^0 \rightarrow K^+ K^- π^+ π^-$ decay mode is performed using an amplitude analysis. The measurement uses a sample of $pp$ collisions recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$. The $D^0$ mesons are reconstructed from semileptonic $b$-hadron decays into $D^0μ^- X$ final states. The selected sample contains more than 160000 signal decays, allowing the most precise amplitude modelling of this $D^0$ decay to date. The obtained amplitude model is used to perform the search for $CP$ violation. The result is compatible with $CP$ symmetry, with a sensitivity ranging from 1% to 15% depending on the amplitude considered.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2019

The SeaQuest Spectrometer at Fermilab

The SeaQuest spectrometer at Fermilab was designed to detect oppositely-charged pairs of muons (dimuons) produced by interactions between a 120 GeV proton beam and liquid hydrogen, liquid deuterium and solid nuclear targets. The primary physics program uses the Drell-Yan process to probe antiquark distributions in the target nucleon. The spectrometer consists of a target system, two dipole magnets and four detector stations. The upstream magnet is a closed-aperture solid iron magnet which also serves as the beam dump, while the second magnet is an open aperture magnet. Each of the detector stations consists of scintillator hodoscopes and a high-resolution tracking device. The FPGA-based trigger compares the hodoscope signals to a set of pre-programmed roads to determine if the event contains oppositely-signed, high-mass muon pairs.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2019

The LHCSpin Project

LHCSpin aims at installing a polarized gas target in front of the LHCb spectrometer, bringing, for the first time, polarized physics to the LHC. The project will benefit from the experience achieved with the installation of an unpolarized gas target at LHCb during the LHC Long Shutdown 2. LHCb will then become the first experiment simultaneously running in collider and fixed-target mode with polarized targets, opening a whole new range of explorations to its exceptional spectrometer. LHCSpin will offer a unique opportunity to probe polarized quark and gluon parton distributions in nucleons and nuclei, especially at high $x$ and intermediate $Q^2$, where experimental data are still largely missing. Beside standard collinear parton distribution functions (PDFs), LHCSpin will make it possible to study multidimensional polarized parton distributions that depend also on parton transverse momentum. The study of the multidimensional partonic structure of the nucleon, particularly including polarization effects, can test our knowledge of QCD at an unprecedented level of sophistication, both in the perturbative and nonperturbative regime. At the same time, an accurate knowledge of hadron structure is necessary for precision measurements of Standard Model (SM) observables and discovery of physics beyond the SM. Due to the intricate nature of the strong interaction, it is indispensable to perform the widest possible suite of experimental measurements. It will be ideal to have two new projects complementing each other: a new facility for polarized electron-proton collisions and a new facility for polarized proton-proton collisions. LHCSpin stands out at the moment as the most promising candidate for the second type of project, going beyond the kinematic coverage and the accuracy of the existent experiments, especially on the heavy-quark sector.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2019

Measurement of the charm-mixing parameter $y_{CP}$

A measurement of the charm-mixing parameter $y_{CP}$ using $D^0 \to K^+ K^-$, $D^0 \to π^+ π^-$, and $D^0 \to K^- π^+$ decays is reported. The $D^0$ mesons are required to originate from semimuonic decays of $B^-$ and $\overline{B}^0$ mesons. These decays are partially reconstructed in a data set of proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV collected with the LHCb experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$. The $y_{CP}$ parameter is measured to be $(0.57 \pm 0.13(\rm{stat.}) \pm 0.09(\rm{syst.}))\%$, in agreement with, and as precise as, the current world-average value.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Search for lepton-flavour-violating decays of Higgs-like bosons

A search is presented for a Higgs-like boson with mass in the range 45 to 195 GeV/$c^2$ decaying into a muon and a tau lepton. The dataset consists of proton-proton interactions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2 fb$^{-1}$. The tau leptons are reconstructed in both leptonic and hadronic decay channels. An upper limit on the production cross-section multiplied by the branching fraction at 95% confidence level is set and ranges from 22 pb for a boson mass of 45 GeV/$c^2$ to 4 pb for a mass of 195 GeV/$c^2$.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Evidence for an $η_c(1S) π^-$ resonance in $B^0 \to η_c(1S) K^+π^-$ decays

A Dalitz plot analysis of $B^0 \to η_c(1S) K^+π^-$ decays is performed using data samples of $pp$ collisions collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s}=7,~8$ and $13$ TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $4.7~\text{fb}^{-1}$. A satisfactory description of the data is obtained when including a contribution representing an exotic $η_c(1S) π^-$ resonant state. The significance of this exotic resonance is more than three standard deviations, while its mass and width are $4096 \pm 20~^{+18}_{-22}$ MeV and $152 \pm 58~^{+60}_{-35}$ MeV, respectively. The spin-parity assignments $J^P=0^+$ and $J^{P}=1^-$ are both consistent with the data. In addition, the first measurement of the $B^0 \to η_c(1S) K^+π^-$ branching fraction is performed and gives $\displaystyle \mathcal{B}(B^0 \to η_c(1S) K^+π^-) = (5.73 \pm 0.24 \pm 0.13 \pm 0.66) \times 10^{-4}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third is due to limited knowledge of external branching fractions.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Design and Beam Test Results for the sPHENIX Electromagnetic and Hadronic Calorimeter Prototypes

The super Pioneering High Energy Nuclear Interaction eXperiment (sPHENIX) at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) will perform high precision measurements of jets and heavy flavor observables for a wide selection of nuclear collision systems, elucidating the microscopic nature of strongly interacting matter ranging from nucleons to the strongly coupled quark-gluon plasma. A prototype of the sPHENIX calorimeter system was tested at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility as experiment T-1044 in the spring of 2016. The electromagnetic calorimeter (EMCal) prototype is composed of scintillating fibers embedded in a mixture of tungsten powder and epoxy. The hadronic calorimeter (HCal) prototype is composed of tilted steel plates alternating with plastic scintillator. Results of the test beam reveal the energy resolution for electrons in the EMCal is $2.8\%\oplus~15.5\%/\sqrt{E}$ and the energy resolution for hadrons in the combined EMCal plus HCal system is $13.5\%\oplus 64.9\%/\sqrt{E}$. These results demonstrate that the performance of the proposed calorimeter system satisfies the sPHENIX specifications.

physics.ins-det↗
arXiv2018

Measurement of antiproton production in ${\rm p He}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=110$ GeV

The cross-section for prompt antiproton production in collisions of protons with an energy of $6.5$ TeV incident on helium nuclei at rest is measured with the LHCb experiment from a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $0.5\,nb^{-1}$. The target is provided by injecting helium gas into the LHC beam line at the LHCb interaction point. The reported results, covering antiproton momenta between $12$ and $110\,\mathrm{GeV/}c$, represent the first direct determination of the antiproton production cross-section in ${\rm p He}$ collisions, and impact the interpretation of recent results on antiproton cosmic rays from space-borne experiments.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Measurement of the time-integrated $CP$ asymmetry in $D^0 \rightarrow K^0_S K^0_S$ decays

A measurement of the time-integrated $CP$ asymmetry in $D^0\rightarrow K^0_S K^0_S$ decays is reported. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of about $2$ fb$^{-1}$ collected in 2015-2016 by the LHCb collaboration in $pp$ collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $13$ TeV. The $D^0$ candidate is required to originate from a $D^{\ast +} \rightarrow D^0 π^+$ decay, allowing the determination of the flavour of the $D^0$ meson using the pion charge. The $D^0 \rightarrow K^{+}K^{-}$ decay, which has a well measured $CP$ asymmetry, is used as a calibration channel. The $CP$ asymmetry for $D^0\rightarrow K^0_S K^0_S$ is measured to be \begin{equation*} \mathcal{A}^{CP}(D^0\rightarrow K^0_S K^0_S) = (4.3\pm 3.4\pm 1.0)\%, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. This result is combined with the previous LHCb measurement at lower centre-of-mass energies to obtain \begin{equation*} \mathcal{A}^{CP}(D^0\rightarrow K^0_S K^0_S) = (2.3\pm 2.8\pm 0.9)\%. \end{equation*}

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Search for $C\!P$ violation in $Λ^0_b \to p K^-$ and $Λ^0_b \to p π^-$ decays

A search for $C\!P$ violation in $Λ^0_b \to p K^-$ and $Λ^0_b \to p π^-$ decays is presented using a sample of $pp$ collisions collected with the LHCb detector and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$. The $C\!P$-violating asymmetries are measured to be $A_{\mathrm{CP}}^{pK^-} = -0.020 \pm 0.013\pm 0.019$ and $A_{\mathrm{CP}}^{pπ^-} = -0.035 \pm 0.017 \pm 0.020 $, and their difference $A_{\mathrm{CP}}^{pK^-}-A_{\mathrm{CP}}^{pπ^-} = 0.014 \pm 0.022 \pm 0.010$, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. These are the most precise measurements of such asymmetries to date.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Observation of $B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^{*0} ϕ$ and search for $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 ϕ$ decays

The first observation of the $B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^{*0} ϕ$ decay is reported, with a significance of more than seven standard deviations, from an analysis of $pp$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$, collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of $7$ and $8$ TeV. The branching fraction is measured relative to that of the topologically similar decay $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 π^+π^-$ and is found to be $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^{*0} ϕ) = (3.7 \pm 0.5 \pm 0.3 \pm 0.2) \times 10^{-5}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third from the branching fraction of the $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 π^+π^-$ decay. The fraction of longitudinal polarisation in this decay is measured to be ${f_{\rm L} =(73 \pm 15 \pm 3)\%}$. The most precise determination of the branching fraction for the $B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^{0} ϕ$ decay is also obtained, $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^{0} ϕ) = (3.0 \pm 0.3 \pm 0.2 \pm 0.2) \times 10^{-5}$. An upper limit, $\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to \overline{D}^{0} ϕ) < 2.0 \ (2.2) \times 10^{-6}$ at $90\%$ (95\%) confidence level is set. A constraint on the $ω-ϕ$ mixing angle $δ$ is set at $|δ| < 5.2^\circ~ (5.5^\circ)$ at $90\%$ ($95\%$) confidence level.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Observation of the decay $B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-$

The first observation of the $B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-$ decay is reported, together with the most precise branching fraction measurement of the mode $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-$. The results are obtained from an analysis of $pp$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $3.0~\textrm{fb}^{-1}$. The data were collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of $7$ and $8$ TeV. The branching fraction of the $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-$ decay is measured relative to that of the decay $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 π^+ π^-$ to be $$\frac{\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-)}{\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 π^+ π^-)} = (6.9 \pm 0.4 \pm 0.3)\%,$$ where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The measured branching fraction of the $B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-$ decay mode relative to that of the corresponding $B^0$ decay is $$\frac{\mathcal{B}(B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-)}{\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-)} = (93.0 \pm 8.9 \pm 6.9)\%.$$ Using the known branching fraction of ${B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 π^+ π^-}$, the values of ${{\mathcal B}(B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^- )=(6.1 \pm 0.4 \pm 0.3 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{-5}}$, and ${{\cal B}(B_s^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-)=}$ $(5.7 \pm 0.5 \pm 0.4 \pm 0.5) \times 10^{-5}$ are obtained, where the third uncertainties arise from the branching fraction of the decay modes ${B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 π^+ π^-}$ and $B^0 \to \overline{D}^0 K^+ K^-$, respectively.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Search for beautiful tetraquarks in the $Υ(1S)μμ$ invariant-mass spectrum

The $Υ(1S)μ^+μ^-$ invariant-mass distribution is investigated for a possible exotic meson state composed of two $b$ quarks and two $\overline{b}$ quarks, $X_{b\overline{b}b\overline{b}}$. The analysis is based on a data sample of $pp$ collisions recorded with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s} =$ 7, 8 and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6.3 fb$^{-1}$. No significant excess is found, and upper limits are set on the product of the production cross-section and the branching fraction as functions of the mass of the $X_{b\overline{b}b\overline{b}}$ state. The limits are set in the fiducial volume where all muons have pseudorapidity in the range $[2.0,5.0]$, and the $X_{b\overline{b}b\overline{b}}$ state has rapidity in the range $[2.0,4.5]$ and transverse momentum less than 15 GeV/$c$.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

Central exclusive production of $J/ψ$ and $ψ(2S)$ mesons in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13~$TeV

Measurements are reported of the central exclusive production of \jpsi and \psitwos mesons in $pp$ collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Backgrounds are significantly reduced compared to previous measurements made at lower energies through the use of new forward shower counters. The products of the cross-sections and the branching fractions for the decays to dimuons, where both muons are within the pseudorapidity range $2.0<η<4.5$, are measured to be $$ \begin{array}{rcl} σ_{J/ψ\rightarrowμ^+μ^-}&=&435 \pm 18 \pm 17 \pm 16 {\rm \ pb},\\ σ_{ψ(2S)\rightarrowμ^+μ^-}&=&11.1 \pm 1.1 \pm 0.3 \pm 0.4 {\rm \ pb}.\\ \end{array} $$ The first uncertainties are statistical, the second are systematic, and the third are due to the luminosity determination. The cross-sections are also measured differentially for meson rapidities between 2.0 and 4.5. Good agreement is observed with theoretical predictions. Photoproduction cross-sections are derived and compared to previous experiments, and a deviation from a pure power-law extrapolation of lower energy data is observed.

hep-ex↗
arXiv2018

First observation of the doubly charmed baryon decay $Ξ_{cc}^{++}\rightarrow Ξ_{c}^{+}π^{+}$

The doubly charmed baryon decay $Ξ_{cc}^{++} \rightarrow Ξ_{c}^{+} π^{+}$ is observed for the first time, with a statistical significance of $5.9σ$, confirming a recent observation of the baryon in the $Λ_c^{+} K^{-} π^{+} π^{+}$ final state. The data sample used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $1.7\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$, collected by the LHCb experiment in $pp$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $13\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}$. The $Ξ_{cc}^{++}$ mass is measured to be \begin{equation}\nonumber 3620.6\pm 1.5~(\text{stat})\pm 0.4~(\text{syst}) \pm 0.3~(Ξ_{c}^{+})~\text{MeV}/\it{c}^{2}, \end{equation} and is consistent with the previous result. The ratio of branching fractions between the decay modes is measured to be \begin{equation}\nonumber \frac{\mathcal{B} (Ξ_{cc}^{++} \rightarrow Ξ_{c}^{+} π^{+}) \times \mathcal{B}(Ξ_{c}^{+} \rightarrow pK^{-}π^{+})} {\mathcal{B} (Ξ_{cc}^{++} \rightarrow Λ_c^{+} K^{-} π^{+} π^{+}) \times \mathcal{B}(Λ_c^{+} \rightarrow pK^{-}π^{+})} = 0.035\pm 0.009~(\text{stat}) \pm 0.003~(\text{syst}). \end{equation}

hep-ex↗