arXiv subjects

J. Abdallah

Publications and source records attributed to J. Abdallah.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Search for Pentaquarks in the Hadronic Decays of the Z Boson with the DELPHI Detector at LEP

The quark model does not exclude states composed of more than three quarks, like pentaquark systems. Controversial evidence for such states has been published in the last years, in particular: for a strange pentaquark Theta(1540)+; for a double-strange state, the Xi(1862)--, subsequently called Phi(1860)--; and for a charmed state, the Theta_c(3100)^0. If confirmed, a full pentaquark family might exist; such pentaquark states could be produced in e+e- annihilations near the Z energy. In this paper a search for pentaquarks is described using the DELPHI detector at LEP, characterized by powerful particle identification sub-systems crucial in the separation of the signal from the background for these states. At 95% CL, upper limits are set on the production rates of such particles and their charge-conjugate state per Z decay: x Br(Theta+ -> pK0_S) < 5.1 x 10^{-4} < 1.6 x 10^{-3} x Br(Phi(1860)-- -> Xi- pi-) < 2.9 x 10^{-4} x Br(Theta_c(3100)^0 -> D*+ pbar) < 8.8 x 10^{-4} .

hep-ex↗

arXiv2007

Study of Triple-Gauge-Boson Couplings ZZZ, ZZgam and Zgamgam at LEP

Neutral triple-gauge-boson couplings ZZZ, ZZgam and Zgamgam have been studied with the DELPHI detector using data at energies between 183 and 208 GeV. Limits are derived on these couplings from an analysis of the reactions e+e- -> Zgam, using data from the final states gamma f fbar, with f = q or neutrino, from e+e- -> ZZ, using data from the four-fermion final states q qbar q qbar, q qbar mu+ mu-, q qbar e+ e-, q qbar nu nubar, mu+ mu- nu nubar and e+ e- nu nubar, and from e+e- -> Zgam*, in which the final state gamma is off mass-shell, using data from the four-fermion final states q qbar e+ e- and q qbar mu+ mu-. No evidence for the presence of such couplings is observed, in agreement with the predictions of the Standard Model.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2007

Study of multi-muon bundles in cosmic ray showers detected with the DELPHI detector at LEP

The DELPHI detector at LEP has been used to measure multi-muon bundles originating from cosmic ray interactions with air. The cosmic events were recorded in ``parasitic mode'' between individual e+e- interactions and the total live time of this data taking is equivalent to 1.6x10^6 seconds. The DELPHI apparatus is located about 100 metres underground and the 84 metres rock overburden imposes a cut-off of about 52 GeV/c on muon momenta. The data from the large volume Hadron Calorimeter allowed the muon multiplicity of 54201 events to be reconstructed. The resulting muon multiplicity distribution is compared with the prediction of the Monte Carlo simulation based on CORSIKA/QGSJET01. The model fails to describe the abundance of high multiplicity events. The impact of QGSJET internal parameters on the results is also studied.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2007

Zgamma* production in e+e- interactions at sqrt{s} = 183 - 209 GeV

Measurements of Zgamma* production are presented using data collected by the DELPHI detector at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 183 to 209 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 667 pb^{-1}. The measurements cover a wide range of the possible final state four-fermion configurations: hadronic and leptonic (e+ e- q qbar, mu+ mu- q qbar, q qbar nu nubar), fully leptonic (l+ l- l'+ l'-) and fully hadronic final states (q qbar q qbar, with a low mass q qbar pair). Measurements of the Zgamma* cross-section for the various final states have been compared with the Standard Model expectations and found to be consistent within the errors. In addition, a total cross-section measurement of the l+ l- l'+ l'- cross-section is reported, and found to be in agreement with the prediction of the Standard Model.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2007

Search for a fourth generation b'-quark at LEP-II at sqrt{s}=196-209 GeV

A search for the pair production of fourth generation b'-quarks was performed using data taken by the DELPHI detector at LEP-II. The analysed data were collected at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 196 to 209 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 420 pb^{-1}. No evidence for a signal was found. Upper limits on BR(b' -> bZ) and BR(b' -> cW) were obtained for b' masses ranging from 96 to 103 GeV/c^2. These limits, together with the theoretical branching ratios predicted by a sequential four generations model, were used to constrain the value of R_{CKM}=|V_{cb'}/V_{tb'}V_{tb}|, where V_{cb'}, V_{tb'} and V_{tb} are elements of the extended CKM matrix.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2007

Investigation of Colour Reconnection in WW Events with the DELPHI detector at LEP-2

In the reaction e+e- -> WW -> (q_1 qbar_2)(q_3 qbar_4) the usual hadronization models treat the colour singlets q_1 qbar_2 and q_3 qbar_4 coming from two W bosons independently. However, since the final state partons may coexist in space and time, cross-talk between the two evolving hadronic systems may be possible during fragmentation through soft gluon exchange. This effect is known as Colour Reconnection. In this article the results of the investigation of Colour Reconnection effects in fully hadronic decays of W pairs in DELPHI at LEP are presented. Two complementary analyses were performed, studying the particle flow between jets and W mass estimators, with negligible correlation between them, and the results were combined and compared to models. In the framework of the SK-I model, the value for its kappa parameter most compatible with the data was found to be: kappa_{SK-I} = 2.2^{+2.5}_{-1.3} corresponding to the probability of reconnection P_{reco} to be in the range 0.31 < P_{reco} < 0.68 at 68% confidence level with its best value at 0.52.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Study of Leading Hadrons in Gluon and Quark Fragmentation

The study of quark jets in e+e- reactions at LEP has demonstrated that the hadronisation process is reproduced well by the Lund string model. However, our understanding of gluon fragmentation is less complete. In this study enriched quark and gluon jet samples of different purities are selected in three-jet events from hadronic decays of the Z collected by the DELPHI experiment in the LEP runs during 1994 and 1995. The leading systems of the two kinds of jets are defined by requiring a rapidity gap and their sum of charges is studied. An excess of leading systems with total charge zero is found for gluon jets in all cases, when compared to Monte Carlo Simulations with JETSET (with and without Bose-Einstein correlations included) and ARIADNE. The corresponding leading systems of quark jets do not exhibit such an excess. The influence of the gap size and of the gluon purity on the effect is studied and a concentration of the excess of neutral leading systems at low invariant masses (<~ 2 GeV/c^2) is observed, indicating that gluon jets might have an additional hitherto undetected fragmentation mode via a two-gluon system. This could be an indication of a possible production of gluonic states as predicted by QCD.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Masses, Lifetimes and Production Rates of Xi- and anti-Xi+ at LEP 1

Measurements of the Xi- and anti-Xi+ masses, mass differences, lifetimes and lifetime differences are presented. The anti-Xi+ sample used is much larger than those used previously for such measurements. In addition, the Xi production rates in Z -> b anti-b and Z -> q anti-q events are compared and the position xi* of the maximum of the xi distribution in Z -> q anti-q events is measured.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Study of double-tagged gamma gamma events at LEPII

Double-tagged interactions of photons with virtualities Q^2 between 10 GeV^2 and 200 GeV^2 are studied with the data collected by DELPHI at LEPII from 1998 to 2000, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 550 pb^{-1}. The gam* gam* -> mu+mu- data agree with QED predictions. The cross-section of the reaction gam* gam* -> hadrons is measured and compared to the LO and NLO BFKL calculations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Evidence for an Excess of Soft Photons in Hadronic Decays of Z^0

Soft photons inside hadronic jets converted in front of the DELPHI main tracker (TPC) in events of qqbar disintegrations of the Z^0 were studied in the kinematic range 0.2 < E_gamma < 1 GeV and transverse momentum with respect to the closest jet direction p_T < 80 MeV/c. A clear excess of photons in the experimental data as compared to the Monte Carlo predictions is observed. This excess (uncorrected for the photon detection efficiency) is (1.17 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.27) x 10^{-3} gamma/jet in the specified kinematic region, while the expected level of the inner hadronic bremsstrahlung (which is not included in the Monte Carlo) is (0.340 +/- 0.001 +/- 0.038) x 10^{-3} gamma/jet. The ratio of the excess to the predicted bremsstrahlung rate is then (3.4 +/- 0.2 +/- 0.8), which is similar in strength to the anomalous soft photon signal observed in fixed target experiments with hadronic beams.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

A Measurement of the Tau Hadronic Branching Ratios

The exclusive and semi-exclusive branching ratios of the tau lepton hadronic decay modes (h- v_t, h- pi0 v_t, h- pi0 pi0 v_t, h- \geq 2pi0 v_t, h- \geq 3pi0 v_t, 2h- h+ v_t, 2h- h+ pi0 v_t, 2h- h+ \geq 2pi0 v_t, 3h- 2h+ v_t and 3h- 2h+ \geq 1pi0 v_t) were measured with data from the DELPHI detector at LEP.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Determination of the b quark mass at the M_Z scale with the DELPHI detector at LEP

An experimental study of the normalized three-jet rate of b quark events with respect to light quarks events (light= \ell \equiv u,d,s) has been performed using the CAMBRIDGE and DURHAM jet algorithms. The data used were collected by the DELPHI experiment at LEP on the Z peak from 1994 to 2000. The results are found to agree with theoretical predictions treating mass corrections at next-to-leading order. Measurements of the b quark mass have also been performed for both the b pole mass: M_b and the b running mass: m_b(M_Z). Data are found to be better described when using the running mass. The measurement yields: m_b(M_Z) = 2.85 +/- 0.18 (stat) +/- 0.13 (exp) +/- 0.19 (had) +/- 0.12 (theo) GeV/c^2 for the CAMBRIDGE algorithm. This result is the most precise measurement of the b mass derived from a high energy process. When compared to other b mass determinations by experiments at lower energy scales, this value agrees with the prediction of Quantum Chromodynamics for the energy evolution of the running mass. The mass measurement is equivalent to a test of the flavour independence of the strong coupling constant with an accuracy of 7 permil.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Search for excited leptons in e+e- collisions at sqrt{s}=189-209 GeV

A search for excited lepton production in e+e- collisions was performed using the data collected by the DELPHI detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 189 GeV to 209 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 600 pb^{-1}. No evidence for excited lepton production was found. In searches for pair-produced excited leptons, lower mass limits were established in the range 94 - 103 GeV/c^2, depending on the channel and model assumptions. In searches for singly-produced excited leptons, upper limits on the parameter f/Lambda were established as a function of the mass.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

A Determination of the Centre-of-Mass Energy at LEP2 using Radiative 2-fermion Events

Using e+e- -> mu+mu-(gamma) and e+e- -> qqbar(gamma) events radiative to the Z pole, DELPHI has determined the centre-of-mass energy, sqrt{s}, using energy and momentum constraint methods. The results are expressed as deviations from the nominal LEP centre-of-mass energy, measured using other techniques. The results are found to be compatible with the LEP Energy Working Group estimates for a combination of the 1997 to 2000 data sets.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Search for eta_b in two-photon collisions at LEP II with the DELPHI detector

The pseudoscalar meson eta_b has been searched for in two-photon interactions at LEP II. The data sample corresponds to a total integrated luminosity of 617 pb^{-1} at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 161 to 209 GeV. Upper limits at a confidence level of 95% on the product Gamma_{γγ}(eta_b) x BR(eta_b) are 190, 470 and 660 eV/c^2 for the eta_b decaying into 4, 6 and 8 charged particles, respectively.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2006

Single Intermediate Vector Boson production in e+e- collisions at sqrt(s) = 183 - 209 GeV

The production of single charged and neutral intermediate vector bosons in e+e- collisions has been studied in the data collected by the DELPHI experiment at LEP at centre-of-mass energies between 183 and 209 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 640 pb^{-1}. The measured cross-sections for the reactions, determined in limited kinematic regions, are in agreement with the Standard Model predictions.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2005

Measurement and Interpretation of Fermion-Pair Production at LEP energies above the Z Resonance

This paper presents DELPHI measurements and interpretations of cross-sections, forward-backward asymmetries, and angular distributions, for the e+e- -> ffbar process for centre-of-mass energies above the Z resonance, from sqrt(s) ~ 130 - 207 GeV at the LEP collider. The measurements are consistent with the predictions of the Standard Model and are used to study a variety of models including the S-Matrix ansatz for e+e- -> ffbar scattering and several models which include physics beyond the Standard Model: the exchange of Z' bosons, contact interactions between fermions, the exchange of gravitons in large extra dimensions and the exchange of sneutrino in R-parity violating supersymmetry.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2005

Flavour Independent Searches for Hadronically Decaying Neutral Higgs Bosons

This paper describes flavour independent searches for hadronically decaying neutral Higgs bosons in the data collected by the DELPHI experiment at LEP, at centre-of-mass energies between 189 and 209 GeV. The collected data-set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of around 610 pb^{-1}. The e+e- -> hA and e+e- -> hZ processes are considered, with direct Higgs boson decays into hadrons. No evidence for Higgs boson production is found, and cross-section limits are set as a function of the Higgs boson masses. No explicit assumptions are made on the underlying physics beyond the Standard Model, allowing interpretation of the data in a large class of models.

hep-ex↗