arXiv subjects

K. Ackerstaff et al

Publications and source records attributed to K. Ackerstaff et al.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv1997

Measurement of f(c -> D^+ X), f(b -> D^+ X) and Gamma_cc(bar)/Gamma_had using D^*+/- Mesons

The production rates of D^*+/- mesons in charm and bottom events at centre-of-mass energies of about 91 GeV and the partial width of primary cc(bar) pairs in hadronic Z^0 decays have been measured at LEP using almost 4.4 million hadronic Z^0 decays collected with the OPAL detector between 1990 and 1995. Using a combination of several charm quark tagging methods based on fully and partially reconstructed D^*+/- mesons, and a bottom tag based on identified muons and electrons, the hadronisation fractions of charm and bottom quarks into D^*+/- mesons have been found to be: f(b -> D^*+ X) = 0.173 +/- 0.016 +/- 0.012 and f(c -> D^*+ X) = 0.222 +/- 0.014 +/- 0.014 The fraction of cc(bar) events in hadronic Z^0 decays, Gamma_cc(bar)/Gamma_had = Gamma(Z^0 -> cc(bar))/Gamma(Z^0 -> hadrons), is determined to be Gamma_cc(bar)/Gamma_had = 0.180 +/- 0.011 +/- 0.012 +/- 0.006 In all cases the first error is statistical, and the second one systematic. The last error quoted for Gamma_cc(bar)/Gamma_had is due to external branching ratios.

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arXiv1997

Measurement of the quark to photon fragmentation function through the inclusive production of prompt photons in hadronic Z^0 decays

The inclusive production of prompt photons with energy above 10 GeV is measured using the OPAL detector in hadronic Z^0 decays at LEP. In contrast to previous measurements, the prompt photons were not required to be isolated. The production rate and energy spectrum are found to be in agreement with QCD predictions for the quark-to-photon fragmentation function.

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arXiv1997

Search for Chargino and Neutralino Production at sqrt{s} = 170 and 172 GeV at LEP

A search for charginos and neutralinos, predicted by supersymmetric theories, has been performed using a data sample of 10.3 pb^-1 at centre-of-mass energies of sqrt(s) = 170 and 172 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. No evidence for these particles has been found. The results are combined with those from previous OPAL chargino and neutralino searches at lower energies to obtain limits. Exclusion regions at 95% C.L. of parameters of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model are determined. Within this framework, for tan(beta) >= 1.0, lower mass limits are placed on the lightest chargino and the three lightest neutralinos. The 95% C.L. lower mass limit on the lightest chargino, assuming that it is heavier than the lightest neutralino by more than 10 GeV, is 84.5 GeV for the case of a large universal scalar mass (m_0 > ~1 TeV) and 65.7 GeV for the smallest m_0 compatible with current limits on the sneutrino and slepton masses. The lower limit on the lightest neutralino mass at 95% C.L. for tan(beta) >= 1.0 is 24.7 GeV for m_0 = 1 TeV and 13.3 GeV for the minimum m_0 scenario. These mass limits are higher for increasing values of tan(beta). The interpretation of the limits in terms of gluino and scalar quark mass limits is also given.

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arXiv1997

A Measurement of the B_s^0 Lifetime using Reconstructed D_s^- Mesons

We report a measurement of the B^0_s meson lifetime from B_s^0 -> D^-_s X decays, where D_s^- mesons are reconstructed in the D_s^- -> phi pi^- and D_s^- -> K^{*0} K^- decay channels. From approximately 3.7 million hadronic Z^0 decays recorded by the OPAL detector at LEP a sample is selected containing 911 +/- 83 candidates, of which 519 +/- 136 are estimated to be from B_s^0 meson decays. Fitting the distribution of the distance from the beam spot to the decay vertex of the D_s^- candidates with an unbinned likelihood function we measure tau(B_s^0) = 1.72 + 0.20 - 0.19 + 0.18 - 0.17 ps, where the errors are statistical and systematic, respectively.

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arXiv1997

Measurement of the Q^2 evolution of the photon structure function F_2^gamma

New measurements are presented of the photon structure function F_2^gamma(Q) at four values of Q^2 between 9 and 59 GeV/c^2 based on data collected with the OPAL detector at centre-of-mass energies of 161-172 GeV, with a total integrated luminosity of 18.1 pb^-1. The evolution of F_2^gamma with Q^2 in bins of x is determined in the Q^2 range from 1.86 to 135 GeV/c^2 using data taken at centre-of-mass energies of 91 GeV and 161-172 GeV. F_2^gamma is observed to increase with Q^2 with a slope of 1/alpha_em dF_2^gamma/dln(Q^2) = 0.10 +0.05 -0.03 measured in the range 0.1 < x < 0.6.

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arXiv1997

Spin alignment of leading K*(892)^0 mesons in hadronic Z^0 decays

Helicity density matrix elements for inclusive K*(892)^0 mesons from hadronic Z^0 decays have been measured over the full range of K^*0 momentum using data taken with the OPAL experiment at LEP. A preference for occupation of the helicity zero state is observed at all scaled momentum x_p values above 0.3, with the matrix element rho_00 rising to 0.66 +/- 0.11 for x_p > 0.7. The values of the real part of the off-diagonal element rho_1-1 are negative at large x_p, with a weighted average value of -0.09 +/- 0.03 for x_p > 0.3, in agreement with new theoretical predictions based on Standard Model parameters and coherent fragmentation of the qq(bar) system from the Z^0 decay. All other helicity density matrix elements measured are consistent with zero over the entire x_p range. The K^*0 fragmentation function has also been measured and the total rate determined to be 0.74 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.02 K*(892)^0 mesons per hadronic Z^0 decay.

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arXiv1997

An upper limit on the branching ratio for tau decays into seven charged particles

We have searched for decays of the tau lepton into seven or more charged particles, using data collected with the OPAL detector from 1990 to 1995 in e^+e^- collisions at sqrt(s) ~ M_Z. No candidate events were found and an upper limit on the branching ratio for tau decays into seven charged particles of 1.8 x 10^-5 at the 95% confidence level was determined.

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arXiv1997

Measurement of the Branching Fractions and Forward-Backward Asymmetries of the Z^0 into Light Quarks

Using approximately 4.3 million hadronic Z^0 decays collected with the OPAL detector at LEP between 1990 and 1995, we measure the branching fractions of the Z^0 into up-type and down-type light quarks, R_q, and the forward-backward asymmetries, A_FB(q), using high-momentum stable particles as a tag. Adopting a method that employs double tagged events to determine the flavour tagging efficiencies, and assuming the flavour independence of strong interactions and SU(2) isospin symmetry, we measure: R_{d,s}/(R_d + R_u + R_s) = 0.371 +/- 0.016(stat.) +/- 0.016(syst.) and A_FB(d,s) = 0.068 +/- 0.035(stat.) +/- 0.011(syst.), assuming the branching fractions and forward-backward asymmetries of down and strange quarks to be equal. The results are essentially free of assumptions based on hadronisation models. These results are in agreement with the Standard Model expectations and are used to infer the left and right handed couplings of strange/down quarks to the Z^0, yielding g_L^{d,s} = -0.44^{+0.13}_{-0.09} and g_R^{d,s} = +0.13^{+0.15}_{-0.17}. The results for the up quark, R_u/(R_d + R_u + R_s) = 0.258 +/- 0.031(stat.) +/- 0.032(syst.) and A_FB(u)= 0.040 +/- 0.067(stat.) +/- 0.028(syst.), are fully negatively correlated and almost completely positively correlated, respectively, with the corresponding down-type results.

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arXiv1997

A Study of B Meson Oscillations Using Hadronic Z^0 Decays Containing Leptons

An event sample enriched in semileptonic decays of b hadrons is selected using an inclusive lepton selection from approximately 3.0 million hadronic Z^0 decays collected with the OPAL detector. This sample is used to investigate B meson oscillations by reconstructing a proper decay time for the parent of each lepton, using a jet charge method to estimate the production flavour of this parent, and using the lepton charge to tag the decay flavour. We measure the mass difference between the two B^0_d mass eigenstates Delta(m_d) = 0.444 +/- 0.029 + 0.020 - 0.017 ps^-1. For the B^0_s system, we find Delta(m_s) > 3.1 ps^-1 at the 95% confidence level. This limit varies only a little if alternative limit setting approaches are adopted. Regions at higher Delta(m_s) are also excluded with some methods for setting the limit. By studying the charge symmetry of the B^0_d mixing structure, we are able to constrain possible CP and CPT violating effects. We measure the CP violation parameter Re(epsilon_B) = -0.006 +/- 0.010 +/- 0.006 and the indirect CPT violating parameter Im(delta_B) = -0.020 +/- 0.016 +/- 0.006. If we invoke CPT symmetry, then we obtain Re(epsilon_B) = 0.002 +/- 0.007 +/- 0.003.

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arXiv1997

An Updated Study of B Meson Oscillations using Dilepton Events

This paper reports a study of B meson oscillations using hadronic Z^0 decays with two identified leptons, and updates a previous publication by including data collected in 1994. Decay times are reconstructed for each of the semileptonic B decays by forming vertices which include the lepton and by estimating the B meson momentum. The mass difference, Delta(m_d), between the two mass eigenstates in the B^0_d system is measured to be 0.430 +/- 0.043 + 0.028 - 0.030 ps^-1, where the first error is statistical and the second error is systematic. For the B^0_s system, a lower limit of Delta(m_s) > 2.2 ps^-1 is obtained at 95% C.L.

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