arXiv subjects

M. Alexander

Publications and source records attributed to M. Alexander.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Search for the rare decay $B^{+} \rightarrow μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}ν_{μ}$

A search for the rare leptonic decay $B^{+} \rightarrow μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}ν_{μ}$ is performed using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $4.7$ fb$^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment. The search is carried out in the region where the lowest of the two $μ^{+}μ^{-}$ mass combinations is below $980$MeV/c$^{2}$. The data are consistent with the background-only hypothesis and an upper limit of $1.6 \times 10^{-8}$ at 95% confidence level is set on the branching fraction in the stated kinematic region.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of b-hadron fractions in 13 TeV pp collisions

The production fractions of $\overline{B}_s^0$ and $Λ_b^0$ hadrons, normalized to the sum of $B^-$ and $\overline{B}^0$ fractions, are measured in 13 TeV pp collisions using data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.67/fb. These ratios, averaged over the $b$-hadron transverse momenta from 4 to 25 GeV and pseudorapidity from 2 to 5, are $0.122 \pm 0.006$ for $\overline{B}_s^0$, and $0.259 \pm 0.018$ for $Λ_b^0$, where the uncertainties arise from both statistical and systematic sources. The $Λ_b^0$ ratio depends strongly on transverse momentum, while the $\overline{B}_s^0$ ratio shows a mild dependence. Neither ratio shows variations with pseudorapidity. The measurements are made using semileptonic decays to minimize theoretical uncertainties. In addition, the ratio of $D^+$ to $D^0$ mesons produced in the sum of $\overline{B}^0$ and $B^-$ semileptonic decays is determined as $0.359\pm0.006\pm 0.009$, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of $C\!P$ observables in the process $B^0 \to DK^{*0}$ with two- and four-body $D$ decays

Measurements of $C\!P$ observables in $B^0 \to DK^{*0}$ decays are presented, where $D$ represents a superposition of $D^0$ and $\bar{D}^0$ states. The $D$ meson is reconstructed in the two-body final states $K^+π^-$, $π^+ K^-$, $K^+K^-$ and $π^+π^-$, and, for the first time, in the four-body final states $K^+π^-π^+π^-$, $π^+ K^-π^+π^-$ and $π^+π^-π^+π^-$. The analysis uses a sample of neutral $B$ mesons produced in proton-proton collisions, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0, 2.0 and 1.8 $\rm fb^{-1}$ collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s} = $ 7, 8 and 13 TeV, respectively. First observations of the decays $B^0 \to D(π^+ K^-)K^{*0}$ and $B^0 \to D(π^+π^-π^+π^-)K^{*0}$ are obtained. The measured observables are interpreted in terms of the $C\!P$-violating weak phase $γ$.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of the $CP$-violating phase $ϕ_s$ from $B_{s}^{0}\to J/ψπ^+π^-$ decays in 13 TeV $pp$ collisions

Decays of $B_{s}^{0}$ and $\overline{B}{}_{s}^{0}$ mesons into $J/ψπ^+π^-$ final states are studied in a data sample corresponding to 1.9 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the LHCb detector in 13 TeV $pp$ collisions. A time-dependent amplitude analysis is used to determine the final-state resonance contributions, the $CP$-violating phase $ϕ_s=-0.057\pm 0.060\pm 0.011$ rad, the decay-width difference between the heavier mass $B_{s}^{0}$ eigenstate and the $B^{0}$ meson of $-0.050\pm 0.004\pm 0.004$ ps$^{-1}$, and the $CP$-violating parameter $|λ|=1.01_{-0.06}^{+0.08}\pm0.03$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These results are combined with previous LHCb measurements in the same decay channel using 7 TeV and 8 TeV $pp$ collisions obtaining $ϕ_s =0.002\pm0.044\pm0.012$ rad, and $|λ| =0.949\pm0.036\pm0.019$.

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arXiv2019

Precision measurement of the $Λ_c^+$, $Ξ_c^+$ and $Ξ_c^0$ baryon lifetimes

We report measurements of the lifetimes of the $Λ_c^+$, $Ξ_c^+$ and $Ξ_c^0$ charm baryons using proton-proton collision data at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8\tev, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$, collected by the LHCb experiment. The charm baryons are reconstructed through the decays $Λ_c^+\to pK^-π^+$, $Ξ_c^+\to pK^-π^+$ and $Ξ_c^0\to pK^-K^-π^+$, and originate from semimuonic decays of beauty baryons. The lifetimes are measured relative to that of the $D^+$ meson, and are determined to be \begin{align*} τ_{Λ_c^+} &= 203.5\pm1.0\pm1.3\pm1.4~{\rm fs}, \newline τ_{Ξ_c^+} &= 456.8\pm3.5\pm2.9\pm3.1~{\rm fs}, \newline τ_{Ξ_c^0} &= 154.5\pm1.7\pm1.6\pm1.0~{\rm fs}, \end{align*} where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the uncertainty in the $D^+$ lifetime. The measurements are approximately 3--4 times more precise than the current world average values. The $Λ_c^+$ and $Ξ_c^+$ lifetimes are in agreement with previous measurements; however, the $Ξ_c^0$ baryon lifetime is approximately 3.3 standard deviations larger than the world average value.

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arXiv2019

Near-threshold $D\bar{D}$ spectroscopy and observation of a new charmonium state

Using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9$fb^{-1}$, collected with the~LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018, a new narrow charmonium state, the $X(3842)$ resonance, is observed in the decay modes $X(3842)\rightarrow D^0\bar{D}^0$ and $X(3842)\rightarrow D^+D^-$. The mass and the natural width of this state are measured to be \begin{eqnarray*} m_{X(3842)} & = & 3842.71 \pm 0.16 \pm 0.12 MeV/c^2\,, Γ_{X(3842)} & = & 2.79 \pm 0.51 \pm 0.35 MeV\,, \end{eqnarray*} where the first uncertainty is statistical and the~second is systematic. The observed mass and narrow natural width suggest the~interpretation of the new state as the~unobserved spin\nobreakdash-3 $ψ_3\mathrm{\left(1^3D_3\right)}$ charmonium state. In addition, prompt hadroproduction of the $ψ(3770)$~and $χ_{c2}(3930)$ states is observed for the first time, and the parameters of these~states are measured to be \begin{eqnarray*} m_{ψ(3770)} & = & 3778.1 \pm 0.7 \pm 0.6 MeV/c^2\,, m_{χ_{c2}(3930)} & = & 3921.9 \pm 0.6 \pm 0.2 MeV/c^2\,, Γ_{χ_{c2}(3930)} & = &36.6 \pm 1.9 \pm 0.9 MeV\,, \end{eqnarray*} where the first uncertainty is statistical and the~second is systematic.

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arXiv2019

First observation of the radiative decay $Λ_{b}^{0} \to Λγ$

The radiative decay $Λ_{b}^{0} \to Λγ$ is observed for the first time using a data sample of proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $1.7\,fb^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy of $13\,TeV$. Its branching fraction is measured exploiting the $B^{0} \to K^{*0} γ$ decay as a normalization mode and is found to be $\mathcal{B}(Λ_{b}^{0} \to Λγ)= (7.1 \pm 1.5 \pm 0.6 \pm 0.7) \times 10^{-6}$, where the quoted uncertainties are statistical, systematic and systematic from external inputs, respectively. This is the first observation of a radiative decay of a beauty baryon.

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arXiv2019

Amplitude analysis of the $B_{(s)} \to K^{0} \overline{K}^{0}$ decays and measurement of the branching fraction of the $B \to K^{0} \overline{K}^{0}$ decay

The $B^0 \to K^{*0} \overline{K}^{*0}$ and $B^0_s \to K^{*0} \overline{K}^{*0}$ decays are studied using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3fb$^{-1}$. An untagged and time-integrated amplitude analysis of $B^0_{(s)} \to (K^+π^-)(K^-π^+) $ decays in two-body invariant mass regions of 150 MeV$/c^2$ around the $K^{*0}$ mass is performed. A stronger longitudinal polarisation fraction in the ${B^0 \to K^{*0} \overline{K}^{*0}}$ decay, ${f_L = 0.724 \pm 0.051 \,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.016 \,({\rm syst})}$, is observed as compared to ${f_L = 0.240 \pm 0.031 \,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.025 \,({\rm syst})}$ in the ${B^0_s\to K^{*0} \overline{K}^{*0}}$ decay. The ratio of branching fractions of the two decays is measured and used to determine $\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to K^{*0} \overline{K}^{*0}) = (8.0 \pm 0.9 \,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.4 \,({\rm syst})) \times 10^{-7}$.

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arXiv2019

Amplitude analysis of $B^{0}_{s} \rightarrow K^{0}_{\textrm{S}} K^{\pm}π^{\mp}$ decays

The first untagged decay-time-integrated amplitude analysis of $B^{0}_{s} \rightarrow K^{0}_{\textrm{S}} K^{\pm}π^{\mp}$ decays is performed using a sample corresponding to $3.0\,$fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data recorded with the LHCb detector during 2011 and 2012. The data are described with an amplitude model that contains contributions from the intermediate resonances $K^{*}(892)^{0,+}$, $K^*_2(1430)^{0,+}$ and $K^*_0(1430)^{0,+}$, and their charge conjugates. Measurements of the branching fractions of the decay modes $B^{0}_{s} \rightarrow K^{*}(892)^{\pm}K^{\mp}$ and $B^{0}_{s} \rightarrow K^{*}(892)^{0}\kern 0.2em\overline{\kern -0.2em K}{}^{0}, \kern 0.2em\overline{\kern -0.2em K}{}^{*}(892)^{0}K^{0}$ are in agreement with, and more precise than, previous results. The decays $B^{0}_{s} \rightarrow K^*_0(1430)^{\pm} K^{\mp}$ and $B^{0}_{s} \rightarrow K^{*}_{0}(1430)^{0}\kern 0.2em\overline{\kern -0.2em K}{}^{0}, \kern 0.2em\overline{\kern -0.2em K}{}^{*}_{0}(1430)^{0}K^{0}$ are observed for the first time, each with significance over 10 standard deviations.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of the branching fraction and $C\!P$ asymmetry in $B^{+}\rightarrow J/ψρ^{+}$ decays

The branching fraction and direct $C\!P$ asymmetry of the decay $B^{+}\rightarrow J/ψρ^{+}$ are measured using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 3$\mbox{fb}^{-1}$. The following results are obtained: \begin{align} \mathcal{B}(B^{+}\rightarrow J/ψρ^{+}) &= (3.81 ^{+0.25}_{-0.24} \pm 0.35) \times 10^{-5}, \nonumber \\ \mathcal{A}^{C\!P} (B^{+}\rightarrow J/ψρ^{+}) &= -0.045^{+0.056}_{-0.057} \pm 0.008, \nonumber \end{align} where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. Both measurements are the most precise to date.

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arXiv2019

Design and performance of the LHCb trigger and full real-time reconstruction in Run 2 of the LHC

The LHCb collaboration has redesigned its trigger to enable the full offline detector reconstruction to be performed in real time. Together with the real-time alignment and calibration of the detector, and a software infrastructure to make persistent the high-level physics objects produced during real-time processing, this redesign enabled the widespread deployment of real-time analysis during Run 2. We describe the design of the Run 2 trigger and real-time reconstruction, and present data-driven performance measurements for a representative sample of LHCb's physics programme.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of the mass difference between neutral charm-meson eigenstates

We report a measurement of the mass difference between neutral charm-meson eigenstates using a novel approach that enhances sensitivity to this parameter. We use $2.3\times 10^6$ $D^0\to K_S^0π^+π^-$ decays reconstructed in proton-proton collisions collected by the \lhcb experiment in 2011 and 2012. Allowing for $CP$ violation in mixing and in the interference between mixing and decay, we measure the $CP$-averaged normalized mass difference $x_{CP} = \left[2.7\pm1.6\text{(stat)}\pm0.4\text{(syst)}\right]\times10^{-3}$ and the $CP$-violating parameter $Δx = \left[-0.53\pm0.70\text{(stat)}\pm0.22\text{(syst)}\right]\times10^{-3}$. The results are consistent with $CP$ symmetry. These determinations are the most precise from a single experiment and, combined with current world-average results, yield the first evidence that the masses of the neutral charm-meson eigenstates differ.

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arXiv2019

Observation of an excited $B_c^+$ state

Using $pp$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $8.5\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ recorded by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s} = 7$, $8$ and $13\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}$, the observation of an excited $B_c^+$ state in the $B_c^+π^+π^-$ invariant-mass spectrum is reported. The observed peak has a mass of $6841.2 \pm 0.6 {\,\rm (stat)\,} \pm 0.1 {\,\rm (syst)\,} \pm 0.8\,(B_c^+) \mathrm{\,MeV}/c^2$, where the last uncertainty is due to the limited knowledge of the $B_c^+$ mass. It is consistent with expectations of the $B_c^{*}(2^{3}S_{1})^+$ state reconstructed without the low-energy photon from the $B_c^{*}(1^{3}S_{1})^+ \to B_c^+ γ$ decay following $B_c^{*}(2^{3}S_{1})^+ \to B_c^{*}(1^{3}S_{1})^+ π^+ π^-$. A second state is seen with a global (local) statistical significance of $2.2\,σ$ ($3.2\,σ$) and a mass of $6872.1 \pm 1.3 {\,\rm (stat)\,} \pm 0.1 {\,\rm (syst)\,} \pm 0.8\,(B_c^+) \mathrm{\,MeV}/c^2$, and is consistent with the $B_c(2^{1}S_{0})^+$ state. These mass measurements are the most precise to date.

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arXiv2019

Measurement of the relative $B^{-} \!\rightarrow D^{0} / D^{*0} / D^{**0} μ^{-} \overlineν_μ$ branching fractions using $B^{-}$ mesons from $\overline{B}{}_{s2}^{*0}$ decays

The decay of the narrow resonance $\overline{B}{}_{s2}^{*0}\!\rightarrow B^- K^+$ can be used to determine the $B^-$ momentum in partially reconstructed decays without any assumptions on the decay products of the $B^-$ meson. This technique is employed for the first time to distinguish contributions from $D^0$, $D^{*0}$, and higher-mass charmed states ($D^{**0}$) in semileptonic $B^-$ decays by using the missing-mass distribution. The measurement is performed using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb${}^{-1}$ collected with the LHCb detector in $pp$ collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. The resulting branching fractions relative to the inclusive $B^- \!\rightarrow D^0 X μ^- \overlineν_μ$ are $f_{D^0} = \mathcal{B}( B^- \rightarrow D^0μ^-\overlineν_μ)/\mathcal{B}( B^- \rightarrow D^0 X μ^- \overlineν_μ) = 0.25 \pm 0.06$, $f_{D^{**0}} = \mathcal{B}( B^- \rightarrow ( D^{**0} \rightarrow D^0 X)μ^-\overlineν_μ)/\mathcal{B}( B^- \rightarrow D^0 X μ^- \overlineν_μ) = 0.21 \pm 0.07$, with $f_{D^{*0}} = 1 - f_{D^0} - f_{D^{**0}}$ making up the remainder.

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arXiv2019

Observation of $C\!P$ violation in charm decays

A search for charge-parity ($C\!P$) violation in $D^0 \to K^- K^+$ and $D^0 \to π^- π^+$ decays is reported, using $pp$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the LHCb detector. The flavor of the charm meson is inferred from the charge of the pion in $D^*(2010)^+ \to D^0 π^+$ decays or from the charge of the muon in $\overline{B} \to D^0 μ^-\barν_μX$ decays. The difference between the $C\!P$ asymmetries in $D^0 \to K^- K^+$ and $D^0 \to π^- π^+$ decays is measured to be $ΔA_{C\!P} = [ -18.2 \pm 3.2\,(\rm stat.) \pm 0.9\,(\rm syst.) ] \times 10^{-4}$ for $π$-tagged and $ΔA_{C\!P} = [ -9 \pm 8\,(\rm stat.) \pm 5\,(\rm syst.) ] \times 10^{-4} $ for $μ$-tagged $D^0$ mesons. Combining these with previous LHCb results leads to $$ΔA_{C\!P} = ( -15.4 \pm 2.9) \times 10^{-4},$$ where the uncertainty includes both statistical and systematic contributions. The measured value differs from zero by more than five standard deviations. This is the first observation of $C\!P$ violation in the decay of charm hadrons.

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arXiv2019

Study of the $B^0\to ρ(770)^0 K^*(892)^0$ decay with an amplitude analysis of $B^0\to (π^+π^-) (K^+π^-)$ decays

An amplitude analysis of ${B^0\to (π^+π^-) (K^+π^-)}$ decays is performed in the two-body invariant mass regions ${300 < m(π^+π^-)<1100}$ MeV/$c^2$, accounting for the $ρ^0$, $ω$, $f_0(500)$, $f_0(980)$ and $f_0(1370)$ resonances, and ${750 < m(K^+π^-)<1200}$ MeV/$c^2$, which is dominated by the $K^{*}(892)^0$ meson. The analysis uses 3 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. The $CP$ averages and asymmetries are measured for the magnitudes and phase differences of the contributing amplitudes. The $CP$-averaged longitudinal polarisation fractions of the vector-vector modes are found to be $\tilde{f}^0_{ρK^{*}} = 0.164 \pm 0.015 \pm 0.022$ and $\tilde{f}^0_{ωK^{*}} = 0.68 \pm 0.17 \pm 0.16$, and their $CP$ asymmetries, $\mathcal{A}^0_{ρK^{*}} = -0.62 \pm 0.09 \pm 0.09$ and $\mathcal{A}^0_{ωK^{*}} = -0.13 \pm 0.27 \pm 0.13$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.

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arXiv2019

Search for $CP$ violation in $D_s^+\to K_S^0 π^+$, $D^+\to K_S^0 K^+$ and $D^+\to ϕπ^+$ decays

A search for charge-parity ($CP$) violation in Cabibbo-suppressed $D_s^+\to K_S^0 π^+$, $D^+\to K_S^0 K^+$ and $D^+\to ϕπ^+$ decays is reported using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.8 fb$^{-1}$, collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the LHCb detector. High-yield samples of kinematically and topologically similar Cabibbo-favored $D_{(s)}^+$ decays are analyzed to subtract nuisance asymmetries due to production and detection effects, including those induced by $CP$ violation in the neutral kaon system. The results are \begin{align*} \mathcal{A}_{CP}(D_s^+\to K_S^0 π^+) &=\left(\phantom{-}1.3\phantom{0}\pm1.9\phantom{0}\pm0.5\phantom{0}\right)\times10^{-3},\\ \mathcal{A}_{CP}(D^+\to K_S^0 K^+) &=\left(-0.09\pm0.65\pm0.48\right)\times10^{-3},\\ \mathcal{A}_{CP}(D^+\to ϕπ^+) &=\left(\phantom{-}0.05\pm0.42\pm0.29\right)\times10^{-3}, \end{align*} where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. They are the most precise measurements of these quantities to date, and are consistent with $CP$ symmetry.

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arXiv2019

Search for lepton-universality violation in $B^+\to K^+\ell^+\ell^-$ decays

A measurement of the ratio of branching fractions of the decays $B^+\to K^+μ^+μ^-$ and $B^+\to K^+e^+e^-$ is presented. The proton-proton collision data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of $5.0\,$fb$^{-1}$ recorded with the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of $7$, $8$ and $13\,$TeV. For the dilepton mass-squared range $1.1 < q^2 < 6.0\,$GeV$^2\!/c^4$ the ratio of branching fractions is measured to be $R_K = {0.846\,^{+\,0.060}_{-\,0.054}\,^{+\,0.016}_{-\,0.014}}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This is the most precise measurement of $R_K$ to date and is compatible with the Standard Model at the level of 2.5 standard deviations.

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