arXiv subjects

M. J. Bradley

Publications and source records attributed to M. J. Bradley.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

Study of coherent $J/ψ$ production in lead-lead collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5 TeV$

Coherent production of $J/ψ$ mesons is studied in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of 5 TeV, using a data sample collected by the LHCb experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about $10 μb^{-1}$. The $J/ψ$ mesons are reconstructed in the dimuon final state and are required to have transverse momentum below 1 GeV. The cross-section within the rapidity range of $2.0 < y < 4.5$ is measured to be $4.45\pm0.24\pm0.18\pm0.58$ mb, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third originates from the luminosity determination. The cross-section is also measured in $J/ψ$ rapidity intervals. The results are compared to predictions from phenomenological models.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2023

Observation of the mass difference between neutral charm-meson eigenstates

A measurement of mixing and $C\!P$ violation in neutral charm mesons is performed using data reconstructed in proton-proton collisions collected by the LHCb experiment from 2016 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4$\textrm{fb}^{-1}$. A total of $30.6$ million $D^{0}\rightarrow K^{0}_{\mathrm{S}}π^{+}π^{-}$ decays are analyzed using a method optimized for the measurement of the mass difference between neutral charm-meson eigenstates. Allowing for $C\!P$ violation in mixing and in the interference between mixing and decay, the mass and decay-width differences are measured to be $x_{C\!P} = \left[3.97\pm0.46\textrm{(stat)}\pm 0.29\textrm{(syst)}\right]\times10^{-3}$ and $y_{C\!P} = \left[4.59\pm1.20\textrm{(stat)}\pm0.85\textrm{(syst)}\right]\times10^{-3}$, respectively. The $C\!P$-violating parameters are measured as $Δx = \left[-0.27\pm0.18\textrm{(stat)}\pm0.01\textrm{(syst)}\right]\times10^{-3}$ and $Δy = \left[0.20\pm0.36\textrm{(stat)}\pm0.13\textrm{(syst)}\right]\times10^{-3}$. This is the first observation of a nonzero mass difference in the $D^0$ meson system, with a significance exceeding seven standard deviations. The data are consistent with $C\!P$ symmetry, and improve existing constraints on the associated parameters.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Test of lepton universality in beauty-quark decays

The Standard Model of particle physics currently provides our best description of fundamental particles and their interactions. The theory predicts that the different charged leptons, the electron, muon and tau, have identical electroweak interaction strengths. Previous measurements have shown a wide range of particle decays are consistent with this principle of lepton universality. This article presents evidence for the breaking of lepton universality in beauty-quark decays, with a significance of 3.1 standard deviations, based on proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at CERN's Large Hadron Collider. The measurements are of processes in which a beauty meson transforms into a strange meson with the emission of either an electron and a positron, or a muon and an antimuon. If confirmed by future measurements, this violation of lepton universality would imply physics beyond the Standard Model, such as a new fundamental interaction between quarks and leptons.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

$J/ψ$ photo-production in Pb-Pb peripheral collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}$ = 5 TeV

The photo-production of $J/ψ$ mesons at low transverse momentum is studied in peripheral lead-lead collisions collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 210 $\rm{μb}^{-1}$. The $J/ψ$ candidates are reconstructed through the prompt decay into two muons of opposite charge in the rapidity region of $2.0<y<4.5$. The results significantly improve previous measurements and are compared to the latest theoretical prediction.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Analysis of neutral $B$-meson decays into two muons

Branching fraction and effective lifetime measurements of the rare decay $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-$ and searches for the decays $B^0\toμ^+μ^-$ and $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-γ$ are reported using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of $7$ TeV, $8$ TeV and $13$ TeV, corresponding to a luminosity of $9$ fb$^{-1}$. The branching fraction ${\mathcal{B}}(B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-)=\left(3.09^{+0.46+0.15}_{-0.43-0.11}\right)\times 10^{-9}$ and the effective lifetime $τ(B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-)=(2.07\pm 0.29\pm 0.03)$ are measured, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. No significant signal for $B^0\toμ^+μ^-$ and $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-γ$ decays is found and upper limits $\mathcal{B}(B^0\toμ^+μ^-)<2.6\times 10^{-10}$ and $\mathcal{B}(B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-γ)<2.0\times 10^{-9}$ at the 95% CL are determined, where the latter is limited to the range $m_{μμ} > 4.9$ GeV$/c^2$. The results are in agreement with the Standard Model expectations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Precise determination of the B0s-B0sbar oscillation frequency

Mesons comprising a beauty quark and a strange quark can oscillate between particle (B0s) and antiparticle (B0s) flavour eigenstates, with a frequency given by the mass difference between heavy and light mass eigenstates, deltams. Here we present ameasurement of deltams using B0s2DsPi decays produced in proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The oscillation frequency is found to be deltams = 17.7683 +- 0.0051 +- 0.0032 ps-1, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This measurement improves upon the current deltams precision by a factor of two. We combine this result with previous LHCb measurements to determine deltams = 17.7656 +- 0.0057 ps-1, which is the legacy measurement of the original LHCb detector.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2022

Measurement of the $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-$ decay properties and search for the $B^0\toμ^+μ^-$ and $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-γ$ decays

An improved measurement of the decay $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-$ and searches for the decays $B^0\toμ^+μ^-$ and $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-γ$ are performed at the LHCb experiment using data collected in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 7,~8$ and $13$ TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1, 2 and 6 fb$^{-1}$, respectively. The $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-$ branching fraction and effective lifetime are measured to be ${\mathcal{B}}(B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-)=\left(3.09^{+0.46+0.15}_{-0.43-0.11}\right)\times 10^{-9}$ and $τ(B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-)=(2.07\pm 0.29\pm 0.03)$ ps, respectively, where the uncertainties include both statistical and systematic contributions. No significant signal for $B^0\toμ^+μ^-$ and $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-γ$ decays is found and the upper limits $\mathcal{B}(B^0\toμ^+μ^-)<2.6\times 10^{-10}$ and $\mathcal{B}(B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-γ)<2.0\times 10^{-9}$ at 95% confidence level are determined, where the latter is limited to the range $m_{μμ} > 4.9$ GeV$/c^2$. Additionally, the ratio between the $B^0\toμ^+μ^-$ and $B^0_s\toμ^+μ^-$ branching fractions is measured to be $\mathcal{R}_{μ^+μ^-}<0.095$ at 95% confidence level. The results are in agreement with the Standard Model predictions.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Observation of excited $Ω_c^0$ baryons in $Ω_b^- \to Ξ_c^+ K^-π^-$ decays

The first observation of the $Ω_b^- \to Ξ_c^+ K^- π^-$ decay is reported using $pp$ collision data at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13\,$\mathrm{TeV}$ collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9\,$\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. Four excited $Ω_c^0$ baryons are observed in the $Ξ_c^+ K^-$ mass projection of the $Ω_b^- \to Ξ_c^+ K^- π^-$ decays with the significance of each exceeding five standard deviations. They coincide with the states previously observed in prompt \proton\proton and $e^+e^-$ production. Relative production rates, masses and natural widths of the states are measured, and a test of spin hypotheses is performed. Moreover, the branching ratio of $Ω_b^- \to Ξ_c^+ K^- π^-$ is measured relative to the $Ω_b^- \to Ω_c^0 π^-$ decay mode and a precise measurement of the $Ω_b^-$ mass of \mbox{$6044.3 \pm 1.2 \pm 1.1^{\,+0.19}_{\,-0.22}\,\mathrm{MeV}$} is obtained.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Centrality determination in heavy-ion collisions with the LHCb detector

The centrality of heavy-ion collisions is directly related to the medium created therein. A procedure to determine the centrality of collisions with the LHCb detector is implemented for lead-lead collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\scriptscriptstyle\text{NN}}}=5\, \mathrm{TeV}$ and lead-neon fixed-target collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\scriptscriptstyle\text{NN}}}=69\, \mathrm{GeV}$. The energy deposits in the electromagnetic calorimeter are used to determine and define the centrality classes. The correspondence between the number of participants and the centrality for the lead-lead collisions is in good agreement with the correspondence found in other experiments, and the centrality measurements for the lead-neon collisions presented here are the first performed in fixed-target collisions at the LHC.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2021

Search for the doubly charmed baryon $\itΩ_{cc}^{+}$

A search for the doubly charmed baryon $\itΩ_{cc}^{+}$ with the decay mode $\itΩ_{cc}^{+}\to\itΞ_c^{+}K^{-}π^{+}$ is performed using proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13$\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}$ collected by the LHCb experiment from 2016 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. No significant signal is observed within the invariant mass range of 3.6 to 4.0$\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}/c^2$. Upper limits are set on the ratio $R$ of the production cross-section times the total branching fraction of the $\itΩ_{cc}^{+}\to\itΞ_c^{+}K^{-}π^{+}$ decay with respect to the $\itΞ_{cc}^{++}\to\itΛ_c^{+}K^{-}π^{+}π^{+}$ decay. Upper limits at 95% credibility level for $R$ in the range $0.005$ to $0.11$ are obtained for different hypotheses on the $\itΩ_{cc}^{+}$ mass and lifetime in the rapidity range from 2.0 to 4.5 and transverse momentum range from 4 to 15$\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}/c$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Branching fraction measurements of the rare $B^0_s\rightarrowϕμ^+μ^-$ and $B^0_s\rightarrow f_2^\prime(1525)μ^+μ^-$ decays

The branching fraction of the rare $B^0_s\rightarrowϕμ^+μ^-$ decay is measured using data collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of $7$, $8$ and $13\,\rm{TeV}$, corresponding to integrated luminosities of $1$, $2$ and $6\,{\rm fb}^{-1}$, respectively. The branching fraction is reported in intervals of $q^2$, the square of the dimuon invariant mass. In the $q^2$ region between $1.1$ and $6.0\,{\rm Ge\kern -0.1em V}^2\!/c^4$, the measurement is found to lie $3.6$ standard deviations below a Standard Model prediction based on a combination of Light Cone Sum Rule and Lattice QCD calculations. In addition, the first observation of the rare $B^0_s\rightarrow f_2^\prime(1525)μ^+μ^-$ decay is reported with a statistical significance of nine standard deviations and its branching fraction is determined.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Search for $CP$ violation in $Ξ_b^- \to p K^- K^-$ decays

A search for $CP$ violation in charmless three-body $Ξ_b^- \to p K^- K^-$ decays is performed using $pp$ collision data recorded with the LHCb detector, corresponding to integrated luminosities of $1\,\text{fb}^{-1}$ at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 7\,\text{TeV}$, $2\,\text{fb}^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s} = 8\,\text{TeV}$ and $2\,\text{fb}^{-1}$ at $\sqrt{s} = 13\,\text{TeV}$. A good description of the phase-space distribution is obtained with an amplitude model containing contributions from $Σ(1385)$, $Λ(1405)$, $Λ(1520)$, $Λ(1670)$, $Σ(1775)$ and $Σ(1915)$ resonances. The model allows for $CP$-violation effects, which are found to be consistent with zero. The branching fractions of $Ξ_b^- \to Σ(1385) K^-$, $Ξ_b^- \to Λ(1405) K^-$, $Ξ_b^- \to Λ(1520) K^-$, $Ξ_b^- \to Λ(1670) K^-$, $Ξ_b^- \to Σ(1775) K^-$ and $Ξ_b^- \to Σ(1915) K^-$ decays are also reported. In addition, an upper limit is placed on the product of ratios of $Ω_b^-$ and $Ξ_b^-$ fragmentation fractions and the $Ω_b^- \to p K^- K^-$ and $Ξ_b^- \to p K^- K^-$ branching fractions.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Search for the doubly heavy baryons $\itΩ_{bc}^{\rm0}$ and $\itΞ_{bc}^{\rm0}$ decaying to $\it{Λ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$ and $\it{Ξ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$

The first search for the doubly heavy $\itΩ_{bc}^{\rm0}$ baryon and a search for $\itΞ_{bc}^{\rm0}$ baryon are performed using $pp$ collision data collected via the LHCb experiment from 2016 to 2018 at a centre-of-mass energy of $13TeV$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.2$fb^{-1}$. The baryons are reconstructed via their decays to $\it{Λ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$ and $\it{Ξ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$. No significant excess is found for invariant masses between 6700 and 7300$MeV/c^2$, in a rapidity range from 2.0 to 4.5 and a transverse momentum range from 2 to 20$GeV/c$. Upper limits are set on the ratio of the $\itΩ_{bc}^{\rm0}$ and $\itΞ_{bc}^{\rm0}$ production cross-section times the branching fraction to $\it{Λ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$ ($\it{Ξ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$) relative to that of the $\it{Λ_b^{\rm0}}$ ($\it{Ξ_b^{\rm0}}$) baryon, for different lifetime hypotheses, at $95\%$ confidence level. The upper limits range from $0.5\times10^{-4}$ to $2.5\times10^{-4}$ for the $\itΩ_{bc}^{\rm0}\rightarrow\it{Λ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$ ($\itΞ_{bc}^{\rm0}\rightarrow\it{Λ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$) decay, and from $1.4\times10^{-3}$ to $6.9\times10^{-3}$ for the $\itΩ_{bc}^{\rm0}\rightarrow\it{Ξ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$ ($\itΞ_{bc}^{\rm0}\rightarrow\it{Ξ_{c}^{+}π^{-}}$) decay, depending on the considered mass and lifetime of the $\itΩ_{bc}^{\rm0}$ ($\itΞ_{bc}^{\rm0}$) baryon.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Angular analysis of $B^0 \to D^{-}D_s^{+}$ with $D_s^{*+} \to D_s^+ γ$ decays

The first full angular analysis of the $B^0 \to D^{*-} D_s^{*+}$ decay is performed using 6 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data collected with the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The $D_s^{*+} \to D_s^+ γ$ and $D^{*-} \to \bar{D}^0 π^-$ vector meson decays are used with the subsequent $D_s^+ \to K^+ K^- π^+$ and $\bar{D}^0 \to K^+ π^-$ decays. All helicity amplitudes and phases are measured, and the longitudinal polarisation fraction is determined to be $f_{\rm L} = 0.578 \pm 0.010 \pm 0.011$ with world-best precision, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The pattern of helicity amplitude magnitudes is found to align with expectations from quark-helicity conservation in $B$ decays. The ratio of branching fractions $[\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to D^{*-} D_s^{*+}) \times \mathcal{B}(D_s^{*+} \to D_s^+ γ)]/\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to D^{*-} D_s^+)$ is measured to be $2.045 \pm 0.022 \pm 0.071$ with world-best precision. In addition, the first observation of the Cabibbo-suppressed $B_s^0 \to D^{*-} D_s^+$ decay is made with a significance of seven standard deviations. The branching fraction ratio $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0 \to D^{*-} D_s^+)/\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to D^{*-} D_s^+)$ is measured to be $0.049 \pm 0.006 \pm 0.003 \pm 0.002$, where the third uncertainty is due to limited knowledge of the ratio of fragmentation fractions.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Measurement of the prompt-production cross-section ratio $σ(χ_{c2})/σ(χ_{c1})$ in $p$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV

This Letter reports the first measurement of prompt $χ_{c1}$ and $χ_{c2}$ charmonium production in nuclear collisions at Large Hadron Collider energies. The cross-section ratio $σ(χ_{c2}) / σ(χ_{c1})$ is measured in $p$Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 8.16 TeV, collected with the LHCb experiment. The $χ_{c1,2}$ states are reconstructed via their decay to a $\rm{J}/ψ$ meson, subsequently decaying into a pair of oppositely charged muons, and a photon, which is reconstructed in the calorimeter or via its conversion in the detector material. The cross-section ratio is consistent with unity in the two considered rapidity regions. Comparison with a corresponding cross-section ratio previously measured by the LHCb collaboration in $pp$ collisions suggests that $χ_{c1}$ and $χ_{c2}$ states are similarly affected by nuclear effects occurring in $p$Pb collisions.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Angular analysis of the $B^{+}\rightarrow K^{\ast+}μ^{+}μ^{-}$ decay

We present an angular analysis of the $B^{+}\rightarrow K^{\ast+}(\rightarrow K_{S}^{0}π^{+})μ^{+}μ^{-}$ decay using 9$\,\mbox{fb}^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data collected with the LHCb experiment. For the first time, the full set of CP-averaged angular observables is measured in intervals of the dimuon invariant mass squared. Local deviations from Standard Model predictions are observed, similar to those in previous LHCb analyses of the isospin-partner $B^{0}\rightarrow K^{\ast0}μ^{+}μ^{-}$ decay. The global tension is dependent on which effective couplings are considered and on the choice of theory nuisance parameters.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Measurement of the branching fraction of the $B^{0}\rightarrow D_{s}^{+}π^{-}$ decay

A branching fraction measurement of the $B^{0}\rightarrow D_{s}^{+}π^{-}$ decay is presented using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.0\,$fb$^{-1}$. The branching fraction is found to be ${\mathcal{B}(B^{0}\rightarrow D_{s}^{+}π^{-}) = (19.4 \pm 1.8\pm 1.3 \pm 1.2)\times 10^{-6}}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third is due to the uncertainty on the $B^0 \to D^{-}π^{+}$, $D_{s}^{+}\rightarrow K^{+}K^{-}π^{+}$ and $D^{-}\rightarrow K^{+}π^{-}π^{-}$ branching fractions. This is the most precise single measurement of this quantity to date. As this decay proceeds through a single amplitude involving a $b \to u$ charged-current transition, the result provides information on non-factorisable strong interaction effects and the magnitude of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element $V_{ub}$. Additionally, the collision energy dependence of the hadronisation-fraction ratio $f_s/f_d$ is measured through $\bar{B}{}_{s}^{0}\rightarrow D_{s}^{+}π^{-}$ and $B^0 \to D^{-}π^{+}$ decays.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2021

Observation of the decay $Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c1}pπ^-$

The Cabibbo-suppressed decay $Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c1}pπ^-$ is observed for the first time using data from proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6fb$^{-1}$, collected with the LHCb detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 13TeV. Evidence for the $Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c2}pπ^-$ decay is also found. Using the $Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c1}pK^-$ decay as normalisation channel, the ratios of branching fractions are measured to be $$\begin{array}{rcl} \frac{ \mathcal{B} (Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c1}pπ^-)}{\mathcal{B} (Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c1}pK^-)} & = & (6.59 \pm 1.01 \pm 0.22 ) \times 10^{-2} \,, \frac{\mathcal{B} (Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c2}pπ^-)}{\mathcal{B} (Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c1}pπ^-)} & = & 0.95 \pm 0.30 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.04 \,, \frac{\mathcal{B} (Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c2}pK^-)}{\mathcal{B} (Λ_b^0\rightarrowχ_{c1}pK^-)} & = & 1.06 \pm 0.05 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.04 \,,\end{array}$$ where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic and the third is due to the uncertainties in the branching fractions of $χ_{c1,2}\rightarrow J/ψγ$ decays.

hep-ex↗