arXiv subjects

M. Merola

Publications and source records attributed to M. Merola.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Search for lepton-flavor-violating tau decays to $\ell\alpha$ at Belle

We report a search for the lepton-flavor-violating decays $\tau^{\pm}\to\ell^{\pm}\alpha$~($\ell=e,\mu$), where $\alpha$ is an undetected spin-0 particle, such as an axion-like particle using $736\times10^{6}$ tau lepton pairs collected by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^{+}e^{-}$ collider. We find no evidence of signal and obtain the most stringent upper limits on the branching fractions at 95\% confidence level: $\mathcal{B}(\tau^{\pm}\rightarrow e^{\pm}\alpha)$ $<$ $(0.4$--$6.4)\times10^{-4}$ and $\mathcal{B}(\tau^{\pm}\rightarrow \mu^{\pm}\alpha)$ $<$ $(0.2$--$3.5)\times10^{-4}$ at 95\% confidence level for an $\alpha$ mass in the range $0.0\leq m_{\alpha}\leq 1.6$~GeV/$c^{2}$.

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arXiv2024

Production cross sections of light and charmed mesons in $e^+e^-$ annihilation near 10.58 GeV

We report measurements of production cross sections for $\rho^+$, $\rho^0$, $\omega$, $K^{*+}$, $K^{*0}$, $\phi$, $\eta$, $K_S^0$, $f_0(980)$, $D^+$, $D^0$, $D_s^+$, $D^{*+}$, $D^{*0}$, and $D^{*+}_s$ in $e^+e^-$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy near 10.58 GeV. The data were recorded by the Belle experiment, consisting of 571 fb$^{-1}$ at 10.58 GeV and 74 fb$^{-1}$ at 10.52 GeV. Production cross sections are extracted as a function of the fractional hadron momentum $x_p$ . The measurements are compared to {\sc pythia} Monte Carlo generator predictions with various fragmentation settings, including those that have increased fragmentation into vector mesons over pseudo-scalar mesons. The cross sections measured for light hadrons are consistent with no additional increase of vector over pseudo-scalar mesons. The charmed-meson cross sections are compared to earlier measurements -- when available -- including older Belle results, which they supersede. They are in agreement before application of an improved initial-state radiation correction procedure that causes slight changes in their \xp shapes.

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arXiv2024

Search for $h_b(2P)\to\gamma\chi_{bJ}(1P)$ at $\sqrt{s} = 10.860$ GeV

In the bottomonium sector, the hindered magnetic dipole (M1) transitions between P-wave states $h_b(2P) \rightarrow \chi_{bJ}(1P) \gamma$, $J=0, \, 1, \, 2$, are expected to be severely suppressed according to the Relativized Quark Model, due to the spin flip of the $b$ quark. Nevertheless, a recent model following the coupled-channel approach predicts the corresponding branching fractions to be enhanced by orders of magnitude. In this Letter, we report the first search for such transitions. We find no significant signals and set upper limits at 90% CL on the corresponding branching fractions: $\mathcal{B}[h_b(2P)\to\gamma\chi_{b0}(1P)] < 2.7 \times 10^{-1}$, $\mathcal{B}[h_b(2P)\to\gamma\chi_{b1}(1P)] < 5.4 \times 10^{-3}$ and $\mathcal{B}[h_b(2P)\to\gamma\chi_{b2}(1P)] < 1.3 \times 10^{-2}$. These values help to constrain the parameters of the coupled-channel models. The results are obtained using a $121.4 \, fb^{-1}$ data sample taken around $\sqrt{s}= 10.860 \, GeV$ with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider.

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arXiv2024

Evidence of $h_{b}(\text{2P}) \to \Upsilon(\text{1S})\eta$ decay and search for $h_{b}(\text{1P,2P}) \to \Upsilon(\text{1S})\pi^0$ with the Belle detector

We report the first evidence for the $h_{b}(\text{2P}) \to \Upsilon(\text{1S})\eta$ transition with a significance of $3.5$ standard deviations. The decay branching fraction is measured to be $\mathcal{B}[h_{b}(\text{2P}) \to \Upsilon(\text{1S})\eta]=(7.1 ~^{+3.7} _{-3.2}\pm 0.8)\times10^{-3}$, which is noticeably smaller than expected. We also set upper limits on $\pi^0$ transitions of $\mathcal{B}[h_{b}(\text{2P}) \to \Upsilon(\text{1S})\pi^0] < 1.8\times10^{-3}$, and $\mathcal{B}[h_{b}(\text{1P})\to \Upsilon(\text{1S})\pi^0] < 1.8\times10^{-3}$, at the $90\%$ confidence level. These results are obtained with a $131.4$~fb$^{-1}$ data sample collected near the $\Upsilon(\text{5S})$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider.

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arXiv2024

Search for charmed baryons in the $\Lambda_c^+\eta$ system and measurement of the branching fractions of $\Lambda_c(2880)^+$ and $\Lambda_c(2940)^+$ decaying to $\Lambda_c^+\eta$ and $pD^0$ relative to $\Sigma_c(2455)\pi$

We search for excited charmed baryons in the $\Lambda_c^+\eta$ system using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 980 $\rm fb^{-1}$. The data were collected by the Belle detector at the KEKB $e^{+}$$e^{-}$ asymmetric-energy collider. No significant signals are found in the $\Lambda_c^+\eta$ mass spectrum, including the known $\Lambda_c(2880)^+$ and $\Lambda_c(2940)^+$. Clear $\Lambda_c(2880)^+$ and $\Lambda_c(2940)^+$ signals are observed in the $pD^0$ mass spectrum. We set upper limits at 90\% credibility level on ratios of branching fractions of $\Lambda_c(2880)^+$ and $\Lambda_c(2940)^+$ decaying to $\Lambda_c^+\eta$ relative to $\Sigma_c(2455)\pi$ of $<0.13$ for the $\Lambda_c(2880)^+$ and $<1.11$ for the $\Lambda_c(2940)^+$. We measure ratios of branching fractions of $\Lambda_c(2880)^+$ and $\Lambda_c(2940)^+$ decaying to $pD^0$ relative to $\Sigma_c(2455)\pi$ of $0.75 \pm 0.03(\text{stat.}) \pm 0.07(\text{syst.})$ for the $\Lambda_c(2880)^+$ and $3.59 \pm 0.21(\text{stat.}) \pm 0.56(\text{syst.})$ for the $\Lambda_c(2940)^+$.

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arXiv2024

Search for Two-Body $B$ Meson Decays to $\Lambda^{0}$ and $\Omega^{(*)0}_{c}$

We report the results of the first search for Standard Model and baryon-number-violating two-body decays of the neutral $B$ mesons to $\Lambda^{0}$ and $\Omega^{(*)0}_c$ using 711~${\rm fb^{-1}}$ of data collected at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+ e^-$ collider. We observe no evidence of signal from any such decays and set 95\% confidence-level upper limits on the products of $B^0$ and $\bar{B}^0$ branching fractions for these two-body decays with $\mathcal{B}(\Omega_{c}^{0} \to \pi^+ \Omega^-)$ in the range between 9.5~$\times 10^{-8}$ and 31.2~$\times 10^{-8}$.

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arXiv2024

Search for Baryon-Number-Violating Processes in $B^-$ Decays to the $\bar{\Xi}_{c}^{0} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-}$ Final State

We report the results of the first search for $B^-$ decays to the $\bar{\Xi}_{c}^{0} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-}$ final state using 711~${\rm fb^{-1}}$ of data collected at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+ e^-$ collider. The results are interpreted in terms of both direct baryon-number-violating $B^-$ decay and $\Xi_{c}^{0}-\bar{\Xi}_{c}^{0}$ oscillations which follow the Standard Model decay $B^- \to \Xi_{c}^{0} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-}$. We observe no evidence for baryon number violation and set the 95\% confidence-level upper limits on the ratio of baryon-number-violating and Standard Model branching fractions ${\mathcal{B}(B^- \rightarrow \bar{\Xi}_{c}^{0} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-})}/{\mathcal{B}(B^- \rightarrow \Xi_{c}^{0} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-})}$ to be $< 2.7\%$ and on the $\Xi_{c}^{0} - \bar{\Xi}_{c}^{0}$ oscillation angular frequency $\omega$ to be $< 0.76\ \mathrm{ps}^{-1}$ (equivalent to $\tau_{\rm mix} > 1.3$~ps).

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arXiv2023

Measurement of the Ratio of Partial Branching Fractions of Inclusive $\overline{B} \to X_u \ell \overline{\nu}$ to $\overline{B} \to X_{c} \ell \overline{\nu}$ and the Ratio of their Spectra with Hadronic Tagging

We present a measurement of the ratio of partial branching fractions of the semi-leptonic inclusive decays, $\overline{B} \to X_{u} \ell \overline{\nu}$ to $\overline{B} \to X_{c} \ell \overline{\nu}$, where $\ell = (e, \mu)$, using the full Belle sample of $772 \times 10^{6}$ $B \kern 0.18em\overline{\kern -0.18em B}$ pairs collected at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance. The ratio is measured via a two-dimensional fit to the squared four-momentum transfer to the lepton pair, and the charged lepton energy in the $B$ meson rest frame, where the latter must be larger than $1$ Ge\kern -0.1em V, covering approximately $86\%$ and $78\%$ of the $\overline{B} \to X_{u} \ell \overline{\nu}$ and $\overline{B} \to X_{c} \ell \overline{\nu}$ phase space, respectively. We find $\Delta \mathcal{B}(\overline{B} \to X_{u} \ell \overline{\nu})/ \Delta \mathcal{B}(\overline{B} \to X_{c} \ell \overline{\nu}) = (1.99 \pm 0.17_{\rm stat} \pm 0.16_{\rm syst}) \times 10^{-2}$ where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. In addition, we report the partial branching fractions separately for charged and neutral $B$ meson decays, and for electron and muon decay channels. We place a limit on isospin breaking in $\overline{B} \to X_{u} \ell \overline{\nu}$ decays, and find no indication of lepton flavor universality violation in either the charmed or charmless mode. Furthermore, we unfold the $\overline{B} \to X_{u} \ell \overline{\nu}$ and $\overline{B} \to X_{c} \ell \overline{\nu}$ yields and report the differential ratio in lepton energy and four-momentum transfer squared.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of Angular Coefficients of $\bar{B} \to D^* \ell \bar{\nu}_\ell$: Implications for $|V_{cb}|$ and Tests of Lepton Flavor Universality

We measure the complete set of angular coefficients $J_i$ for exclusive $\bar{B} \to D^* \ell \bar{\nu}_\ell$ decays ($\ell = e, \mu$). Our analysis uses the full $711\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ Belle data set with hadronic tag-side reconstruction. The results allow us to extract the form factors describing the $B \to D^*$ transition and the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element $|V_{\rm cb}|$. Using recent lattice QCD calculations for the hadronic form factors, we find $|V_{\rm cb}| = (41.0 \pm 0.7) \times 10^3 $ using the BGL parameterization, compatible with determinations from inclusive semileptonic decays. We search for lepton flavor universality violation as a function of the hadronic recoil parameter $w$, and investigate the differences of the electron and muon angular distributions. We find no deviation from Standard Model expectations.

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arXiv2023

Search for baryon and lepton number violating decays $\boldsymbol{D \rightarrow p\ell}$

We search for the baryon and lepton number violating charm decays, $D \rightarrow p\ell$, where $D$ is either a $D^0$ or a $\overline{D}^0$ and $\ell$ is a muon or an electron, using a data sample of $921\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy $e^{+}e^{-}$ collider. In the absence of significant signals, we set upper limits on the branching fractions in the range $(5 - 8) \times 10^{-7}$ at a 90\% confidence level, depending on the decay mode.

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arXiv2023

Photon Reconstruction in the Belle II Calorimeter Using Graph Neural Networks

We present the study of a fuzzy clustering algorithm for the Belle II electromagnetic calorimeter using Graph Neural Networks. We use a realistic detector simulation including simulated beam backgrounds and focus on the reconstruction of both isolated and overlapping photons. We find significant improvements of the energy resolution compared to the currently used reconstruction algorithm for both isolated and overlapping photons of more than 30% for photons with energies E < 0.5 GeV and high levels of beam backgrounds. Overall, the GNN reconstruction improves the resolution and reduces the tails of the reconstructed energy distribution and therefore is a promising option for the upcoming high luminosity running of Belle II.

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arXiv2022

Measurements of branching fractions of $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta$ and $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta'$ and asymmetry parameters of $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \pi^0$, $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta$, and $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta'$

We report a study of $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \pi^0$, $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta$, and $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta'$ using the data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 980 $\rm fb^{-1}$ collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. The branching fractions relative to $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \pi^0$ are measured as: $\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta}/\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \pi^0}=0.25 \pm 0.03 \pm 0.01$ and $\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta'}/\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \pi^0}=0.33 \pm 0.06 \pm 0.02$. Using $\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \pi^0}=(1.25 \pm 0.10)\%$, we obtain $\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta}=(3.14 \pm 0.35 \pm 0.11 \pm 0.25)\times10^{-3}$ and $\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta'}=(4.16 \pm 0.75 \pm 0.21 \pm 0.33)\times10^{-3}$. Here the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and from $\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \pi^0}$, respectively. The ratio of the branching fraction of $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta'$ with respect to that of $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta$ is measured to be $\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta'}/\mathcal{B}_{\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta}=1.34 \pm 0.28 \pm 0.06$. We update the asymmetry parameter of $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \pi^0$, $\alpha_{\Sigma^+ \pi^0} = -0.48 \pm 0.02 \pm 0.02$, with a considerably improved precision. The asymmetry parameters of $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta$ and $\Lambda_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \eta'$ are measured to be $\alpha_{\Sigma^+ \eta} = -0.99 \pm 0.03 \pm 0.05$ and $\alpha_{\Sigma^+ \eta'} = -0.46 \pm 0.06 \pm 0.03$ for the first time.

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arXiv2022

Observation of $\Omega(2012)^- \to \Xi(1530)\bar{K}$ and measurement of the effective couplings of $\Omega(2012)^-$ to $\Xi(1530)\bar{K}$ and $\Xi\bar{K}$

Using $\Upsilon(1S)$, $\Upsilon(2S)$, and $\Upsilon(3S)$ data collected by the Belle detector, we discover a new three-body decay, $\Omega(2012)^-\to\Xi(1530)\bar K\to\Xi\pi\bar K$, with a significance of 5.2~$\sigma$. The mass of the $\Omega(2012)^-$ is $(2012.5\pm0.7\pm0.5)$ MeV and its effective couplings to $\Xi(1530)\bar{K}$ and $\Xi\bar{K}$ are $(39^{+31}_{-39}\pm9)\times10^{-2}$ and $(1.7\pm0.3\pm0.3)\times10^{-2}$, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. The ratio of the branching fraction for the three-body decay to that for the two-body decay to $\Xi\bar{K}$ is $0.99\pm0.26\pm0.06$, assuming isospin symmetry.

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arXiv2022

Measurement of the branching fraction of $\Xi_{c}^{0}\to \Lambda_{c}^{+}\pi^{-}$ at Belle

Based on a data sample of 983 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider, we present the study of the heavy-flavor-conserving decay $\Xi_{c}^{0}\to \Lambda_{c}^{+}\pi^{-}$ with $\Lambda_{c}^{+}$ reconstructed via its $pK^{-} \pi^{+}$ decay mode. The branching fraction ratio $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_{c}^{0}\to \Lambda_{c}^{+}\pi^{-})/\mathcal{B}(\Xi_{c}^{0}\to \Xi^{-}\pi^{+})$ is measured to be $0.38 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.04$. Combing with the world average value of $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_{c}^{0}\to \Xi^{-}\pi^{+})$, the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_{c}^{0}\to \Lambda_{c}^{+}\pi^{-})$ is deduced to be $(0.54 \pm 0.05 \pm 0.05 \pm 0.12)\%$. Here, the uncertainties above are statistical, systematic, and from $\mathcal{B}(\Xi_c^{0} \to \Xi^{-}\pi^{+})$, respectively.

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arXiv2021

Search for $B^0$ meson decays into $\Lambda$ and missing energy with a hadronic tagging method at Belle

We present a search for the decays of $B^0$ mesons into a final state containing a $\Lambda$ baryon and missing energy. These results are obtained from a $711\text{fb}^{-1}$ data sample that contains $772 \times 10^6$ $B{\kern 0.18em}\overline{\kern -0.18em B}$ pairs and was collected near the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. We use events in which one $B$ meson is fully reconstructed in a hadronic decay mode and require the remainder of the event to consist of only a single $\Lambda$. No evidence for these decays is found and we set $90\%$ confidence level upper limits on the branching fractions in the range $2.1$-$3.8\times 10^{-5}$. This measurement provides the world's most restrictive limits, with implications for baryogenesis and dark matter production.

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arXiv2021

$B$-flavor tagging at Belle II

We report on new flavor tagging algorithms developed to determine the quark-flavor content of bottom ($B$) mesons at Belle II. The algorithms provide essential inputs for measurements of quark-flavor mixing and charge-parity violation. We validate and evaluate the performance of the algorithms using hadronic $B$ decays with flavor-specific final states reconstructed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $62.8$ fb$^{-1}$, collected at the $\Upsilon$(4$S$) resonance with the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB collider. We measure the total effective tagging efficiency to be $\varepsilon_{\rm eff} = \big(30.0 \pm 1.2(\text{stat}) \pm 0.4(\text{syst})\big)\%$ for a category-based algorithm and $\varepsilon_{\rm eff} = \big(28.8 \pm 1.2(\text{stat}) \pm 0.4(\text{syst})\big)\%$ for a deep-learning-based algorithm.

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arXiv2021

Study of $e^+e^-\to \Upsilon(\rm1S,2S)\eta$ and $e^+e^-\to \Upsilon(\rm 1S)\eta^{\prime}$ at $\sqrt{s}=10.866$ GeV with the Belle detector

We report the first observation of the processes $e^+e^-\to\Upsilon(\rm 1S,2S)\eta$ at $\sqrt{s}=10.866$~GeV with a $10.2\sigma$ and $16.5\sigma$ significance respectively. The measured Born cross sections are $\sigma(e^+e^- \to \Upsilon(2S)\eta)=2.07 \pm 0.21 \pm 0.19$~pb, and $\sigma(e^+e^- \to \Upsilon(\rm 1S)\eta)=0.42 \pm 0.08 \pm 0.04$~pb. We also set the upper limit on the cross section of the process $e^+e^- \to \Upsilon(\rm 1S)\eta^{\prime}$ to be $\sigma(e^+e^- \to \Upsilon(\rm 1S)\eta^{\prime})<0.035$~pb at $90\%$ CL. The results are obtained with the data sample collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider in the energy range from $10.63$~GeV to $11.02$~GeV.

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arXiv2021

Measurement of ${\mathcal B}$($B_s \rightarrow D_s X$) with $B_s$ Semileptonic Tagging

We report the first direct measurement of the inclusive branching fraction ${\mathcal B}(B_s \rightarrow D_s X)$ via $B_s$ tagging in $e^+e^-\to\Upsilon$(5S) events. Tagging is accomplished through a partial reconstruction of semileptonic decays $B_s \rightarrow D_s X \ell \nu$, where $X$ denotes unreconstructed additional hadrons or photons and $\ell$ is an electron or muon. With 121.4 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected at the $\Upsilon$(5S) resonance by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+ e^-$ collider, we obtain ${\mathcal B}(B_s \rightarrow D_s X)$ = $(60.2 \pm 5.8 \pm 2.3)$\%, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.

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