arXiv subjects

P. Billoir

Publications and source records attributed to P. Billoir.

At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources

arXiv2017

Observation of $J/ψϕ$ structures consistent with exotic states from amplitude analysis of $B^+\to J/ψϕK^+$ decays

The first full amplitude analysis of $B^+\to J/ψϕK^+$ with $J/ψ\toμ^+μ^-$, $ϕ\to K^+K^-$ decays is performed with a data sample of 3 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data collected at $\sqrt{s}=7$ and $8$ TeV with the LHCb detector. The data cannot be described by a model that contains only excited kaon states decaying into $ϕK^+$, and four $J/ψϕ$ structures are observed, each with significance over $5$ standard deviations. The quantum numbers of these structures are determined with significance of at least $4$ standard deviations. The lightest has mass consistent with, but width much larger than, previous measurements of the claimed $X(4140)$ state.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

First study of the CP-violating phase and decay-width difference in $B_s^0\toψ(2S)ϕ$ decays

A time-dependent angular analysis of $B_s^0\toψ(2S)ϕ$ decays is performed using data recorded by the LHCb experiment. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3.0\invfb collected during Run 1 of the LHC. The CP-violating phase and decay-width difference of the $B_s^0$ system are measured to be $ϕ_s = 0.23^{+0.29}_{-0.28} \pm 0.02$ rad and $ΔΓ_s = 0.066^{+0.041}_{-0.044} \pm 0.007$ ps$^{-1}$, respectively, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This is the first time that $ϕ_s$ and $ΔΓ_s$ have been measured in a decay containing the $ψ(2S)$ resonance.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

Ultrahigh-energy neutrino follow-up of Gravitational Wave events GW150914 and GW151226 with the Pierre Auger Observatory

On September 14, 2015 the Advanced LIGO detectors observed their first gravitational-wave (GW) transient GW150914. This was followed by a second GW event observed on December 26, 2015. Both events were inferred to have arisen from the merger of black holes in binary systems. Such a system may emit neutrinos if there are magnetic fields and disk debris remaining from the formation of the two black holes. With the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory we can search for neutrinos with energy above 100 PeV from point-like sources across the sky with equatorial declination from about -65 deg. to +60 deg., and in particular from a fraction of the 90% confidence-level (CL) inferred positions in the sky of GW150914 and GW151226. A targeted search for highly-inclined extensive air showers, produced either by interactions of downward-going neutrinos of all flavors in the atmosphere or by the decays of tau leptons originating from tau-neutrino interactions in the Earth's crust (Earth-skimming neutrinos), yielded no candidates in the Auger data collected within $\pm 500$ s around or 1 day after the coordinated universal time (UTC) of GW150914 and GW151226, as well as in the same search periods relative to the UTC time of the GW candidate event LVT151012. From the non-observation we constrain the amount of energy radiated in ultrahigh-energy neutrinos from such remarkable events.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2017

Observation of the decay $B^0_s \to ϕπ^+π^-$ and evidence for $B^0 \to ϕπ^+π^-$

The first observation of the rare decay$B^0_s \to ϕπ^+π^-$ and evidence for $B^0 \to ϕπ^+π^-$ are reported, using $pp$ collision data recorded by the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s} = 7$ and 8~TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $3{\mbox{\,fb}^{-1}}$. The branching fractions in the $π^+π^-$ invariant mass range $400<m(π^+π^-)<1600{\mathrm{\,Me\kern -0.1em V\!/}c^2}$ are $[3.48\pm 0.23\pm 0.17\pm 0.35]\times 10^{-6}$ and $[1.82\pm 0.25\pm 0.41\pm 0.14]\times 10^{-7}$ for $B^0_s \to ϕπ^+π^-$ and $B^0 \to ϕπ^+π^-$ respectively, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic and from the normalisation mode $B^0_s \to ϕϕ$. A combined analysis of the $π^+π^-$ mass spectrum and the decay angles of the final-state particles identifies the exclusive decays $B^0_s \to ϕf_0(980) $, $B_s^0 \to ϕf_2(1270) $, and $B^0_s \to ϕρ^0$ with branching fractions of $[1.12\pm 0.16^{+0.09}_{-0.08}\pm 0.11]\times 10^{-6}$, $[0.61\pm 0.13^{+0.12}_{-0.05}\pm 0.06]\times 10^{-6}$ and $[2.7\pm 0.7\pm 0.2\pm 0.2]\times 10^{-7}$, respectively.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2017

Measurement of $CP$ violation in $B^0 \!\rightarrow D^+ D^-$ decays

The $CP$ violation observables $S$ and $C$ in the decay channel $B^0 \!\rightarrow D^+ D^-$ are determined from a sample of proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, collected by the LHCb experiment and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$. The observable $S$ describes $CP$ violation in the interference between mixing and the decay amplitude, and $C$ parametrizes direct $CP$ violation in the decay. The following values are obtained from a flavor-tagged, decay-time-dependent analysis: \begin{align*} S &= -0.54 \, ^{+0.17}_{-0.16} \, \text{(stat)} \pm 0.05 \, \text{(syst)}\,,\newline C &= \phantom{-}0.26 \, ^{+0.18}_{-0.17} \, \text{(stat)} \pm 0.02 \, \text{(syst)}\,. \end{align*} These values provide evidence for $CP$ violation at a significance level of 4.0 standard deviations. The phase shift due to higher-order Standard Model corrections is constrained to a small value of \begin{align*} Δϕ= -0.16\,^{+0.19}_{-0.21}\,\text{rad}\,. \end{align*}

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Differential branching fraction and angular moments analysis of the decay $B^0 \to K^+ π^- μ^+ μ^-$ in the $K^*_{0,2}(1430)^0$ region

Measurements of the differential branching fraction and angular moments of the decay $B^0 \to K^+ π^- μ^+ μ^-$ in the $K^+π^-$ invariant mass range $1330<m(K^+ π^-)<1530~MeV/c^2$ are presented. Proton-proton collision data are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 $fb^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment. Differential branching fraction measurements are reported in five bins of the invariant mass squared of the dimuon system, $q^2$, between 0.1 and 8.0 $GeV^2/c^4$. For the first time, an angular analysis sensitive to the S-, P- and D-wave contributions of this rare decay is performed. The set of 40 normalised angular moments describing the decay is presented for the $q^2$ range 1.1--6.0 $GeV^2/c^4$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of the CKM angle $γ$ from a combination of LHCb results

A combination of measurements sensitive to the CKM angle $γ$ from LHCb is performed. The inputs are from analyses of time-integrated $B^{+}\rightarrow DK^+$, $B^{0} \rightarrow D K^{*0}$, $B^{0} \rightarrow D K^+ π^-$ and $B^{+} \rightarrow D K^+π^+π^-$ tree-level decays. In addition, results from a time-dependent analysis of $B_{s}^{0} \rightarrow D_{s}^{\mp}K^{\pm}$ decays are included. The combination yields $γ= (72.2^{+6.8}_{-7.3})^\circ$, where the uncertainty includes systematic effects. The 95.5% confidence level interval is determined to be $γ\in [55.9,85.2]^\circ$. A second combination is investigated, also including measurements from $B^{+} \rightarrow D π^+$ and $B^{+} \rightarrow D π^+π^-π^+$ decays, which yields compatible results.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Measurements of long-range near-side angular correlations in $\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}}=5$TeV proton-lead collisions in the forward region

Two-particle angular correlations are studied in proton-lead collisions at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s_{\text{NN}}}=5$TeV, collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The analysis is based on data recorded in two beam configurations, in which either the direction of the proton or that of the lead ion is analysed. The correlations are measured in the laboratory system as a function of relative pseudorapidity, $Δη$, and relative azimuthal angle, $Δϕ$, for events in different classes of event activity and for different bins of particle transverse momentum. In high-activity events a long-range correlation on the near side, $Δϕ\approx 0$, is observed in the pseudorapidity range $2.0<η<4.9$. This measurement of long-range correlations on the near side in proton-lead collisions extends previous observations into the forward region up to $η=4.9$. The correlation increases with growing event activity and is found to be more pronounced in the direction of the lead beam. However, the correlation in the direction of the lead and proton beams are found to be compatible when comparing events with similar absolute activity in the direction analysed.

nucl-ex↗

arXiv2016

Search for Higgs-like bosons decaying into long-lived exotic particles

A search is presented for massive long-lived particles, in the 20-60 GeV mass range with lifetimes between 5 and 100 ps. The dataset used corresponds to 0.62 1\fb of proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb detector at sqrt(s)=7 TeV. The particles are assumed to be pair-produced by the decay of a Higgs-like boson with mass between 80 and 140 GeV. No excess above the background expectation is observed and limits are set on the production cross-section as a function of the long-lived particle mass and lifetime and of the Higgs-like boson mass.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Study of $B_c^+$ decays to the $K^+K^-π^+$ final state and evidence for the decay $B_c^+\toχ_{c0}π^+$

A study of $B_c^+\to K^+K^-π^+$ decays is performed for the first time using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment in $pp$ collisions at centre-of-mass energies of $7$ and $8$ TeV. Evidence for the decay $B_c^+\toχ_{c0}(\to K^+K^-)π^+$ is reported with a significance of 4.0 standard deviations, resulting in the measurement of $\frac{σ(B_c^+)}{σ(B^+)}\times\mathcal{B}(B_c^+\toχ_{c0}π^+)$ to be $(9.8^{+3.4}_{-3.0}(\mathrm{stat})\pm 0.8(\mathrm{syst}))\times 10^{-6}$. Here $\mathcal{B}$ denotes a branching fraction while $σ(B_c^+)$ and $σ(B^+)$ are the production cross-sections for $B_c^+$ and $B^+$ mesons. An indication of $\bar b c$ weak annihilation is found for the region $m(K^-π^+)<1.834\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V\!/}c^2$, with a significance of 2.4 standard deviations.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Evidence for a mixed mass composition at the `ankle' in the cosmic-ray spectrum

We report a first measurement for ultra-high energy cosmic rays of the correlation between the depth of shower maximum and the signal in the water Cherenkov stations of air-showers registered simultaneously by the fluorescence and the surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. Such a correlation measurement is a unique feature of a hybrid air-shower observatory with sensitivity to both the electromagnetic and muonic components. It allows an accurate determination of the spread of primary masses in the cosmic-ray flux. Up till now, constraints on the spread of primary masses have been dominated by systematic uncertainties. The present correlation measurement is not affected by systematics in the measurement of the depth of shower maximum or the signal in the water Cherenkov stations. The analysis relies on general characteristics of air showers and is thus robust also with respect to uncertainties in hadronic event generators. The observed correlation in the energy range around the `ankle' at $\lg(E/{\rm eV})=18.5-19.0$ differs significantly from expectations for pure primary cosmic-ray compositions. A light composition made up of proton and helium only is equally inconsistent with observations. The data are explained well by a mixed composition including nuclei with mass $A > 4$. Scenarios such as the proton dip model, with almost pure compositions, are thus disfavoured as the sole explanation of the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray flux at Earth.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of the CKM angle $γ$ using $B^0 \rightarrow D K^{*0}$ with $D \rightarrow K^0_S π^+ π^-$ decays

A model-dependent amplitude analysis of the decay $B^0\rightarrow D(K^0_Sπ^+π^-) K^{*0}$ is performed using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0fb$^{-1}$, recorded at $\sqrt{s}=7$ and $8 TeV$ by the LHCb experiment. The CP violation observables $x_{\pm}$ and $y_{\pm}$, sensitive to the CKM angle $γ$, are measured to be \begin{eqnarray*} x_- &=& -0.15 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.03 \pm 0.01, y_- &=& 0.25 \pm 0.15 \pm 0.06 \pm 0.01, x_+ &=& 0.05 \pm 0.24 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.01, y_+ &=& -0.65^{+0.24}_{-0.23} \pm 0.08 \pm 0.01, \end{eqnarray*} where the first uncertainties are statistical, the second systematic and the third arise from the uncertainty on the $D\rightarrow K^0_S π^+π^-$ amplitude model. These are the most precise measurements of these observables. They correspond to $γ=(80^{+21}_{-22})^{\circ}$ and $r_{B^0}=0.39\pm0.13$, where $r_{B^0}$ is the magnitude of the ratio of the suppressed and favoured $B^0\rightarrow D K^+ π^-$ decay amplitudes, in a $Kπ$ mass region of $\pm50 MeV$ around the $K^*(892)^0$ mass and for an absolute value of the cosine of the $K^{*0}$ decay angle larger than $0.4$.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Testing Hadronic Interactions at Ultrahigh Energies with Air Showers Measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory

Ultrahigh energy cosmic ray air showers probe particle physics at energies beyond the reach of accelerators. Here we introduce a new method to test hadronic interaction models without relying on the absolute energy calibration, and apply it to events with primary energy 6-16 EeV (E_CM = 110-170 TeV), whose longitudinal development and lateral distribution were simultaneously measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory. The average hadronic shower is 1.33 +- 0.16 (1.61 +- 0.21) times larger than predicted using the leading LHC-tuned models EPOS-LHC (QGSJetII-04), with a corresponding excess of muons.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of forward $W\to eν$ production in $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8\,$TeV

A measurement of the cross-section for $W \to eν$ production in $pp$ collisions is presented using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $2\,$fb$^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=8\,$TeV. The electrons are required to have more than $20\,$GeV of transverse momentum and to lie between 2.00 and 4.25 in pseudorapidity. The inclusive $W$ production cross-sections, where the $W$ decays to $eν$, are measured to be \begin{equation*} σ_{W^{+} \to e^{+}ν_{e}}=1124.4\pm 2.1\pm 21.5\pm 11.2\pm 13.0\,\mathrm{pb}, \end{equation*} \begin{equation*} σ_{W^{-} \to e^{-}\barν_{e}}=\,\,\,809.0\pm 1.9\pm 18.1\pm\,\,\,7.0\pm \phantom{0}9.4\,\mathrm{pb}, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainties are statistical, the second are systematic, the third are due to the knowledge of the LHC beam energy and the fourth are due to the luminosity determination. Differential cross-sections as a function of the electron pseudorapidity are measured. The $W^{+}/W^{-}$ cross-section ratio and production charge asymmetry are also reported. Results are compared with theoretical predictions at next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics. Finally, in a precise test of lepton universality, the ratio of $W$ boson branching fractions is determined to be \begin{equation*} \mathcal{B}(W \to eν)/\mathcal{B}(W \to μν)=1.020\pm 0.002\pm 0.019, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Amplitude analysis of $B^{-} \to D^{+} π^{-} π^{-}$ decays

The Dalitz plot analysis technique is used to study the resonant substructures of $B^{-} \to D^{+} π^{-} π^{-}$ decays in a data sample corresponding to 3.0 ${\rm fb}^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. A model-independent analysis of the angular moments demonstrates the presence of resonances with spins 1, 2 and 3 at high $D^{+}π^{-}$ mass. The data are fitted with an amplitude model composed of a quasi-model-independent function to describe the $D^{+}π^{-}$ S-wave together with virtual contributions from the $D^{*}(2007)^{0}$ and $B^{*0}$ states, and components corresponding to the $D^{*}_{2}(2460)^{0}$, $D^{*}_{1}(2680)^{0}$, $D^{*}_{3}(2760)^{0}$ and $D^{*}_{2}(3000)^{0}$ resonances. The masses and widths of these resonances are determined together with the branching fractions for their production in $B^{-} \to D^{+} π^{-} π^{-}$ decays. The $D^{+}π^{-}$ S-wave has phase motion consistent with that expected due to the presence of the $D^{*}_{0}(2400)^{0}$ state. These results constitute the first observations of the $D^{*}_{3}(2760)^{0}$ and $D^{*}_{2}(3000)^{0}$ resonances.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Constraints on the unitarity triangle angle $γ$ from Dalitz plot analysis of $B^0 \to D K^+ π^-$ decays

The first study is presented of CP violation with an amplitude analysis of the Dalitz plot of $B^0 \to D K^+ π^-$ decays, with $D \to K^+ π^-$, $K^+ K^-$ and $π^+ π^-$. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to $3.0\,{\rm fb}^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions collected with the LHCb detector. No significant CP violation effect is seen, and constraints are placed on the angle $γ$ of the unitarity triangle formed from elements of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark mixing matrix. Hadronic parameters associated with the $B^0 \to D K^*(892)^0$ decay are determined for the first time. These measurements can be used to improve the sensitivity to $γ$ of existing and future studies of the $B^0 \to D K^*(892)^0$ decay.

hep-ex↗

arXiv2016

Search for ultrarelativistic magnetic monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory

We present a search for ultra-relativistic magnetic monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory. Such particles, possibly a relic of phase transitions in the early universe, would deposit a large amount of energy along their path through the atmosphere, comparable to that of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). The air shower profile of a magnetic monopole can be effectively distinguished by the fluorescence detector from that of standard UHECRs. No candidate was found in the data collected between 2004 and 2012, with an expected background of less than 0.1 event from UHECRs. The corresponding 90% confidence level (C.L.) upper limits on the flux of ultra-relativistic magnetic monopoles range from $10^{-19}$ (cm$^{2}$ sr s)$^{-1}$ for a Lorentz factor $γ=10^9$ to $2.5 \times10^{-21}$ (cm$^{2}$ sr s)$^{-1}$ for $γ=10^{12}$. These results - the first obtained with a UHECR detector - improve previously published limits by up to an order of magnitude.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2016

Measurement of the forward Z boson production cross-section in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

A measurement of the production cross-section of Z bosons in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV is presented using dimuon and dielectron final states in LHCb data. The cross-section is measured for leptons with pseudorapidities in the range $2.0 < η< 4.5$, transverse momenta $p_\text{T} > 20$ GeV and dilepton invariant mass in the range $60<m(\ell\ell)<120$ GeV. The integrated cross-section from averaging the two final states is \begin{equation*}σ_{\text{Z}}^{\ell\ell} = 194.3 \pm 0.9 \pm 3.3 \pm 7.6\text{ pb,}\end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is due to systematic effects, and the third is due to the luminosity determination. In addition, differential cross-sections are measured as functions of the Z boson rapidity, transverse momentum and the angular variable $ϕ^*_η$.

hep-ex↗