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V. Bocci

Publications and source records attributed to V. Bocci.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Amplitude analysis of the $B^+ \rightarrow π^+π^+π^-$ decay

The results of an amplitude analysis of the charmless three-body decay $B^+ \rightarrow π^+π^+π^-$, in which $C\!P$-violation effects are taken into account, are reported. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $3 \text{fb}^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions recorded with the LHCb detector. The most challenging aspect of the analysis is the description of the behaviour of the $π^+ π^-$ S-wave contribution, which is achieved by using three complementary approaches based on the isobar model, the K-matrix formalism, and a quasi-model-independent procedure. Additional resonant contributions for all three methods are described using a common isobar model, and include the $ρ(770)^0$, $ω(782)$ and $ρ(1450)^0$ resonances in the $π^+π^-$ P-wave, the $f_2(1270)$ resonance in the $π^+π^-$ D-wave, and the $ρ_3(1690)^0$ resonance in the $π^+π^-$ F-wave. Significant $C\!P$-violation effects are observed in both S- and D-waves, as well as in the interference between the S- and P-waves. The results from all three approaches agree and provide new insight into the dynamics and the origin of $C\!P$-violation effects in $B^+ \rightarrow π^+π^+π^-$ decays.

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Observation of several sources of $CP$ violation in $B^+ \to π^+ π^+ π^-$ decays

Observations are reported of different sources of $CP$ violation from an amplitude analysis of $B^+ \to π^+ π^+ π^-$ decays, based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $3 \; {\rm fb}^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions recorded with the LHCb detector. A large $CP$ asymmetry is observed in the decay amplitude involving the tensor $f_2(1270)$ resonance, and in addition significant $CP$ violation is found in the $π^+ π^-$ S-wave at low invariant mass. The presence of $CP$ violation related to interference between the $π^+ π^-$ S-wave and the P-wave $B^+ \to ρ(770)^0 π^+$ amplitude is also established; this causes large local asymmetries but cancels when integrated over the phase space of the decay. The results provide both qualitative and quantitative new insights into $CP$-violation effects in hadronic $B$ decays.

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Design and construction of a new detector to measure ultra-low radioactive-isotope contamination of argon

Large liquid argon detectors offer one of the best avenues for the detection of galactic weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) via their scattering on atomic nuclei. The liquid argon target allows exquisite discrimination between nuclear and electron recoil signals via pulse-shape discrimination of the scintillation signals. Atmospheric argon (AAr), however, has a naturally occurring radioactive isotope, $^{39}$Ar, a $β$ emitter of cosmogenic origin. For large detectors, the atmospheric $^{39}$Ar activity poses pile-up concerns. The use of argon extracted from underground wells, deprived of $^{39}$Ar, is key to the physics potential of these experiments. The DarkSide-20k dark matter search experiment will operate a dual-phase time projection chamber with 50 tonnes of radio-pure underground argon (UAr), that was shown to be depleted of $^{39}$Ar with respect to AAr by a factor larger than 1400. Assessing the $^{39}$Ar content of the UAr during extraction is crucial for the success of DarkSide-20k, as well as for future experiments of the Global Argon Dark Matter Collaboration (GADMC). This will be carried out by the DArT in ArDM experiment, a small chamber made with extremely radio-pure materials that will be placed at the centre of the ArDM detector, in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC) in Spain. The ArDM LAr volume acts as an active veto for background radioactivity, mostly $γ$-rays from the ArDM detector materials and the surrounding rock. This article describes the DArT in ArDM project, including the chamber design and construction, and reviews the background required to achieve the expected performance of the detector.

astro-ph.IM↗

Updated measurement of decay-time-dependent CP asymmetries in $D^0 \to K^+K^-$ and $D^0 \to π^+π^-$ decays

A search for decay-time-dependent charge-parity ($CP$) asymmetry in $D^0 \to K^+K^-$ and $D^0 \to π^+π^-$ decays is performed at the LHCb experiment using proton-proton collision data recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13TeV, and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4fb$^{-1}$. The $D^0$ mesons are required to originate from semileptonic decays of $b$ hadrons, such that the charge of the muon identifies the flavor of the neutral $D$ meson at production. The asymmetries in the effective decay widths of $D^0$ and $\overline{D}^0$ mesons are determined to be $A_Γ(K^+K^-) = ( -4.3 \pm 3.6 \pm 0.5 )\times 10^{-4}$ and $A_Γ(π^+π^-) = ( 2.2 \pm 7.0 \pm 0.8)\times 10^{-4}$, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The results are consistent with $CP$ symmetry and, when combined with previous LHCb results, yield $A_Γ(K^+K^-) = ( -4.4 \pm 2.3 \pm 0.6 )\times 10^{-4}$ and $A_Γ(π^+π^-) = ( 2.5 \pm 4.3 \pm 0.7)\times 10^{-4}$.

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Measurement of CP violation in the $B_s^0\rightarrowϕϕ$ decay and search for the $B^0\rightarrow ϕϕ$ decay

A measurement of the time-dependent CP-violating asymmetry in $B_s^0\rightarrowϕϕ$ decays is presented. Using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.0$fb$^{-1}$ collected by the $\mbox{LHCb}$ experiment at centre-of-mass energies $\sqrt{s} = 7$ TeV in 2011, 8 TeV in 2012 and 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016, a signal yield of around 9000 $B_s^0\rightarrowϕϕ$ decays is obtained. The CP-violating phase $ϕ_s^{s\bar{s}s}$ is measured to be $-0.073 \pm 0.115$(stat)$\pm 0.027$(syst) rad, under the assumption it is independent on the helicity of the $ϕϕ$ decay. In addition, the CP-violating phases of the transverse polarisations under the assumption of CP conservation of the longitudinal phase are measured. The helicity-independent direct CP-violation parameter is also measured, and is found to be $|λ|=0.99 \pm 0.05 $(stat)$ \pm 0.01 $(syst). In addition, $T$-odd triple-product asymmetries are measured. The results obtained are consistent with the hypothesis of CP conservation in $b\rightarrow\bar{s}s\bar{s}$ transitions. Finally, a limit on the branching fraction of the $B^0\rightarrow ϕϕ$ decay is determined to be $\mathcal{B}(B^0\rightarrow ϕϕ)<2.7\times 10^{-8}$ at 90% confidence level.

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Measurement of the $B_c^-$ meson production fraction and asymmetry in 7 and 13 TeV $pp$ collisions

The production fraction of the $B_c^-$ meson with respect to the sum of $B^-$ and $\bar{B}^0$ mesons is measured in both 7 and 13 TeV center-of-mass energy $pp$ collisions produced by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), using the LHCb detector. The rate, approximately 3.7 per mille, does not change with energy, but shows a transverse momentum dependence. The $B_c^- - B_c^+$ production asymmetry is also measured, and is consistent with zero within the determined statistical and systematic uncertainties of a few percent.

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Amplitude analysis of $B^\pm \to π^\pm K^+ K^-$ decays

The first amplitude analysis of the $B^\pm \to π^\pm K^+ K^-$ decay is reported based on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$ of $pp$ collisions recorded in 2011 and 2012 with the LHCb detector. The data is found to be best described by a coherent sum of five resonant structures plus a nonresonant component and a contribution from $ππ\leftrightarrow KK$ $S$-wave rescattering. The dominant contributions in the $π^\pm K^\mp$ and $K^{+}K^{-}$ systems are the nonresonant and the $B^\pm \to ρ(1450)^{0}π^{\pm}$ amplitudes, respectively, with fit fractions around $30\%$. For the rescattering contribution, a sizeable fit fraction is observed. This component has the largest $CP$ asymmetry reported to date for a single amplitude of $(-66 \pm 4 \pm 2)\%$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. No significant $CP$ violation is observed in the other contributions.

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Measurement of charged hadron production in $Z$-tagged jets in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV

The production of charged hadrons within jets recoiling against a $Z$ boson is measured in proton-proton collision data at $\sqrt{s}=8$ TeV recorded by the LHCb experiment. The charged-hadron structure of the jet is studied longitudinally and transverse to the jet axis for jets with transverse momentum $p_{\mathrm{T}}>20$ GeV and in the pseudorapidity range $2.5<η<4$. These are the first measurements of jet hadronization at these forward rapidities and also the first where the jet is produced in association with a $Z$ boson. In contrast to previous hadronization measurements at the Large Hadron Collider, which are dominated by gluon jets, these measurements probe predominantly light-quark jets which are found to be more longitudinally and transversely collimated with respect to the jet axis when compared to the previous gluon dominated measurements. Therefore, these results provide valuable information on differences between quarks and gluons regarding nonperturbative hadronization dynamics.

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Search for the lepton-flavour-violating decays $B^{0}_{s}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}$ and $B^{0}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}$

A search for $B^{0}_{s}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}$ and $B^{0}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}$ decays is performed using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions, recorded with the LHCb detector in 2011 and 2012. For this search, the $τ$ lepton is reconstructed in the $τ^{-}\toπ^{-}π^{+}π^{-}ν_τ$ channel. No significant signal is observed. Assuming no contribution from $B^{0}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}$ decays, an upper limit is set on the $B^{0}_{s}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}$ branching fraction of $\mathcal{B}\left( B^{0}_{s}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}\right) < 4.2\times 10^{-5}$ at $95\%$ confidence level. If instead no contribution from $B^{0}_{s}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}$ decays is assumed, a limit of $\mathcal{B}\left( B^{0}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}\right) < 1.4\times 10^{-5}$ is obtained at $95\%$ confidence level. These are the first limit on $\mathcal{B}\left( B^{0}_{s}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}\right)$ and the world's best limit on $\mathcal{B}\left( B^{0}\toτ^{\pm}μ^{\mp}\right)$.

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Measurement of the electron reconstruction efficiency at LHCb

The single electron track-reconstruction efficiency is calibrated using a sample corresponding to $1.3~\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$of $pp$ collision data recorded with the LHCb detector in 2017. This measurement exploits $B^+\to J/ψ(e^+e^-)K^+$ decays, where one of the electrons is fully reconstructed and paired with the kaon, while the other electron is reconstructed using only the information of the vertex detector. Despite this partial reconstruction, kinematic and geometric constraints allow the $B^+$-meson mass to be reconstructed and the signal to be well separated from backgrounds. This in turn allows the electron reconstruction efficiency to be measured by matching the partial track segment found in the vertex detector to tracks found by LHCb's regular reconstruction algorithms. The agreement between data and simulation is evaluated, and corrections are derived for simulated electrons in bins of kinematics. These correction factors allow LHCb to measure branching fractions involving single electrons with a systematic uncertainty below $1\%$.

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

A search for the doubly charmed baryon $Ξ_{cc}^{+}$ is performed through its decay to the $Λ_c^+ K^- π^+$ final state, using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13$\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}$. The data correspond to a total integrated luminosity of $9\,\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. No significant signal is observed in the mass range from 3.4 to 3.8$\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}/c^2$. Upper limits are set at $95\%$ credibility level on the ratio of the $Ξ_{cc}^{+}$ production cross-section times the branching fraction to that of $Λ_c^+$ and $Ξ_{cc}^{++}$ baryons. The limits are determined as functions of the $Ξ_{cc}^{+}$ mass for different lifetime hypotheses, in the rapidity range from 2.0 to 4.5 and the transverse momentum range from 4 to 15$\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}/c$.

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Measurement of the ion fraction and mobility of $^{218}$Po produced in $^{222}$Rn decays in liquid argon

We report measurements of the charged daughter fraction of $^{218}$Po as a result of the $^{222}$Rn alpha decay, and the mobility of $^{218}$Po$^+$ ions, using radon-polonium coincidences from the $^{238}$U chain identified in 532 live-days of DarkSide-50 WIMP-search data. The fraction of $^{218}$Po that is charged is found to be 0.37$\pm$0.03 and the mobility of $^{218}$Po$^+$ is (8.6$\pm$0.1)$\times$10$^{-4}$$\frac{\text{cm}^2}{\text{Vs}}$.

astro-ph.IM↗

First measurement of charm production in fixed-target configuration at the LHC

The first measurement of heavy-flavour production by the LHCb experiment in its fixed-target mode is presented. The production of $J/ψ$ and $D^0$ mesons is studied with beams of protons of different energies colliding with gaseous targets of helium and argon with nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 86.6 $ and $ 110.4$ ${\rm GeV}$, respectively. The $J/ψ$ and $D^0$ (including charge conjugate) production cross sections in $p{\rm He}$ collisions in the rapidity range $[2,4.6]$ are found to be $σ_{J/ψ} = 652 \pm 33$ (stat) $\pm 42$ (syst) nb$/$nucleon and $σ_{D^0} = 80.8 \pm 2.4$ (stat) $\pm 6.3$ (syst) $μ$b$/$nucleon, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. No evidence for a substantial intrinsic charm content of the nucleon is observed in the large Bjorken-$x$ region.

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A search for $\itΞ^{++}_{cc} \rightarrow D^{+} p K^{-} π^{+}$ decays

A search for the $\itΞ^{++}_{cc}$ baryon through the $\itΞ^{++}_{cc} \rightarrow D^{+} p K^{-} π^{+}$ decay is performed with a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.7 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ recorded by the LHCb experiment in $pp$ collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. No significant signal is observed in the mass range from the kinematic threshold of the decay to 3800 $\mathrm{MeV}/c^{2}$. An upper limit is set on the ratio of branching fractions $\mathcal{R} = \frac{\mathcal{B}(\itΞ^{++}_{cc} \rightarrow D^{+} p K^{-} π^{+})}{\mathcal{B}(\itΞ^{++}_{cc} \rightarrow Λ^{+}_{c} K^{-} π^{+}π^{+})}$ with $\mathcal{R} < 1.7 \hspace{2pt} (2.1) \times 10^{-2}$ at the 90% (95%) confidence level at the known mass of the $\itΞ^{++}_{cc}$ state.

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Measurements of $CP$ asymmetries in charmless four-body $Λ_b$ and $Ξ_b^0$ decays

A search for $CP$ violation in charmless four-body decays of $Λ_b$ and $Ξ_b^0$ baryons with a proton and three charged mesons in the final state is performed. To cancel out production and detection charge-asymmetry effects, the search is carried out by measuring the difference between the $CP$ asymmetries in a charmless decay and in a decay with an intermediate charmed baryon with the same particles in the final state. The data sample used was recorded in 2011 and 2012 with the LHCb detector and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $3 {\rm fb}^{-1}$. A total of 18 $CP$ asymmetries are considered, either accounting for the full phase space of the decays or exploring specific regions of the decay kinematics. No significant $CP$-violation effect is observed in any of the measurements.

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Observation of the $Λ_b^0\rightarrow χ_{c1}(3872)pK^-$ decay

Using proton-proton collision data, collected with the LHCb detector and corresponding to 1.0, 2.0 and 1.9fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity at the centre-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, respectively, the decay $Λ_b^0\to χ_{c1}(3872)pK^-$ with $χ_{c1}\to J/ψπ^+π^-$ is observed for the first time. The significance of the observed signal is in excess of seven standard deviations. It is found that $(58\pm15)\%$ of the decays proceed via the two-body intermediate state $χ_{c1}(3872)Λ(1520)$. The~branching fraction with respect to that of the $Λ_b\rightarrowψ(2S)p K^{-}$ decay mode, where the $ψ(2S)$~meson is reconstructed in the $J/ψπ^+π^-$ final state, is measured to be: \begin{equation*} \frac{Λ_b^0\toχ_{c1}(3872)pK^-}{Λ_b\toψ(2S)p K^-} \times \frac{\mathcal{B}(χ_{c1} \to J/ψπ^+π^-)}{\mathcal{B}(ψ(2S)\to J/ψπ^+π^-)} = \left(5.4 \pm 1.1 \pm 0.2\right)\times 10^{-2}\,, \end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.

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Search for the lepton-flavour violating decays $B^+ \to K^+ μ^{\pm} e^{\mp}$

A search for the lepton-flavour violating decays $B^+ \to K^+ μ^{\pm} e^{\mp}$ is performed using a sample of proton-proton collision data, collected with the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of $7$ and $8~{\rm TeV}$ and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3$\rm~fb^{-1}$. No significant signal is observed, and upper limits on the branching fractions are set as $\mathcal{B}(B^+ \to K^+ μ^- e^+) < 7.0~(9.5) \times 10^{-9}$ and $\mathcal{B}(B^+ \to K^+ μ^+ e^-) < 6.4~(8.8) \times 10^{-9}$ at 90 (95) % confidence level. The results improve the current best limits on these decays by more than one order of magnitude.

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Observation of $B^0_{(s)} \to J/ψp \overline{p}$ decays and precision measurements of the $B^0_{(s)}$ masses

The first observation of the decays $B^0_{(s)} \to J/ψp \overline{p}$ is reported, using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.2{\text{\,fb}}^{-1}$, collected with the \mbox{LHCb}\xspace detector. These decays are suppressed due to limited available phase space, as well as due to Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka or Cabibbo suppression. The measured branching fractions are \begin{align*} \mathcal{B}(B^0 \to J/ψp \overline{p}) &= (4.51\pm 0.40\; \text{(stat)} \pm 0.44\; \text{(syst)}) \times 10^{-7}, \\ \mathcal{B}(B^0_s \to J/ψp \overline{p}) &= (3.58\pm 0.19\; \text{(stat)} \pm 0.39\; \text{(syst)}) \times 10^{-6}. \end{align*} For the $B^0_s$ meson, the result is much higher than the expected value of $ {\cal O} (10^{-9})$. The small available phase space in these decays also allows for the most precise single measurement of both the $B^0$ mass as ${5279.74 \pm 0.30\; ({\rm stat})\pm 0.10\; ({\rm syst})}$ MeV, and the $B^0_s$ mass as ${5366.85 \pm 0.19\; ({\rm stat})\pm 0.13\; ({\rm syst})}$ MeV.

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