arXiv subjects

W. Gradl

Publications and source records attributed to W. Gradl.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Measurement of the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn integrand for proton and deuteron from 200 to 1400 MeV

New data for the total inclusive helicity-dependent cross section for the proton and deuteron were obtained in the photon energy interval 200-1400 MeV. The experiment was performed at the A2 tagged-photon facility of the Mainz Microtron (MAMI) using a circularly polarized photon beam and longitudinally polarized proton and deuteron targets. The reaction products were detected using the large-acceptance Crystal Ball/TAPS calorimeter, which covers 97% of the full solid angle. These new results, obtained with fine energy binning, significantly expand both the quantity and the quality of the available data for these observables and enable a detailed comparison with state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. From the combination of the results for the deuteron and the proton, important information could also be extracted for the free neutron. Based on these data, and using existing models to evaluate the missing contributions from unmeasured photon energy regions, the validity of the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn (GDH) sum rule has been verified for the proton, the neutron, and the deuteron. These new data provide a precise experimental benchmark for theoretical models used to study nucleons, both in their free state and when embedded in the nuclear medium.

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arXiv2026

New high-statistics measurement of the $π^0 \to e^+e^-γ$ Dalitz decay at the Mainz Microtron

The Dalitz decay $π^0 \to e^+e^-γ$ has been measured with the highest statistical accuracy obtained so far in the $γp\to π^0 p$ reaction with the A2 tagged-photon facility at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. The value of the slope parameter for the $π^0$ electromagnetic transition form factor, $a_π=0.0315\pm 0.0026_{\mathrm{stat}}\pm 0.0010_{\mathrm{syst}}$, is obtained from the analysis of $2.4\times10^6$ $π^0 \to e^+e^-γ$ observed decays. Within experimental uncertainties, it is in agreement with existing measurements and theoretical calculations, with its own uncertainty being smaller than previous results based on the analysis of $π^0\to e^+e^-γ$ decays.

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arXiv2024

Observation of the Electromagnetic Dalitz Transition $h_c \rightarrow e^+e^-η_c$

Using $(27.12\pm 0.14)\times10^8$ $ψ(3686)$ decays and data samples of $e^+e^-$ collisions with $\sqrt{s}$ from 4.130 to 4.780~GeV collected with the BESIII detector, we report the first observation of the electromagnetic Dalitz transition $h_c\to e^+e^-η_c$ with a statistical significance of $5.4σ$. We measure the ratio of the branching fractions $\frac{\mathcal{B}(h_c\rightarrow e^+e^-η_c)}{\mathcal{B}(h_c\rightarrow γη_c)}$ separately for the $h_c$ samples produced via $ψ(3686)\toπ^0h_c$ and $e^+e^-\toπ^+π^-h_c$. The average ratio is determined to be $(0.59\pm0.10(\text{stat.})\pm0.04(\text{syst.}))\%$, where the uncertainty includes both statistical and systematic components.

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arXiv2024

Study of light scalar mesons through $D_s^+ \to π^0 π^0 e^+ ν_e$ and $K_S^0 K_S^0 e^+ ν_e$ decays

Using 6.32~fb$^{-1}$ of $e^+e^-$ collision data recorded by the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies between $4.178$ to $4.226$ GeV, we present the first measurement of the decay $D_s^+\to f_0(980)e^+ν_e,\,f_0(980)\to π^0π^0$. The product branching fraction of $D_s^+\to f_0(980)e^+ν_e,\,f_0(980)\to π^0π^0$ is measured to be $(7.9\pm1.4_{\rm stat} \pm0.3_{\rm syst})\times 10^{-4}$, with a statistical significance of $7.8σ$. Furthermore, the upper limits on the product branching fractions of $D_s^+\to f_0(500)e^+ν_e$ with $f_0(500)\to π^0π^0$ and the branching fraction of $D_s^+\to K_{S}^{0}K_{S}^{0}e^+ν_e$ are set to be $7.3\times 10^{-4}$ and $3.8\times 10^{-4}$ at 90\% confidence level, respectively. Our results provide valuable inputs to the understanding of the structures of light scalar mesons.

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arXiv2024

First measurement using elliptically polarized photons of the double-polarization observable $E$ for $γp \to p π^0$ and $γp \to n π^+$

We report the measurement of the helicity asymmetry $E$ for the $pπ^0$ and $nπ^+$ final states using, for the first time, an elliptically polarized photon beam in combination with a longitudinally polarized target at the Crystal Ball experiment at MAMI. The results agree very well with data that were taken with a circularly polarized photon beam, showing that it is possible to simultaneously measure polarization observables that require linearly (e.g.~$G$) and circularly polarized photons (e.g.~$E$) and a longitudinally polarized target. The new data cover a photon energy range 270 - 1400 MeV for the $pπ^0$ final state (230 - 842 MeV for the $nπ^+$ final state) and the full range of pion polar angles, $θ$, providing the most precise measurement of the observable $E$. A moment analysis gives a clear observation of the $pη$ cusp in the $pπ^0$ final state.

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arXiv2024

Evaluation of the E2/M1 ratio in the $N\to Δ(1232)$ transition from the $ \vecγ \vec{p} \to p π^0 $ reaction

A new data set for the helicity-dependent differential cross section of the single-meson photoproduction reaction $γp \to p π^{0}$ was obtained for the photon energy interval 150-400 MeV. The experiment was performed at the A2 tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI using a circularly polarized photon beam and a longitudinally polarized proton target. The reaction products were detected with the large acceptance Crystal Ball/TAPS calorimeter covering 97\% of the full solid angle. These new results, obtained with a fine energy and polar angle binning, greatly increase both the existing quantity and quality of the data available for this observable. A moment analysis, based on a finite expansion in Legendre polynomials, was applied to these data by using a bootstrap-based fitting method to correctly account for their systematic uncertainties. From the resulting decomposition of the differential cross sections, the $E2/M1$ ratio for the $N\to Δ(1232)$ transition was determined to be $[-2.38 \pm 0.16{\hbox{ (stat.+sys.)}} \pm 0.10 {\hbox{ (model)}}] \%$. Combining this value with previous results also allowed us to evaluate the most precise available estimate of the $E2/M1$ ratio to be used for all further reference and model comparisons.

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arXiv2023

Model-independent extraction of form factors and $|V_{cb}|$ in $\overline{B} \rightarrow D \ell^- \overlineν_\ell$ with hadronic tagging at BaBar

Using the entire BaBar $Υ(4S)$ data set, the first two-dimensional unbinned angular analysis of the semileptonic decay $\overline{B} \rightarrow D \ell^- \overlineν_\ell$ is performed, employing hadronic reconstruction of the tag-side $B$ meson from $Υ(4S)\to B\overline{B}$. Here, $\ell$ denotes the light charged leptons $e$ and $μ$. A novel data-driven signal-background separation procedure with minimal dependence on simulation is developed. This procedure preserves all multi-dimensional correlations present in the data. The expected $\sin^2θ_\ell$ dependence of the differential decay rate in the Standard Model is demonstrated, where $θ_\ell$ is the lepton helicity angle. Including input from the latest lattice QCD calculations and previously available experimental data, the underlying form factors are extracted using both model-independent (BGL) and dependent (CLN) methods. Comparisons with lattice calculations show flavor SU(3) symmetry to be a good approximation in the $B_{(s)}\to D_{(s)}$ sector. Using the BGL results, the CKM matrix element $|V_{cb}|=(41.09\pm 1.16)\times 10^{-3}$ and the Standard Model prediction of the lepton-flavor universality violation variable $\mathcal{R}(D)=0.300\pm 0.004$, are extracted. The value of $|V_{cb}|$ from $\overline{B} \rightarrow D \ell^- \overlineν_\ell$ tends to be higher than that extracted using $\overline{B} \rightarrow D \ell^- \overlineν_\ell$. The Standard Model $\mathcal{R}(D)$ calculation is at a $1.97σ$ tension with the latest HFLAV experimental average.

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arXiv2023

Helicity dependent cross sections for the photoproduction of $π^0π^{\pm}$ pairs from quasi-free nucleons

Photoproduction of $π^0π^{\pm}$-pairs from quasifree nucleons bound in the deuteron has been investigated to study the helicity dependence of this reaction. Measurements with a liquid deuterium target were used to extract the unpolarized cross sections for reactions on protons and neutrons. A deuterated, longitudinally polarized solid-butanol target, together with a circularly polarized photon beam, determined the double polarization observable $E$. From these results the spin-dependent cross sections $σ_{1/2}$ and $σ_{3/2}$, corresponding to the anti-parallel and parallel spin configurations of the beam photon and target nucleon, have been derived. The measurements were performed at the Mainz MAMI accelerator with tagged, circularly-polarized photon beams produced via bremsstrahlung from longitudinally polarized electron beams. The reaction products were detected with an almost $4π$ solid-angle covering calorimeter composed of the Crystal Ball and TAPS detectors, supplemented by plastic scintillation detectors for charged particle identification. The results are sensitive to sequential decays of nucleon resonances via intermediate states and also to the decay of nucleon resonances by emission of charged $ρ$ mesons, and are compared to recent model results.

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arXiv2023

Observation of the hindered electromagnetic Dalitz decay $ψ(3686) \to e^+ e^- η_c$

Using a data sample of $(448.1 \pm 2.9)\times10^6 ~ψ(3686)$ decays collected at an $e^+ e^-$ center-of-mass energy of $3.686~\rm{GeV}$ by the BESIII detector at BEPCII, we report an observation of the hindered electromagnetic Dalitz decay $ψ(3686) \to e^+ e^- η_c$ with a significance of $7.9σ$. The branching fraction is determined to be $\mathcal{B} (ψ(3686) \to e^+ e^- η_c) = (3.77 \pm 0.40_{\rm stat.} \pm 0.18_{\rm syst.})\times 10^{-5}$, agreeing well with the prediction of the vector meson dominance model. This is the first measurement of the electromagnetic Dalitz transition between the $ψ(3686)$ and the $η_c$, which provides new insight into the electromagnetic properties of this decay, and offers new opportunities to measure the absolute branching fractions of $η_c$ decays.

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arXiv2023

STCF Conceptual Design Report: Volume 1 -- Physics & Detector

The Super $τ$-Charm facility (STCF) is an electron-positron collider proposed by the Chinese particle physics community. It is designed to operate in a center-of-mass energy range from 2 to 7 GeV with a peak luminosity of $0.5\times 10^{35}{\rm cm}^{-2}{\rm s}^{-1}$ or higher. The STCF will produce a data sample about a factor of 100 larger than that by the present $τ$-Charm factory -- the BEPCII, providing a unique platform for exploring the asymmetry of matter-antimatter (charge-parity violation), in-depth studies of the internal structure of hadrons and the nature of non-perturbative strong interactions, as well as searching for exotic hadrons and physics beyond the Standard Model. The STCF project in China is under development with an extensive R\&D program. This document presents the physics opportunities at the STCF, describes conceptual designs of the STCF detector system, and discusses future plans for detector R\&D and physics case studies.

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arXiv2023

Observation of $J/ψ$ decays to $e^{+}e^{-}e^{+}e^{-}$ and $e^{+}e^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-}$

Using a data sample of $4.481\times 10^8 ψ^\prime$ events collected with the BESIII detector, we report the first observation of the four-lepton-decays $J/ψ\to e^+e^-e^+e^-$ and $J/ψ\to e^+e^-μ^+μ^-$ utilizing the process $ψ^\prime\to π^+π^- J/ψ$. The branching fractions are determined to be $[5.48\pm0.31~(\rm stat)\pm0.45~(\rm syst)]\times 10^{-5}$ and $[3.53~\pm0.22~(\rm stat)\pm0.13~(\rm syst)]\times 10^{-5}$, respectively. The results are consistent with theoretical predictions. No significant signal is observed for $J/ψ\to μ^+μ^-μ^+μ^-$, and an upper limit on the branching fraction is set at $1.6\times 10^{-6}$ at the 90$\%$ confidence level. A CP asymmetry observable is constructed for the first two channels, which is measured to be $(-0.012\pm0.054\pm0.010)$ and $(0.062\pm0.059\pm0.006)$, respectively. No evidence for CP violation is observed in this process.

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arXiv2023

Observation of $χ_{cJ}\to Λ\bar Λη$

By analyzing $(448.1\pm2.9)\times10^6$ $ψ(3686)$ events collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider, the decays of $χ_{cJ} \to Λ\bar Λη$ ($J=0$, 1 and 2) are observed for the first time with statistical significances of $13.9σ$, $6.7σ$, and $8.2σ$, respectively. The product branching fractions of $ψ(3686)\toγχ_{cJ}$ and $χ_{cJ}\to Λ\bar Λη$ are measured. Dividing by the world averages of the branching fractions of $ψ(3686)\toγχ_{cJ}$, the branching fractions of $χ_{cJ}\to Λ\bar Λη$ decays are determined to be $(2.31\pm0.30\pm0.21)\times10^{-4}$, $(5.86\pm1.38\pm0.68)\times10^{-5}$, and $(1.05\pm0.21\pm0.15)\times10^{-4}$ for $J=0$, 1 and 2, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic.

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arXiv2023

Search for $\barΛ$-$Λ$ oscillations in the decay $J/ψ\to p K^- \barΛ+c.c.$

We report the first search for $\barΛ$--$Λ$ oscillations in the decay $J/ψ\to p K^- \barΛ + c.c.$ by analyzing $1.31\times10^9$ $J/ψ$ events accumulated with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. The $J/ψ$ events are produced using $e^+e^-$ collisions at a center of mass energy $\sqrt{s}= 3.097$~GeV. No evidence for hyperon oscillations is observed. The upper limit for the oscillation rate of $\barΛ$ to $Λ$ hyperons is determined to be $\mathcal{P}(Λ)=\frac{\mathcal{B}(J/ψ\to pK^-Λ+c.c.)}{\mathcal{B}(J/ψ\to pK^-\barΛ+c.c.)}<4.4\times10^{-6}$ corresponding to an oscillation parameter $δm_{Λ\barΛ}$ of less than $3.8\times10^{-18}$~GeV at the 90\% confidence level.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of the $e^{+}e^{-}\rightarrowωπ^{0}π^{0}$ cross section at center-of-mass energies from 2.0 to 3.08 GeV

The cross section of the process $e^{+}e^{-}\toωπ^{0}π^{0}$ is measured at nineteen center-of-mass energies from 2.0 to 3.08 GeV using data collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII storage ring. A resonant structure around 2.20 GeV is observed with statistical significance larger than $5σ$. Using a coherent fit to the cross section line shape, the mass and width are determined to be $M=2222\pm7\pm2~{\rm MeV}/c^2$ and $\varGamma=59\pm30\pm6~{\rm MeV}$, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones are systematic.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of the absolute branching fraction of the inclusive decay $\barΛ_{c}^{-} \to \bar{n} + X$

Based on $e^+e^-$ collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.5 $fb^{-1}$ collected at the center-of-mass energies between 4.600 and 4.699 GeV with the BESIII detector at BEPCII, the absolute branching fraction of the inclusive decay $Λ^{+}_{c}\to n + X$, where $X$ refers to any possible final state particles, is measured. The absolute branching fraction is determined to be $\mathcal{B}(Λ^{+}_{c}\to n + X) = (32.4 \pm 0.7 \pm 1.5)\% $, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. Assuming $CP$ symmetry, the measurement indicates that about one-fourth of $Λ^{+}_{c}$ ($\barΛ_{c}^-$) decay modes with a neutron (an anti-neutron) in the final state have not been observed.

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arXiv2023

First measurement of polarisation transfer $C^n_{x'}$ in deuteron photodisintegration

A first measurement of the polarisation transfer from a circularly-polarised photon to the final state neutron ($C^n_{x'}$) in deuterium photodisintegration has been carried out. This quantity is determined over the photon energy range 370~--~700~MeV and for neutron centre-of-mass breakup angles $\sim45-120^{\circ}$. The polarisation of the final state neutrons was determined by an ancillary large-acceptance nucleon polarimeter, surrounding a cryogenic liquid deuterium target within the Crystal Ball detector at MAMI. The polarimeter characterised $(n,p)$ charge exchange of the ejected neutrons to determine their polarisation. The new $C^n_{x'}$ data are also compared to a theoretical model based on nucleonic and nucleon resonance degrees of freedom constrained by the current world-database of deuterium photodisintegration measurements. Structures in $C^n_{x'}$ observed in the region of the $d^*(2380)$ could not be explained by conventional models of deuteron photodisintegration.

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arXiv2023

Measurement of Branching Fractions of Singly Cabibbo-suppressed Decays $Λ_c^+ \rightarrow Σ^{0} K^+$ and $Σ^{+} K_{S}^0$

Based on a sample of 4.4 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ of $e^{+}e^{-}$ annihilation data collected in the energy region between 4.6 GeV and 4.7 GeV with the BESIII detector at BEPCII, two singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays $Λ_c^+ \rightarrow Σ^0 K^+$ and $Λ_{c}^{+} \rightarrow Σ^+ K_{S}^0$ are studied. The ratio of the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(Λ_c^+ \rightarrow Σ^0 K^+)$ relative to $\mathcal{B}(Λ_c^+ \rightarrow Σ^0 π^+)$ is measured to be $0.0361 \pm 0.0073(\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 0.0005(\mathrm{syst.})$, and the ratio of $\mathcal{B}(Λ_c^+ \rightarrow Σ^+ K_{S}^0)$ relative to $\mathcal{B}(Λ_{c}^{+} \rightarrow Σ^+ π^+ π^-)$ is measured to be $0.0106 \pm 0.0031(\mathrm{stat.}) \pm 0.0004(\mathrm{syst.})$. After taking the world-average branching fractions of the reference decay channels, the branching fractions $\mathcal{B}(Λ_c^+ \rightarrow Σ^0 K^+)$ and $\mathcal{B}(Λ_{c}^{+} \rightarrow Σ^+ K_{S}^0)$ are determined to be $(4.7\pm 0.9(\mathrm{stat.})\pm 0.1(\mathrm{syst.}) \pm 0.3(\mathrm{ref.}))\times10^{-4}$ and $(4.8\pm 1.4(\mathrm{stat.})\pm 0.2(\mathrm{syst.}) \pm 0.3(\mathrm{ref.}))\times10^{-4}$, respectively. The branching fraction of the $Λ_{c}^{+} \rightarrow Σ^+ K_{S}^0$ decay is measured for the first time.

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arXiv2023

Observation of the $Y(4230)$ and evidence for a new vector charmonium-like state $Y(4710)$ in $e^{+}e^{-}\to K_{S}^{0} K_{S}^{0} J/ψ$

Cross sections for the process $e^{+} e^{-} \to K_{S}^{0} K_{S}^{0} J/ψ$ at center-of-mass energies from $4.128$ to $4.950$ GeV are measured using data samples with a total integrated luminosity of 21.2 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. The $Y(4230)$ state is observed in the energy dependence of the $e^{+} e^{-} \to K_{S}^{0} K_{S}^{0} J/ψ$ cross section for the first time with a statistical significance of 26.0$σ$. In addition, an enhancement around $4.710$ GeV, called the $Y(4710)$, is seen with a statistical significance of 4.2$σ$. There is no clear structure around $4.484$ GeV. Using a fit with a coherent sum of three Breit-Wigner functions, we determine the mass and width of the $Y(4230)$ state to be $4226.9 \pm 6.6 \pm 21.9$ MeV/$c^{2}$ and $71.7 \pm 16.2 \pm 31.4$ MeV, respectively, and the mass and width of the $Y(4710)$ state to be $4704.0 \pm 52.3 \pm 69.5$ MeV/$c^{2}$ and $183.2 \pm 114.0 \pm 90.8$ MeV, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. In addition, the average Born cross section ratio of $e^{+} e^{-} \to K_{S}^{0} K_{S}^{0} J/ψ$ to $e^{+} e^{-} \to K^{+} K^{-} J/ψ$ is measured to be $0.388_{-0.028}^{+0.035}\pm0.016$, or $0.426_{-0.031}^{+0.038}\pm0.018$ if three-body phase space is considered.

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