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WA89 Collaboration

Publications and source records attributed to WA89 Collaboration.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Observation of a resonance in the K$_s$p decay channel at a mass of 1765 MeV/c$^2$

We report on the observation of a K$_s$p resonance signal at a mass of 1765$\pm$5 MeV/c$^2$, with intrinsic width $Γ= 108\pm 22$ MeV/c$^2$, produced inclusively in $Σ^-$-nucleus interactions at 340 GeV/c in the hyperon beam experiment WA89 at CERN. The signal was observed in the kinematic region $x_F>0.7$, in this region its production cross section rises approximately linearly with $(1-x_F)$, reaching $BR(X\to K_S p)\cdot dσ/dx_F = (5.2\pm 2.3) μb $ per nucleon at $x_F=0.8$. The hard \xf spectrum suggests the presence of a strong leading particle effect in the production and hence the identification as a $Σ^{*+}$ state. No corresponding peaks were observed in the $K^- p$ and $Λπ^{\pm}$ mass spectra.

hep-ex

Search for the exotic $Ξ^{--}(1860)$ Resonance in 340GeV/c $Σ^-$-Nucleus Interactions

We report on a high statistics search for the $Ξ^{--}(1860)$ resonance in $Σ^-$-nucleus collisions at 340GeV/c. No evidence for this resonance is found in our data sample which contains 676000 $Ξ^-$ candidates above background. For the decay channel $Ξ^{--}(1860) \to Ξ^-π^-$ and the kinematic range 0.15$<x_F<$0.9 we find a 3$σ$ upper limit for the production cross section of 3.1 and 3.5 $μ$b per nucleon for reactions with carbon and copper, respectively.

hep-ex

Determination of the total ccbar production cross section in 340 GeV/c Sigma- - nucleus interactions

The production of charmed particles by Sigma- of 340 Gev/c momentum was studied in the hyperon beam experiment WA89 at the CERN-SPS, using the Omega-spectrometer. In two data-taking periods in 1993 and 1994 an integrated luminosity of 1600 microb^-1 on copper and carbon targets was recorded. From the reconstruction of 930 +- 90 charm particle decays in 10 decay channels production cross sections for D, antiD, Ds and Lambdac were determined in the region xF>0. Assuming an A^1 dependence of the cross section on the nucleon number, we calculate a total ccbar production cross section of sigma(x_F > 0) = 5.3+- 0.4(stat)+-1.0(syst)+1.0(Xi_c) microb per nucleon. The last term is an upper limit on the unknown contribution from charmed-strange baryon production.

hep-ex

First observation of the Xi- pi+ decay mode of the Xi0(1690) hyperon

We report the first observation of the Xi- pi+ decay mode of the Xi0(1690), confirming the existence of this resonance. The Xi0(1690) were produced by Sigma- of 345 Gev/c mean momentum in copper and carbon targets. The mass and width are close to those observed earlier for the Xi-(1690) in the Lambda K- decay channel. The product of inclusive production cross section and branching ratio is given relative to that of the Xi0(1530).

hep-ex

Measurement of the Omega_c Lifetime

We present the measurement of the lifetime of the Omega_c we have performed using three independent data samples from two different decay modes. Using a Sigma- beam of 340 GeV/c we have obtained clean signals for the Omega_c decaying into Xi- K- pi+ pi+ and Omega- pi+ pi- pi+, avoiding topological cuts normally used in charm analysis. The short but measurable lifetime of the Omega_c is demonstrated by a clear enhancement of the signals at short but finite decay lengths. Using a continuous maximum likelihood method we determined the lifetime to be tau(Omega_c) = 55 +13-11(stat) +18-23(syst) fs. This makes the Omega_c the shortest living weakly decaying particle observed so far. The short value of the lifetime confirms the predicted pattern of the charmed baryon lifetimes and demonstrates that the strong interaction plays a vital role in the lifetimes of charmed hadrons.

hep-ex