We report the first observation of charmed mesons with the ZEUS detector at HERA using the decay channel ${\rm D}~{*+}\rightarrow (\Do \rightarrow {\rm K}~-\pi~+)\pi~+$ (+ c.c.). Clear signals in the mass difference $\Delta M$=$M$(D$~*$)--$M$(D$~0)$ as well as in the $M(K\pi)$ distribution at the D$~0$ mass are found. The $ep$ cross section for inclusive \DSpm\ production with $Q~2<4\GeV~2$ in the $\gamma p$ centre-of-mass energy range $115 < W < 275$ \GeV\ has been determined to be $(32 \pm 7~{+4}_{-7} )$ nb in the kinematic region \mbox{\{$p_T(\DS)\geq $ 1.7 \,\GeV, $|\eta(\DS)| < 1.5 $\}}. Ex\-tra\-po\-la\-ting outside this region, assuming a mass of the charm quark of 1.5 \GeV, we estimate the $ep$ charm cross section to be $\sigma(e p \rightarrow c \bar{c}X ) = (0.45 \pm 0.11~{+0.37}_{-0.22}) \, \mu {\rm b} $ at \mbox{$\sqrt{s} = 296$}\GeV\ and $\langle W \rangle = 198$ \GeV. The average $\gamma p$ charm cross section \mbox{$\sigma(\gamma p \rightarrow c \bar{c}X )$} is found to be \mbox{$(6.3 \pm 2.2~{+6.3}_{-3.0}) \, \mu {\rm b} $} at $\langle W \rangle = 163$ \GeV\ and \mbox{$(16.9 \pm 5.2~{+13.9}_{-8.5}) \, \mu {\rm b} $} at $\langle W \rangle = 243$ \GeV. The increase of the total charm photoproduction cross section by one order of magnitude with respect to low energy data experiments is well described by QCD NLO calculations using singular gluon distributions in the proton.
A search for excited states of the standard model fermions was performed using the ZEUS detector at the HERA electron-proton collider, operating at a centre of mass energy of 296 GeV. In a sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.55 pb−1, no evidence was found for any resonant state decaying into final states composed of a fermion and a gauge boson. Limits on the coupling strength times branching ratio of excited fermions are presented for masses between 50 GeV and 250 GeV, extending previous search regions significantly.
We have searched for the production of a selectron and a squark in $e^+p$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 300 GeV using the ZEUS detector at HERA. The selectron and squark are sought in the direct decay into the lightest neutralino in the framework of supersymmetric extensions to the Standard Model which conserve R-parity. No evidence for the production of supersymmetric particles has been found in a data sample corresponding to 46.6~pb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. We express upper limits on the product of the cross section times the decay branching ratios as excluded regions in the parameter space of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.
Inclusive photoproduction of $\dspm$ in ep collisions at HERA has been measured with the ZEUS detector for photon-proton centre of mass energies in the range \linebreak \wrang and photon virtuality Q~2 < 4 \g2. The cross section $\sigma_{ep \to \ds X} $ integrated over the kinematic region \ptrangand \etarang is {\xsecs}. Differential cross sections as functions of $p_{\perp}~{\ds}$, $\eta~{\ds}$ and W are given. The data are compared with two next-to-leading order perturbative QCD predictions. For a calculation using a massive charm scheme the predicted cross sections are smaller than the measured ones. A recent calculation using a massless charm scheme is in agreement with the data.
Photonic events with large missing energy have been observed in e+e- collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 189GeV using the OPAL detector at LEP. Results are presented for event topologies consistent with a single photon or with an acoplanar photon pair. Cross-section measurements are performed within the kinematic acceptance of each selection, and the number of light neutrino species is measured. Cross-section results are compared with the expectations from the Standard Model process e+e- to nu nubar + photon(s). No evidence is observed for new physics contributions to these final states. Upper limits are derived on sigma(e+e- to XY).BR(X to Y gamma) and sigma(e+e- to XX).BR**2(X to Y gamma) for the case of stable and invisible Y. These limits apply to single and pair production of excited neutrinos (X=nu*, Y = nu), to neutralino production (X=neutralino_2, Y=neutralino_1) and to supersymmetric models in which X = neutralino_1 and Y = light gravitino. The case of macroscopic decay lengths of particle X is considered for e+e- to XX, X to Y gamma, when M_Y is of order zero. The single-photon results are also used to place upper limits on superlight gravitino pair production as well as graviton-photon production in the context of theories with additional space dimensions.
From a data sample of 183 pb^-1 recorded at a center-of-mass energy of roots = 189 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP, 3068 W-pair candidate events are selected. Assuming Standard Model W boson decay branching fractions, the W-pair production cross section is measured to be sigmaWW = 16.30 +- 0.34(stat.) +- 0.18(syst.) pb. When combined with previous OPAL measurements, the W boson branching fraction to hadrons is determined to be 68.32 +- 0.61(stat.) +- 0.28(syst.) % assuming lepton universality. These results are consistent with Standard Model expectations.
A study of Z boson pair production in e+e- annihilation at center-of-mass energies near 183 GeV and 189 GeV is reported. Final states containing only leptons, (l+l-l+l- and l+l-nu nubar), quark and lepton pairs, (q qbar l+l-, q qbar nu nubar) and the all-hadronic final state (q qbar q qbar) are considered. In all states with at least one Z boson decaying hadronically, q qbar and b bbar final states are considered separately using lifetime and event-shape tags, thereby improving the cross-section measurement. At sqrt(s) = 189 GeV the Z-pair cross section was measured to be 0.80 (+0.14-0.13, stat.) (+0.06-0.05, syst.) pb, consistent with the Standard Model prediction. At sqrt(s) = 183 GeV the 95% C.L. upper limit is 0.55 pb. Limits on anomalous ZZgamma and ZZZ couplings are derived.
We search for lepton flavour violating events (e mu, e tau and mu tau) that could be directly produced in e+e- annihilations, using the full available data sample collected with the OPAL detector at centre-of-mass energies between 189 GeV and 209 GeV. In general, the Standard Model expectations describe the data well for all the channels and at each sqrt(s). A single e mu event is observed where according to our Monte Carlo simulations only 0.019 events are expected from Standard Model processes. We obtain the first limits on the cross-sections sigma(e+e- -> e mu, e tau and mu tau) as a function of sqrt(s) at LEP2 energies.
For the first time at LEP the production of prompt photons is studied in the collisions of quasi-real photons using the OPAL data taken at e+e- centre-of-mass energies between 183 GeV and 209 GeV. The total inclusive production cross-section for isolated prompt photons in the kinematic range of photon transverse momentum larger than 3.0 GeV and absolute photon pseudorapidity less than 1 is determined to be 0.32 +- 0.04 (stat) +- 0.04 (sys) pb. Differential cross-sections are compared to the predictions of a next-to-leading-order (NLO) calculation.
A study of Z-boson pair production in e+e- annihilation at center-of-mass energies between 190 GeV and 209 GeV is reported. Final states containing only leptons, (l+l-l+l- and l+l-nn), quark and lepton pairs, (qql+l-, qqnn) and only hadrons (qqqq) are considered. In all states with at least one Z boson decaying hadronically, lifetime, lepton and event-shape tags are used to separate bb pairs from qq final state. Limits on anomalous ZZgamma and ZZZ couplings are derived from the measured cross sections and from event kinematics using an optimal observable method. Limits on low scale gravity with large dimensions are derived from the cross sections and their dependence on polar angle.
Forum