A search for single top quark production is performed in e^\pm p collisions at HERA. The search exploits data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 118.3 pb^-1. A model for the anomalous production of top quarks in a flavour changing neutral current process involving a t-u-gamma coupling is investigated. Decays of top quarks into a b quark and a W boson are considered in the leptonic and the hadronic decay channels of the W. Both a cut-based analysis and a multivariate likelihood analysis are performed to discriminate anomalous top quark production from Standard Model background processes. In the leptonic channel, 5 events are found while 1.31 \pm 0.22 events are expected from the Standard Model background. In the hadronic channel, no excess above the expectation for Standard Model processes is found. These observations lead to a cross section \sigma (ep -> e t X) = 0.29 +0.15 -0.14 pb at \sqrt{s} = 319 GeV. Alternatively, assuming that the observed events are due to a statistical fluctuation, upper limits of 0.55 pb on the anomalous top production cross section and of 0.27 on the t-u-gamma coupling \kappa_{t-u-gamma} are established at the 95% confidence level.
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.
The production of K_short mesons in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 0.9 TeV is studied with the LHCb detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The luminosity of the analysed sample is determined using a novel technique, involving measurements of the beam currents, sizes and positions, and is found to be 6.8 +/- 1.0 microbarn^-1. The differential prompt K_short production cross-section is measured as a function of the K_short transverse momentum and rapidity in the region 0 < pT < 1.6 GeV/c and 2.5 < y < 4.0. The data are found to be in reasonable agreement with previous measurements and generator expectations.
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.
Inclusive production of $\mathrm{D^{*\pm}}$ mesons in two-photon collisions was measured by the L3 experiment at LEP. The data were collected at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 189$ GeV with an integrated luminosity of $176.4 \mathrm{pb^{-1}}$. Differential cross sections of the process $\mathrm{e^+e^- \to D^{*\pm} X}$ are determined as functions of the transverse momentum and pseudorapidity of the $\mathrm{D^{*\pm}}$ mesons in the kinematic region 1 GeV $< p_{T}^{\mathrm{D^*}} < 5 $ GeV and $\mathrm{|\eta^{D^*}|} < 1.4$. The cross section integrated over this phase space domain is measured to be $132 \pm 22(stat.) \pm 26(syst.)$ pb. The differential cross sections are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations.
Strange baryon pair production in two-photon collisions is studied with the L3 detector at LEP. The analysis is based on data collected at e+e- centre-of-mass energies from 91 GeV to 208 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 844 pb-1. The processes gamma gamma -> Lambda Anti-lambda and gamma gamma -> Sigma0 Anti-sigma0 are identified. Their cross sections as a function of the gamma gamma centre-of-mass energy are measured and results are compared to predictions of the quark-diquark model.
The reaction e^+e^- -> e^+e^- proton antiproton is studied with the L3 detector at LEP. The analysis is based on data collected at e^+e^- center-of-mass energies from 183 GeV to 209 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 667 pb^-1. The gamma gamma -> proton antiproton differential cross section is measured in the range of the two-photon center-of-mass energy from 2.1 GeV to 4.5 GeV. The results are compared to the predictions of the three-quark and quark-diquark models.
The production of W-pairs is analysed in a data sample collected by ALEPH at a mean centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 174.2 pb^-1. Cross sections are given for different topologies of W decays into leptons or hadrons. Combining all final states and assuming Standard Model branching fractions, the total W-pair cross section is measured to be 15.71 +- 0.34 (stat) +- 0.18 (syst) pb. Using also the W-pair data samples collected by ALEPH at lower centre-of-mass energies, the decay branching fraction of the W boson into hadrons is measured to be BR (W > hadrons) = 66.97 +- 0.65 (stat) +- 0.32 (syst) %, allowing a determination of the CKM matrix element |V(cs)|= 0.951 +- 0.030 (stat) +- 0.015 (syst).
The inclusive production of D$^{*\pm}$ mesons in two-photon collisions is measured with the ALEPH detector at $\epem$ centre-of-mass energies from 183$\unit{GeV}$ to 209$\unit{GeV}$. A total of $360 \pm 27$ D$^{*\pm}$ meson events were observed from an integrated luminosity of 699\unit{pb^{-1}}$. Contributions from direct and single-resolved rocesses are separated using the ratio of the transverse momentum $p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}}$ of the D$^{*\pm}$ to the visible invariant mass $W_{\mathrm{vis}}$ of the event. Differential cross sections of D$^{*\pm}$ production as functions of $p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}}$ and the pseudorapidity $|\eta^{\rm D^{*\pm}}| $ are measured in the range $ 2\unit{GeV}/c < p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}} < 12\unit{GeV}/c $ and $ |\eta^{\rm D^{*\pm}}| < 1.5 $. They are compared to next-to-leading order (NLO)perturbative QCD calculations. The extrapolation of the integrated visible D$^{*\pm}$ cross section to the total charm cross section, based on the Pythia Monte Carlo program, yields $ \sigma (\epem \to \epem \ccbar)_ {=197\unit{GeV}} = 731 \pm 74_{\mathrm{stat}} \pm 47_{\mathrm{syst}} \pm 157_{\mathrm{extr}} \unit{pb} $.