We observe evidence for the production of b-flavoured baryons in decays of the Z 0 boson with the OPAL detector at LEP. We find 68 Λl − , Λ l + candidates in 458 583 hadronic Z 0 decays. We interpret this as a signal of 55 ± 9 +0.3 −3.1 events from the semi-leptonic decays of b baryons. Assuming weakly decaying b baryons produced in Z 0 decays are mostly Λ b particles, we measure the product branching ratio (Γ b b /Γ had ) f ( b →Λ b ) B (Λ b →Λl − v X ) , averaged over the electron and muon channels, to be (6.2±1.0±1.5)×10 −4 .
Measurements are presented of the inclusive cross section for K ∗ (892) ± production in hadronic decays of the Z 0 using a sample of about half a million events recorded with the OPAL experiment at LEP. Charged K ∗ mesons are reconstructed in the decay channel K 0 S π ± . A mean rate of 0.72±0.02±0.08 K ∗ mesons per hadronic event is found. Comparison of the results with predictions of the JETSET and HERWIG models shows that JETSET overestimates the K ∗± production cross section while HERWIG is consistent with the data.
No description provided.
No description provided.
We report on a measurement of the processes e + e − →e + e − , e + e − → μ + μ − , and e + e − → τ + τ − near the Z 0 pole. On the basis of 163 e + e − , 101 μ + μ − and 87 τ + τ − events we obtain Γ ee =89±4±4 MeV, Γ μμ =85±9±6 MeV and Γ ττ =87±10±8 MeV, compatible with the standard model. Combining these with our previous results on hadronic Z 0 decays, we find a hadronic width Γ had =1787±81±90 MeV and an invisible width Γ inv =552±85±71 MeV.
Statistical errors only.
Statistical errors only.
A measurement of the charm and bottom forward-backward asymmetry in e+e− annihilations is presented at energies on and around the peak of the Z0 resonance. Decays of the Z0 into charm and bottom quarks are tagged using D mesons identified in about 4 million hadronic decays of the Z0 boson recorded with the OPAL detector at LEP between 1990 and 1995. Approximately 33000 D mesons are tagged in seven different decay modes. From these the charm and bottom asymmetries are measured in three energy ranges around the Z0 peak: \(\matrix {A_{\rm FB}^{\rm c}=0.039\pm 0.051\pm 0.009\cr A_{\rm FB}^{\rm c}=0.063\pm 0.012\pm 0.006\cr A_{\rm FB}^{\rm c}=0.158\pm 0.041\pm 0.011}\)\(\matrix {A_{\rm FB}^{\rm b}=0.086\pm 0.108\pm 0.029\cr A_{\rm FB}^{\rm b}=0.094\pm 0.027\pm 0.022\cr A_{\rm FB}^{\rm b}=0.021\pm 0.090\pm 0.026}\)\(\matrix{\langle E_{cm}\rangle =89.45\ {\rm GeV}\cr \langle E_{cm}\rangle =91.22\ {\rm GeV}\cr \langle E_{cm}\rangle =93.00\ {\rm GeV}}\) The results are in agreement with the predictions of the standard model and other measurements at LEP.
Forward-backward asymmetry.
No description provided.
The production rates of the $J_{P}={1⩈er 2}^{+}$ octet Σ baryons in hadronic Z0 decays have been measured using the OPAL detector at LEP. The inclusive production rates per hadronic Z0 decay of the three isospin states (including the respective antiparticle) have been separately measured for the first time: $άtrix {n_{Sigma^{+}}=0.099pm 0.008pm 0.013ŗ n_{Sigma^{0}}=0.071pm 0.012pm 0.013ŗ n_{Sigma^{-}}=0.083pm 0.006pm 0.009ŗ}$ where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. Differential cross-sections are also presented for the Σ+ and Σ− and compared with JETSET and HERWIG predictions. Assuming full isospin symmetry, the average inclusive rate is: ${1⩈er 3}[n_{Sigma^{+}+Sigma^{0}+Sigma^{-}}]=0.084pm 0.005 ({⤪ stat.}) pm 0.008 ({⤪ syst.})$.
Differential cross section for SIGMA+ production.
Differential cross section for SIGMA- production.
No description provided.
None
No description provided.
None
DATA FROM 1989 RUN. The cross section are quoted with their statistical and point-to-point systematic uncertainty of both the multihadron acceptance and the luminosity calculation.
DATA FROM 1990 RUN. The cross section are quoted with their statistical and point-to-point systematic uncertainty of both the multihadron acceptance and the luminosity calculation.
Cross sections corrected for the effects of efficiency and kinematic cuts and background. Data from 1989 run, reanalysed.
None
Charged conjugate state is assumed.
Quark and gluon jets with equal energies are identified in three-jet hadronicZ0 events, using reconstructed secondary vertices from heavy quark decay in conjunction with energy orderi
No description provided.
About 4.4 million hadronic decays of Z bosons, recorded by the OPAL detector at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of around sqrt(s) = 91.2 GeV, are used to determine the mean charged particle multiplicities for the three light quark flavours. Events from primary u, d, and s quarks are tagged by selecting characteristic particles which carry a large fraction of the beam energy. The charged particle multiplicities are measured in the hemispheres opposite to these particles. An unfolding procedure is applied to obtain these multiplicities for each primary light quark flavour. This yields <n_u> = 17.77 +- 0.51 +0.86 -1.20, <n_d> = 21.44 +- 0.63 +1.46 -1.17, <n_s> = 20.02 +- 0.13 +0.39 -0.37, where statistical and systematic errors are given. The results for <n_u> and <n_d> are almost fully statistically anti-correlated. Within the errors the result is consistent with the flavour independence of the strong interaction for the particle multiplicities in events from the light up, down, and strange quarks.