The polarization of Λ baryons from Z decays is studied with the Aleph apparatus. Evidence of longitudinal polarization of s quarks from Z decay is observed for the first time. The measured longitudinal Λ polarization is P L Λ = −0.32 ± 0.07 for z = p p beam > 0.3 . This agrees with the prediction of −0.39 ± 0.08 from the standard model and the constituent quark model, where the error is due to uncertainties in the mechanism for Λ production. The observed Λ polarization is diluted with respect to the primary s quark polarization by Λ baryons without a primary s quark. Measurements of the Λ forward-backward asymmetry and of the correlation between back-to-back Λ Λ pairs are used to check this dilution. In addition the transverse Λ polarization is measured. An indication of transverse polarization, more than two standard deviations away from zero, is found along the normal to the plane defined by the thrust axis and the Λ direction.
Previously published and as yet unpublished QCD results obtained with the ALEPH detector at LEP1 are presented. The unprecedented statistics allows detailed studies of both perturbative and non-perturbative aspects of strong interactions to be carried out using hadronic Z and tau decays. The studies presented include precise determinations of the strong coupling constant, tests of its flavour independence, tests of the SU(3) gauge structure of QCD, study of coherence effects, and measurements of single-particle inclusive distributions and two-particle correlations for many identified baryons and mesons.
The Λ b polarization in hadronic Z decays is measured in semileptonic decays from the average energies of the charged lepton and the neutrino. In a data sample of approximately 3 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP between 1991 and 1994, 462 ± 31 Λ b candidates are selected using ( Λπ + )-lepton correlations. From this event sample, the Λ b polarization is measured to be P Λ b = −0.23 −0.20 +0.24 (stat.) −0.07 +0.08 (syst.).
A measurement of the inclusive production of π0 mesons in hadronic Z decays is presented and compared to Monte Carlo model predictions. The analysis is based on approximately 2 million hadronic events recorded with the ALEPH detector at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of ⊡s = 91.2 GeV. Neutral pions are reconstructed using photons measured in the electromagnetic calorimeter and photons from conversion pairs. The inclusive π0 momentum spectrum is measured in the range 0.025 < xp = p/pbeam < 1. In this range the number of π0 per hadronic Z is found to be 4.80 ± 0.07(stat) ± 0.31(sys). The differential inclusive π0 cross section is also measured as a function of transverse momentum with respect to the event plane (pTin and pTout).
The 132 pbt - 1 of data collected by ALEPH from 1991 to 1994 have been used to analyze η and ω production in τ decays. The following branching fractions have been measured: \(B\left( {{\tau ^ - } \to {\nu _\tau }\omega {h^ - }} \right) = \left( {1.91 \pm 0.07 \pm 0.06} \right) \times {10^{ - 2}},\)\(B\left( {{\tau ^ - } \to {\nu _\tau }\omega {h^ - }{\pi ^0}} \right) = \left( {4.3 \pm 0.6 \pm 0.5} \right) \times {10^{ - 3}},\)\(B\left( {{\tau ^ - } \to {\nu _\tau }\eta {K^ - }} \right) = \left( {2.9_{ - 1.2}^{ + 1.3} \pm 0.7} \right) \times {10^{ - 4}},\)\(B\left( {{\tau ^ - } \to {\nu _\tau }\eta {h^ - }{\pi ^0}} \right) = \left( {1.8 \pm 0.4 \pm 0.2} \right) \times {10^{ - 3}}\) and the 95% C.L. limit B(τ− → ντηπt -) < 6.2 × 10t - 4 has been obtained. The ωπt- and ηπt -π0 rates and dynamics are found in agreement with the predictions made from e+e∼ - annihilation data with the help of isospin invariance (CVC).
Earlier measurements at LEP of isolated hard photons in hadronic Z decays, attributed to radiation from primary quark pairs, have been extended in the ALEPH experiment to include hard photon productioninside hadron jets. Events are selected where all particles combine democratically to form hadron jets, one of which contains a photon with a fractional energyz≥0.7. After statistical subtraction of non-prompt photons, the quark-to-photon fragmentation function,D(z), is extracted directly from the measured 2-jet rate. By taking into account the perturbative contributions toD(z) obtained from anO(ααs) QCD calculation, the unknown non-perturbative component ofD(z) is then determined at highz. Provided due account is taken of hadronization effects nearz=1, a good description of the other event topologies is then found.
Inclusive π±, K± and\((p,\bar p)\) differential cross-sections in hadronic decays of the Z have been measured as a function ofz=Phadron/Pbeam, the scaled momentum. The results are based on approximately 520 000 events measured by the ALEPH detector at LEP during 1992. Charged particles are identified by their rate of ionization energy loss in the ALEPH Time Projection Chamber. The position, ξ*, of the peak in the ln(1/z) distribution is determined, and the evolution of the peak position with centre-of-mass energy is compared with the prediction of QCD.
The polarization of tau leptons in the reaction e+ e- --> tau+ tau- has been measured using a e+e- collider, TRISTAN, at the center-of-mass energy of 58 GeV. From the kinematical distributions of daughter particles in tau --> e nu nu-bar, mu nu nu-bar, rho nu or pi(K) nu decays, the average polarization of tau- and its forward-backward asymmetry have been evaluated to be 0.012 +- 0.058 and 0.029 +- 0.057, respectively.
Using the detector ARGUS at thee+e− storage ring DORIS II, we have investigated inclusive momentum spectra of charged pions, kaons, and protons from decays of the υ(4S) meson. The kaon spectra have been measured in two independent ways, by coherently exploiting the detector's particle identification capabilities, and by detecting decays in-flight. The extracted mean multiplicities for charged hadrons are 7.17±0.05±0.14 pions, 1.56±0.03±0.05 kaons and 0.110±0.010±0.007 protons per υ(4S) decay, where pions and protons fromKso and Δ decays have been subtracted.
The inclusive production cross sections of η′ (958) andfo (975) mesons are measured ine+e− annihilation in the nonresonant continuum around\(\sqrt s= 10\) GeV and in decays of the υ resonances using the ARGUS detector. For η′ (958) mesons, a production ratio of η′ (958)/ηdir=0.35±0.24, with ηdir=η−BR(η′→ηX)·η′, is determined in direct υ(1S) decays, which can be partially explained by the pseudoscalar singlet/octet mixing. Forfo(975) production, we obtain a production ratio offo(975)/p(770)°=0.17±0.030 in direct υ(1S) decays. In its production features, thefo(975) behaves like an ordinary meson, though aK\(\bar K\) molecule nature cannot be excluded. The substantial production yield of thefo(975) meson demonstrates the important effect of feeddown from mesons beyond the basic multiples on pseudoscalar and vector meson production.
Forum