>From a sample of $2722 \pm 78$ $\Lambda_c~+$ decaying to the $pK~-\pi~+$ final state, we have observed, in the hadroproduction experiment E791 at Fermilab, $143 \pm 20$ $\Sigma_c~0$ and $122 \pm 18$ $\Sigma_c~{++}$ through their decays to $\Lambda_c~+ \pi~{\pm}$. The mass difference $M(\Sigma_c~0) - M(\Lambda_c~+$) is measured to be $(167.38\pm 0.29\pm 0.15)\,\mbox{MeV}$; for $M(\Sigma_c~{++}) - M(\Lambda_c~+)$, we find $(167.76\pm 0.29\pm0.15)\,\mbox{MeV}$. The rate of $\Lambda_c~+$ production from decays of the $\Sigma_c$ triplet is $(22\pm 2\pm 3)\,\mbox{\%}$ of the total $\Lambda_c~+$ production assuming equal rate of production from all three, as measured for $\Sigma_c~0$ and $\Sigma_c~{++}$. We do not observe a statistically significant $\Sigma_c$ baryon-antibaryon production asymmetry. The $x_F$ and $p_t~2$ spectra of $\Lambda_c~+$ from $\Sigma_c$ decays are observed to be similar to those for all $\Lambda_c~+$'s produced.
We have measured the form factor ratios r_V = V(0)/A_1(0) and r_2 = A_2(0)/A_1(0) for the decay D_s^+ -> phi ell^+ nu_ell, phi -> K^+ K^-, using data from charm hadroproduction experiment E791 at Fermilab. Results are based on 144 signal and 22 background events in the electron channel and 127 signal and 34 background events in the muon channel. We combine the measurements from both lepton channels to obtain r_V = 2.27 +- 0.35 +- 0.22 and r_2 = 1.57 +- 0.25 +- 0.19.
We measure the neutral D total forward cross section and the differential cross sections as function of Feynman-x ($x_F$) and transverse momentum squared for 500 GeV/c $\pi^-$-nucleon interactions. The results are obtained from 88990+-460 reconstructed neutral D mesons from Fermilab experiment E791 using the decay channels $D\to K^-\pi^+$ and $D\to K^-\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+$ (and charge conjugates). We extract fit parameters from the differential cross sections and provide the first direct measurement of the turnover point in the $x_F$ distribution, 0.0131+-0.0038. We measure an absolute $D^0 + \bar{D^0}$ ($x_F > 0$) cross section of 15.4+1.8-2.3 microbarns/nucleon (assuming a linear A dependence). The differential and total forward cross sections are compared to theoretical predictions and to results of previous experiments.
We present asymmetries between the production of D+ and D- mesons in Fermilab experiment E791 as a function of xF and pt**2. The data used here consist of 74,000 fully-reconstructed charmed mesons produced by a 500 GeV/c pi- beam on C and Pt foils. The measurements are compared to results of models which predict differences between the production of heavy-quark mesons that have a light quark in common with the beam (leading particles) and those that do not (non-leading particles). While the default models do not agree with our data, we can reach agreement with one of them, PYTHIA, by making a limited number of changes to parameters used.
We study the charge correlations between charm mesons produced in 500 GeV pi- - N interactions and the charged pions produced closest to them in phase space. With 110,000 fully reconstructed D mesons from experiment E791 at Fermilab, the correlations are studied as functions of the Dpi - D mass difference and of Feynman x. We observe significant correlations which appear to originate from a combination of sources including fragmentation dynamics, resonant decays, and charge of the beam.
We present a measurement of asymmetries in the production of $\Lambda_c^+$ and $\Lambda_c^-$ baryons in 500 GeV/c $\pi^-$--nucleon interactions from the E791 experiment at Fermilab. The asymmetries were measured as functions of Feynman x ($x_F$) and transverse momentum squared ($p_T^2$) using a sample of $1819 \pm 62$ $\Lambda_c$'s observed in the decay channel $\Lambda_c \to pK^-\pi^+$. We observe more $\Lambda_c^+$ than $\Lambda_c^-$ baryons, with an asymmetry of $(12.7\pm3.4\pm1.3) %$ independent of $x_F$ and $p_T^2$ in our kinematical range $(-0.1 < x_F < 0.6$ and $0.0 < p_T^2 < 8.0 (GeV/c)^2$). This $\Lambda_c$ asymmetry measurement is the first with data in both the positive and negative $x_F$ regions.
This paper presents measurements of the production of Ds- mesons relative to Ds+ mesons as functions of x_F and square of p_t for a sample of 2445 Ds decays to phi pi. The Ds mesons were produced in Fermilab experiment E791 with 500 GeV/c pi- mesons incident on one platinum and four carbon foil targets. The acceptance-corrected integrated asymmetry in the x_F range -0.1 to 0.5 for Ds+- mesons is 0.032 +- 0.022 +- 0.022, consistent with no net asymmetry. The results, as functions of x_F and square of p_t, are compared to predictions and to the large production asymmetry observed for D+- mesons in the same experiment. These comparisons support the hypothesis that production asymmetries come from the fragmentation process and not from the charm quark production itself.
Using data from Fermilab fixed-target experiment E791, we have measured particle-antiparticle production asymmetries for lambda zero, cascade minus, and omega minus hyperons in pi minus-nucleon interactions at 500 GeV/c. The asymmetries are measured as functions of Feynman-x (x_F) and pt^2 over the ranges of -0.12 GE x_F LE 0.12 and 0 GE pt^2 LE 4 (GeV/c)^2. We find substantial asymmetries, even at x_F = 0. We also observe leading-particle- type asymmetries which qualitatively agree with theoretical predictions.
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