Measurement of the average polarization of b baryons in hadronic Z0 decays.

The OPAL collaboration Abbiendi, G. ; Ackerstaff, K. ; Alexander, G. ; et al.
Phys.Lett.B 444 (1998) 539-554, 1998.
Inspire Record 474012 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.49296

In the Standard Model, b quarks produced in e^+e^- annihilation at the Z^0 peak have a large average longitudinal polarization of -0.94. Some fraction of this polarization is expected to be transferred to b-flavored baryons during hadronization. The average longitudinal polarization of weakly decaying b baryons, <P_L^{\Lambda_b}>, is measured in approximately 4.3 million hadronic Z^0 decays collected with the OPAL detector between 1990 and 1995 at LEP. Those b baryons that decay semileptonically and produce a \Lambda baryon are identified through the correlation of the baryon number of the \Lambda and the electric charge of the lepton. In this semileptonic decay, the ratio of the neutrino energy to the lepton energy is a sensitive polarization observable. The neutrino energy is estimated using missing energy measurements. From a fit to the distribution of this ratio, the value <P_L^{\Lambda_b}> = -0.56^{+0.20}_{-0.13} +/- 0.09 is obtained, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic.

1 data table

Charge conjugate states are included.


Measurement of the average b baryon lifetime and the product branching ratio f (b --> Lambda(b)) x BR (Lambda(b) --> Lambda lepton- anti-neutrino X)

The OPAL collaboration Akers, R. ; Alexander, G. ; Allison, John ; et al.
Z.Phys.C 69 (1996) 195-214, 1996.
Inspire Record 397395 DOI 10.17182/hepdata.51966

None

1 data table

Charged conjugate state is assumed.