Exclusive production of π and K meson pairs in two photon collisions is measured with ALEPH data collected between 1992 and 2000. Cross-sections are presented as a function of cos θ ∗ and invariant mass, for | cos θ ∗ |<0.6 and invariant masses between 2.0 and 6.0 GeV/ c 2 (2.25 and 4.0 GeV/ c 2 ) for pions (kaons). The shape of the distributions are found to be well described by QCD predictions but the data have a significantly higher normalization.
The first measurements of the invariant differential cross sections of inclusive $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ meson production at mid-rapidity in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=0.9$ TeV and $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV are reported. The $\pi^0$ measurement covers the ranges $0.4<p_T<7$ GeV/$c$ and $0.3<p_T<25$ GeV/$c$ for these two energies, respectively. The production of $\eta$ mesons was measured at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV in the range $0.4<p_T<15$ GeV/$c$. Next-to-Leading Order perturbative QCD calculations, which are consistent with the $\pi^0$ spectrum at $\sqrt{s}=0.9$ TeV, overestimate those of $\pi^0$ and $\eta$ mesons at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV, but agree with the measured $\eta/\pi^0$ ratio at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV.
The ratio R of the total cross section for e+e− annihilation into hadrons to the lowest-order QED cross section for e+e−→μ+μ− has been measured for center-of-mass energies ranging from 50 to 61.4 GeV. If we allow for an overall shift of —4.9%, about 1.5 times our estimated normalization error, the results are consistent with the standard-model predictions.
We report on the first observation of Δ(1232) ++ and Δ(1232)++¯ baryons in e + e − annihilation at energies around 10 GeV, using the ARGUS detector at DORIS II. The sum of the rates of Δ ++ and Δ++¯ per hadronic event in the continuum is measured to be 0.040±0.008±0.006, and the rate in direct ϒ(1S) decays is 0.124±0.016±0.015. The momentum spectrum of Δ ++ baryons in direct ϒ(1S) decays has been measured.
Using the ARGUS detector at the DORIS II storage ring at DESY, we have observed a charmed meson of mass (2455±3±5) MeV/c2, decaying to D + π − . The natural width of this state is determined to be (15 +13+5 −10−10 ) MeV c 2 . The fragmentation function is hard, as expected for a leading charmed particle from nonresonant e + e − annihilation. Analysis of the decay angular distribution supports the hypothesis that the observed state is an L =1 excited charmed meson with spin-parity 2 + .
Using the ARGUS detector at the e + e − storage ring DORIS II at DESY, we have found evidence for the production of the excited charmed baryon state Λ c (2593) + in the channel Λ c + π + π − . Its mass was determined to be (2594.6±0.9±0.4) MeV/c 2 , and the natural width measured to be Γ = (2.9 −2.1−1.4 +2.9+1.8 ) MeV. The production cross section times the branching ratios of σ ( e + e − → Λ c (2593) + X ) × Br ( Λ c (2593) + → Λ c + π + π − ) × Br ( Λ c + → pK − π + ) was measured to be (0.25 −0.13 +0.24 ±0.13) pb. The fractions of Λ c (2593) + decays proceeding through the Σ c 0 π + and Σ c ++ π − channels were determined to be 0.29±0.10±0.11 and 0.37±0.12±0.13, respectively.
We report the first observation of an orbitally excited baryon, the Λ(1520), in quark and gluon fragmentation. The production rate is found to be (1.15±0.21±0.16)×10 −2 and (0.80±0.17 −0.13 +0.10 )×10 −2 Λ (1520) hyperons per event in direct ϒ decays and in the continuum, respectively. In contrast to the observed situation for ground state baryons, the production of the Λ(1520) in direct ϒ decays shows little or no enhancement with respect to continuum production.
Using the ARGUS detector at the e + e − storage ring DORIS II at DESY, we have observed production of the charmed-strange baryon Ξ c + and its neutral isospin partner, the Ξ c 0 . The Ξ c + was reconstructed in the final state Ξ − π + π + , while the Ξ c 0 was seen in decay to Ξ − π + and Ξ − π + π + π − . The average Ξ c fragmentation spectrum has been determined, as well as the production cross section times branching ratio for each decay mode. The charged and neutral masses were measured to be 2465.1 ± 3.6 ± 1.9 MeV/ c 2 and 2472.1 ± 2.7 ± 1.6 MeV/ c 2 respectively, corresponding to a mass-splitting, M ( Ξ c + ) − M ( Ξ c 0 ), of −7.0±4.5±2.2 MeV/ c 2 .
Using the ARGUS detector at the e + e − storage ring DORIS II at DESY, we have observed parity violation in the decay Λ ± c → Λπ ± . We measure the coefficient of parity violation, α Λ c , to be −0.96±0.42. In addition, we measure σ BR ( Λ + c → Λπ + and σ BR ( Λ + c → Σ 0 π + ) to be, respectively, (2.2±0.3±0.4) pb and (2.0±0.7±0.4) pb.
We have measured theR value in non-resonante+e− annihilation using the ARGUS detector at the storage ring DORIS II. At a centre-of-mass energy\(\sqrt s= 9.36\) GeV the ratio of the hadronic cross-section to the μ-pair cross section in lowest order QED has been determined to beR=3.46±0.03±0.13. In addition, we have measured the charged-particle multiplicities in non-resonant hadron production at\(\sqrt s= 10.47\) GeV just below theB\(\bar B\) threshold and in ϒ (4S) resonance decays. For the average charged-particle multiplicities in continuum events and ϒ(4S)→B\(\bar B\) decays we obtain <n>cont=8.35±0.02±0.20 and <n>ϒ(4s)=10.81±0.05±0.23.