The MiniBooNE experiment at Fermilab reports a total excess of $638.0 \pm 132.8$ electron-like events ($4.8 \sigma$) from a data sample corresponding to $18.75 \times 10^{20}$ protons-on-target in neutrino mode, which is a 46\% increase in the data sample with respect to previously published results, and $11.27 \times 10^{20}$ protons-on-target in antineutrino mode. The additional statistics allow several studies to address questions on the source of the excess. First, we provide two-dimensional plots in visible energy and cosine of the angle of the outgoing lepton, which can provide valuable input to models for the event excess. Second, we test whether the excess may arise from photons that enter the detector from external events or photons exiting the detector from $\pi^0$ decays in two model independent ways. Beam timing information shows that almost all of the excess is in time with neutrinos that interact in the detector. The radius distribution shows that the excess is distributed throughout the volume, while tighter cuts on the fiducal volume increase the significance of the excess. We conclude that models of the event excess based on entering and exiting photons are disfavored.
Results of high-transverse-momentum charged-hadron production in 400-GeV/c proton-proton and proton-deuteron collisions and 800-GeV/c proton-proton collisions are presented. The transverse-momentum range of the data is from 5.2 to 9.0 GeV/c for the 400-GeV/c collisions and from 3.6 to 11.0 GeV/c for the 800-GeV/c collisions; the data are centered around 90° in the proton-nucleon center-of-momentum system. Single-pion invariant cross sections and particle ratios were measured at both energies. The results are compared to previous experiments and the Lund model.
We report measurements of the ratios K+π+, pπ+, K−π−, p¯π−, π−π+, K−K+, and p¯p for hadrons with 0.19<xt<0.62 produced in p−Be and p−W collisions at s=38.8 GeV. The K+π+ ratio at high xt gives the fragmentation-function ratio DuK+Duπ+ at high z. The high-xt K−π− ratio gives an upper limit for DdK−Ddπ− at high z. The pt dependence of pπ+ suggests that scattered constituent diquarks are the primary source of protons with pt<6 GeV/c. We also present species correlations in high-mass h+h− pairs. Strong K+K− and pp¯ correlations were observed.
Measurements of correlations of nearly back-to-back hadrons produced at a large transverse momentum in s=38.8 GeV proton-proton collisions are presented and compared to previous results with a beryllium target. The correlations of identified unlike-sign hadron pairs in ratio to the correlation for all unlike-sign pairs are compared with predictions of the Lund model. These predictions differ from the data.
We have measured the invariant cross section for inclusive ϕ production in proton-nucleus collisions at 400 GeV/c near Feynman x=0. For transverse momenta in the range between 0.8 and 3.5 GeV/c the ratio of ϕ to π− rises from 1 to 7%. We also report on correlations with particles opposite the ϕ in the center-of-mass system as they relate to the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule.
A measurement of continuum dimuon production in proton-copper collisions at 800-GeV incident energy is presented. The dimuons observed in this experiment cover the mass range from 6.5 to 18 GeV near y=0 in the proton-nucleon center-of-momentum frame. Scaling forms of the cross section for the continuum are compared with the results of other experiments in the context of the parton model and quantum chromodynamics. The present limitations of such scaling comparisons are discussed.
We present results on the production of hadrons in collisions of 400-GeV/c protons with beryllium, copper, and tungsten nuclei. The data cover the region from 5.6 to 8.0 GeV/c in the transverse momentum of the final-state hadron and from 73° to 102° in the proton-nucleon center-of-momentum frame production angle theta*. The restriction of the data to values of xT (xT=2pT/ √s ) greater than 0.4 enriches the sample with hard collisions of valence quarks. Asymmetries about theta*=90° reflect the presence of neutrons in the target nuclei. The variation of the atomic-weight dependence parameter α with production angle is discussed in the context of the phenomenology of nucleonic structure within nuclei. We also extrapolate our measurements to a ‘‘deuteron’’ target to minimize nuclear effects and compare the result to QCD calculations.
Experimental results on the production of dimuons by 800-GeV protons incident on a copper target are presented. The results include measurements of both the continuum of dimuons and the dimuon decays of the three lowest-mass ϒ S states. A description of the apparatus, data acquisition, and analysis techniques is included. A comparison of the results with data taken at lower incident energies indicates a scaling behavior of the continuum dimuon yields.
The largest sample ever recorded of $\numub$ charged-current quasi-elastic (CCQE, $\numub + p \to \mup + n$) candidate events is used to produce the minimally model-dependent, flux-integrated double-differential cross section $\frac{d^{2}\sigma}{dT_\mu d\uz}$ for $\numub$ incident on mineral oil. This measurement exploits the unprecedented statistics of the MiniBooNE anti-neutrino mode sample and provides the most complete information of this process to date. Also given to facilitate historical comparisons are the flux-unfolded total cross section $\sigma(E_\nu)$ and single-differential cross section $\frac{d\sigma}{d\qsq}$ on both mineral oil and on carbon by subtracting the $\numub$ CCQE events on hydrogen. The observed cross section is somewhat higher than the predicted cross section from a model assuming independently-acting nucleons in carbon with canonical form factor values. The shape of the data are also discrepant with this model. These results have implications for intra-nuclear processes and can help constrain signal and background processes for future neutrino oscillation measurements.
Using the Primakoff formalism, we have extracted the radiative decay width of the A + 2 (1310) produced in coherent interactions of 200 GeV/ c π + mesons in nuclear targets. The width obtained is 295 ± 60 keV, a value consistent with quark-model predictions.
Using the Primakoff formalism, we have extracted the radiative decay width of the K ∗+ (1430) produced in coherent interactions of 200 GeV/ c K + mesons in nuclear targets. The width obtained is 240 ± 45 keV, a value reasonably consistent with quark-model predictions.
Results are reported based on a study of 3114 π−p events at 205 GeV/c in the National Accelerator Laboratory 30-in. bubble chamber. The measured π−p total and elastic cross sections are 24.0 ± 0.5 and 3.0 ± 0.3 mb, respectively. The elastic differential cross section has a slope of 9.0 ± 0.7 GeV−2 for 0.03≤−t≤0.6 GeV2. The average charged-particle multiplicity for the inelastic events is 8.02 ± 0.12.
Coherent production of Kπ systems observed in the excitation of 200-GeV/c positive kaons on nuclear targets has been analyzed, including both electromagnetic and strong contributions, to yield a new value for the radiative width for the process K*+(890)→K+γ of 51 ± 5 keV.
From measurements of proton-proton elastic scattering at very small momentum transfers where the nuclear and Coulomb amplitudes interfere, we have deduced values of ρ, the ratio of the real to the imaginary forward nuclear amplitude, for energies from 50 to 400 GeV. We find that ρ increases from -0.157 ± 0.012 at 51.5 GeV to +0.039 ± 0.012 at 393 GeV, crossing zero at 280 ± 60 GeV.
From analysis of V0 events observed in an exposure of the National Accelerator Laboratory 30-in. bubble chamber to 303−GeVc protons, we obtain these results: (1) 〈nπ0〉 rises approximately linearly with n-, implying strong coupling of neutral and charged pions, while 〈nKS0〉 is less coupled to n; (2) γ, KS0, and Λ0 production cross sections are approaching a scaling limit by 303 GeVc; (3) within the limited statistics, dσdy is flat in the central region for KS0 and low-multiplicity γ events.
In an exposure of the 30-in. hydrogen bubble chamber to a 303−GeVc proton beam, 2245 interactions have been observed. The measured total cross section is 39.0±1.0 mb and the average charged particle multiplicity 〈nch〉=8.86±0.16.
Measurements of the cross section for the reaction p+p→π0+anything have been completed. The data cover a range of incident proton energies 50-400 GeV, π0 transverse momenta 0.3-4 GeV/c, and laboratory angles 30-275 mrad. The experiment was performed using the internal proton beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. A lead-glass counter was used to detect photons from the decay of π0's produced by collisions in thin targets of hydrogen or carbon. Tables of the measured cross sections are presented.
The SciBooNE Collaboration reports inclusive neutral current neutral pion production by a muon neutrino beam on a polystyrene target (C8H8). We obtain (7.7 \pm 0.5(stat.) \pm 0.5 (sys.)) x 10^(-2) as the ratio of the neutral current neutral pion production to total charged current cross section; the mean energy of neutrinos producing detected neutral pions is 1.1 GeV. The result agrees with the Rein-Sehgal model implemented in our neutrino interaction simulation program with nuclear effects. The spectrum shape of the neutral pion momentum and angle agree with the model. We also measure the ratio of the neutral current coherent pion production to total charged current cross section to be (0.7 \pm 0.4) x 10^(-2).
We have measured the single-particle inclusive cross sections for p+p→π±+X, K±+X, p+X, p¯+X in the low-p⊥ region (≲ 1.5 GeV/c) as a function of the radial scaling variable XR in p−p collisions at 100, 200, and 400 GeV at Fermilab. The measured π+π− and K+K− ratios are shown to be remarkably similar to the same ratios which have recently been measured at large p⊥ at 90° in the center-of-mass system.
Measurements of the energy and t dependence of diffractive Jψ photoproduction are presented. A significant rise in the cross section over the energy range 60-300 GeV is observed. It is found that (30±4)% of the events are inelastic.
Momentum spectra for forward Σ− production on beryllium by protons of momentum 25.8 and 29.4 GeVc are presented. Data for the two primary proton momenta are compared for scaling behavior in the invariant cross section. In addition, the observed single-particle momentum distributions are compared with single-particle spectra from other inclusive reactions initiated by protons.
Momentum spectra for forward Σ− and Ξ− production by protons on beryllium are presented. Σ− production data for two primary proton momenta are compared to test scaling of the invariant cross section. In addition, the observed single-particle momentum distributions are compared with single-particle spectra from other inclusive reactions initiated by protons.
We present results from a measurement of the differential cross sections for Σ−p, Ξ−p, and π−p elastic scattering at 23 GeV/c. We have collected samples of 6200 Σ−p events, 67 Ξ−p events, and 30 000 π−p events in the interval 0.10<|t|<0.23 (GeV/c)2.
We report measurements from elastic photoproduction of ω's on hydrogen for photon energies between 60 and 225 GeV, elastic φ photoproduction on hydrogen between 35 and 165 GeV and on deuterium between 45 and 85 GeV, elastic photoproduction on deuterium of an enhancement at 1.72 GeV/c2 decaying into K+K−, and elastic and inelastic photoproduction on deuterium of pp¯ pairs.
Nucleon structure functions obtained from neutrino and anti-neutrino scattering on iron nuclei at high energies (Ev=30 to 250 GeV) are presented. These results are compared with the results of other lepton-nucleon scattering experiments. The structure functions are used to test the validity of the Gross-Llewellyn-smith sum rule, which measures the number of valence quarks in the nucleons, and to obtain leading and second order QCD fits.