Results are presented on the exclusive production of four-prong final states in photon-photon collisions from the TPC/Two-Gamma detector at the SLAC e+e− storage ring PEP. Measurement of dE/dx and momentum in the time-projection chamber (TPC) provides identification of the final states 2π+2π−, K+K−π+π−, and 2K+2K−. For two quasireal incident photons, both the 2π+2π− and K+K−π+π− cross sections show a steep rise from threshold to a peak value, followed by a decrease at higher mass. Cross sections for the production of the final states ρ0ρ0, ρ0π+π−, and φπ+π− are presented, together with upper limits for φρ0, φφ, and K*0K¯ *0. The ρ0ρ0 contribution dominates the four-pion cross section at low masses, but falls to nearly zero above 2 GeV. Such behavior is inconsistent with expectations from vector dominance but can be accommodated by four-quark resonance models or by t-channel factorization. Angular distributions for the part of the data dominated by ρ0ρ0 final states are consistent with the production of JP=2+ or 0+ resonances but also with isotropic (nonresonant) production. When one of the virtual photons has mass (mγ2=-Q2≠0), the four-pion cross section is still dominated by ρ0ρ0 at low final-state masses Wγγ and by 2π+2π− at higher mass. Further, the dependence of the cross section on Q2 becomes increasingly flat as Wγγ increases.
TAGGED DATA, RESULTS OBTAINED USING TRANSVERSE-TRANSVERSE LUMINOSITY ONLY. DATA FOR Q2=0 ARE FROM UNTAGGED SAMPLE, ERRORS DUE TO RELATIVE NORMALISATION OF THESE SAMPLES IS INCLUDED INTO ERRORS QUOTED.
UNTAGGED DATA. DATA REPRESENT TWO ENTRIES FOR EACH EVENT WEIGHTED BY THE RHO0 RHO0 MATRIX ELEMENT (PROPORTIONAL TO THE SUM OF TWO BREIGHT-WIGNER BUMPS). THIS PROCEDURE IS ASSUMED TO DECREASE BACKGROUND FROM RHO PI PI AND 4PI STATES TO A LEVEL OF 0.1-0.15.
UNTAGGED DATA. DATA REPRESENT TWO ENTRIES FOR EACH EVENT WEIGHTED BY THE RHO0 RHO0 MATRIX ELEMENT (PROPORTIONAL TO THE SUM OF TWO BREIGHT-WIGNER BUMPS). THIS PROCEDURE IS ASSUMED TO DECREASE BACKGROUND FROM RHO PI PI AND 4PI STATES TO A LEVEL OF 0.1-0.15.
The reactions gamma gamma -> pi^+pi^-pi^+pi^- and gamma gamma -> pi^+pi^0pi^-pi^0 are studied with the L3 detector at LEP in a data sample collected at centre-of-mass energies from 161GeV to 209GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 698/pb. A spin-parity-helicity analysis of the rho^0 rho^0 and rho^+ rho^- systems for two-photon centre-of-mass energies between 1GeV and 3GeV shows the dominance of the spin-parity state 2+ with helicity 2. The contribution of 0+ and 0- spin-parity states is also observed, whereas contributions of 2- states and of a state with spin-parity 2+ and zero helicity are found to be negligible.
Cross section for 4PI and (RHO0 RHO0) production.
Cross section for 4PI and (RHO+ RHO-) production.
Spin parity analysis fits for RHO0 RHO0.
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