Search for single leptoquark and squark production in electron-photon scattering at $\sqrt{s_{\rm ee}}=189$ GeV at LEP

A search for first generation scalar and vector leptoquarks (LQ) as well as for squarks () in R-parity violating SUSY models with the direct decay of the into Standard Model particles has been performed using ee collisions collected with the OPAL detector at LEP at an ee centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of about 160 pb. The dominant process for this search is , where a photon, which has been radiated by one of the beam electrons, serves as a source of quarks. The numbers of selected events found in the two decay channels are in agreement with the expectations from Standard Model processes. This result allows to set lower limits at the 95% confidence level on the mass of first generation scalar and vector leptoquarks, and of squarks in R-parity violating SUSY models. For Yukawa couplings to fermions larger than , the mass limits range from 121 GeV to GeV ( GeV to GeV) depending on the branching ratio of the scalar (vector) leptoquark state. Furthermore, limits are set on the Yukawa couplings for leptoquarks and for squarks, and on as a function of the scalar leptoquark/squark mass. Received: 22 May 2001 / Published online: 25 January 2002     

Measurement of Z/\gamma^* production in compton scattering of quasi-real photons

The process is studied with the OPAL detector at LEP at a centre of mass energy of = 189 GeV. The cross-section times the branching ratio of the Z/ decaying into hadrons is measured within Lorentz invariant kinematic limits to be pb for invariant masses of the hadronic system between 5 GeV and 60 GeV and pb for hadronic masses above 60 GeV. The differential cross-sections of the Mandelstam variables , and are measured and compared with the predictions from the Monte Carlo generators grc4f and PYTHIA. From this, based on a factorisation ansatz, the total and differential cross-sections for the subprocess are derived. Received: 16 July 2001 / Published online: 5 April 2002     

Elastic and proton-dissociative \rho^0 photoproduction at HERA

Elastic and proton-dissociative photoproduction (, , respectively, with ) has been studied in interactions at HERA for photon-proton centre-of-mass energies in the range GeV and for GeV, where is the square of the four-momentum transfer at the proton vertex; the results on the proton-dissociative reaction are presented for masses of the dissociated proton system in the range . For the elastic process, the invariant mass spectrum has been investigated as a function of . As in fixed target experiments, the resonance shape is asymmetric; this asymmetry decreases with increasing , as expected in models in which the asymmetry is ascribed to the interference of resonant and non-resonant production. The cross section has been studied as a function of ; a fit to the resonant part with the form gives . The resonant part of the cross section is b at GeV. The dependence of the cross section can be described by a function of the type with (stat.) (syst.) GeV and (stat.) (syst.) GeV. The dependence has also been studied as a function of and a value of the slope of the pomeron trajectory GeV has been deduced. The spin density matrix elements , and have been measured and found to be consistent with expectations based on -channel helicity conservation. For proton-dissociative photoproduction in the mass range, the distributions of the two-pion invariant mass, and the polar and azimuthal angles of the pions in the helicity frame are the same within errors as those for the elastic process. The distribution has been fitted to an exponential function with a slope parameter GeV. The ratio of the elastic to proton-dissociative photoproduction cross section is . Received: 3 December 1997 / Online publication: February 26, 1998     

The light Higgs window in the 2HDM at GigaZ

The sensitivity to a light Higgs boson in the general 2HDM (II), with a mass below 40 GeV, is estimated for a future Linear Collider operating with a very high luminosity at the Z peak (GigaZ). We consider possible Higgs boson production via the Bjorken process, the (hA) pair production, the Yukawa process , and the decay . Although the discovery potential is considerably extended compared to the current sensitivities, mainly from LEP, the existence of a h or A even with a mass of a few GeV cannot be excluded with two billion Z decays. The need to study the very light Higgs scenario at a Linear Collider running at several hundred GeV and the LHC is emphasized. Received: 18 September 2000 / Revised version: 22 December 2000 / Published online: 15 March 2001     

Search for chargino and neutralino production at \sqrt{s} = 189 GeV at LEP

A search for charginos and neutralinos, predicted by supersymmetric theories, is performed using a data sample of 182.1 pb taken at a centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. No evidence for chargino or neutralino production is found. Upper limits on chargino and neutralino pair production (, ) cross-sections are obtained as a function of the chargino mass (), the lightest neutralino mass () and the second lightest neutralino mass (). Within the Constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model framework, and for GeV, the 95% confidence level lower limits on are 93.6 GeV for and 94.1 GeV for . These limits are obtained assuming a universal scalar mass 500 GeV. The corresponding limits for all are 78.0 and 71.7 GeV. The 95% confidence level lower limits on the lightest neutralino mass, valid for any value of are 32.8 GeV for GeV and 31.6 GeV for all . Received: 14 October 1999 / Published online: 6 March 2000     

Interference effects on Higgs mass measurement in e~+e~-→H(γγ)Z at CEPC

A high luminosity Circular Electron Positron Collider(CEPC) as a Higgs Factory will be helpful for precision measurements of the Higgs mass. The signal-background interference effect is carefully studied for the Higgs diphoton decay mode in associated Z boson production at future e~+e~-colliders at energy 246 GeV. The mass shifts go up from about 20 MeV to 50 MeV for the experimental mass resolution ranging from 0.8 GeV to 2 GeV.     

Searching for the Higgs at SLC and lep

We compute the cross section for the process e⁺e⁻ →Hff as a function of Higgs boson mass and of center-of-mass energies of M_z and beyond. We conclude that searches for a Higgs of mass less than 50 GeV are far more effective when carried out near the Z boson resonance that at any higher energy. However, a new window of Higgs boson masses extending from 50–107 GeV can be explored if and when e⁺e⁻ collisions can be studied with high luminosity at collision energies of 200 GeV. Collider energies at intermediate energies can play no useful role in the search for the Higgs.     

Search for chargino and neutralino production at \sqrt{s} = 170 and 172 GeV at LEP

A search for charginos and neutralinos, predicted by supersymmetric theories, has been performed using a data sample of pb at centre-of-mass energies of 170 and 172 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. No evidence for these particles has been found. The results are combined with those from previous OPAL chargino and neutralino searches at lower energies to obtain limits. Exclusion regions at 95% C.L. of parameters of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model are determined. Within this framework, for , lower mass limits are placed on the lightest chargino and the three lightest neutralinos. The 95% C.L. lower mass limit on the lightest chargino, assuming that it is heavier than the lightest neutralino by more than 10 GeV, is 84.5 GeV for the case of a large universal scalar mass ( 1 TeV) and 65.7 GeV for the smallest compatible with current limits on the sneutrino mass and slepton cross-sections. The lower limit on the lightest neutralino mass at 95% C.L. for is 24.7 GeV for TeV and 13.3 GeV for the minimum scenario. These mass limits are higher for increasing values of . The interpretation of the limits in terms of gluino and scalar quark mass limits is also given. Received: 11 July 1997 / Online publication: February 26, 1998     

Large mass dilepton production from jet-dilepton conversion in the quark-gluon plasma

We calculate the production of large mass dileptons from the passage of jets passing through the quark-gluon plasma. Using the relativistic kinetic theory, we rigorously derive the production rate for the jet-dilepton conversion in the hot medium. The jet-dilepton conversion is compared with the thermal dilepton emission and the Drell-Yan process. The contribution of the jet-dilepton conversion is not prominent for all values of the invariant mass M, and the Drell-Yan process is found to dominate over the thermal dilepton emission and the jet-dilepton conversion for M>2.5 GeV at RHIC. The jet-dilepton conversion is the dominant source of large mass dileptons in the range of 4 GeV<M<10 GeV at LHC.     

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the decay channel H→ZZ→4ℓ in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV

A search for a Higgs boson in the four-lepton decay channel H→ZZ, with each Z boson decaying to an electron or muon pair, is reported. The search covers Higgs boson mass hypotheses in the range of 110100 GeV (with 13 below 160 GeV), while 67.1±6.0 (9.5±1.3) events are expected from background. The four-lepton mass distribution is consistent with the expectation of standard model background production of ZZ pairs. Upper limits at 95% confidence level exclude the standard model Higgs boson in the ranges of 134-158 GeV, 180-305 GeV, and 340-465 GeV. Small excesses of events are observed around masses of 119, 126, and 320 GeV, making the observed limits weaker than expected in the absence of a signal.     

The Rare DecayK+ →π+vv and Effects of Charged Technipions

In this paper we calculate the contributions to the FCNC rare decay from the charged technipion P^± and P₈^± in the frarnervork of technicolor theory. We find that: (a) P^± can provide a positive but relatively small contribution to the process; (b) the contribution is large and positive for relatively light P₈^± and becomes negative for m_p8 ≥ 531 GeV; (c) the enhancement to the ratio BR() can be as large as a factor of 30 for m_p1 = 50 GeV and m_p8 = 100 GeV; (d) the lower mass bound on m_p8 is m_p8 > 220,190 GeV for m_p1 = 50,200 GeV, respectively     

An estimate of the Higgs boson mass in two loop approximation in a noncommutative differential geometry

An estimation of the Higgs boson mass is performed by numerically solving the renormalization group equations in the two loop approximation based on the condition for SU(2), U(1) gauge and the Higgs quartic coupling constants, respectively. This condition is introduced in the new scheme of our noncommutative differential geometry (NCG) for the reconstruction of the standard model. However, contrary to GUT without supersymmetry, the grand unification of coupling constants is not realized in this scheme. The physical mass of the Higgs boson depends strongly on the top quark mass through the Yukawa coupling of the top quark in the functions. The two loop effect lowers the numerical value calculated within the one loop approximation by several GeV. The Higgs boson mass varies from 150.93 GeV to 167.96 GeV corresponding to . We find GeV for GeV and GeV for GeV. Received: 16 July 1997 / Published online: 23 February 1998     

Search for chargino and neutralino production at \sqrt{s} = 181–184 GeV at LEP

A search for charginos and neutralinos, predicted by supersymmetric theories, has been performed using a data sample of 57 pb at centre-of-mass energies of 181–184 GeV taken with the OPAL detector at LEP. No evidence for chargino or neutralino production has been found. Upper limits on chargino and neutralino pair production (, ) cross-sections are obtained as a function of the chargino mass (), the lightest neutralino mass () and the second lightest neutralino mass (). For large chargino masses the limits have been improved with respect to the previous analyses at lower centre-of-mass energies. Exclusion regions at 95% confidence level (C.L.) of parameters of the Constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model are determined for the case of a large universal scalar mass, , implying heavy scalar fermions, and for the case of a small resulting in light scalar fermions and giving the worst-case limits. Within this framework and for GeV the 95% C.L. lower limits on for GeV are 90.0 and 90.2 GeV for and 35 respectively. These limits for all (the worst-case) are 69.1 and 65.2 GeV for and 35 respectively. Exclusion regions are also presented for neutralino masses, including an absolute lower limit at 95% C.L. for the mass of the lightest neutralino of 30.1 GeV for GeV (24.2 GeV for all ), with implications for experimental searches for the lightest neutralino as a dark matter candidate. Received: 19 August 1998 / Published online: 11 March 1999     

Prompt muons in multiparticle events from e+e− annihilation at petra

We have observed the production of prompt muons in e⁺e^? annihilation in the centre of mass energy range 33.0 GeV to 35.8 GeV. The rate of such muons with momentum greater than 1.4 GeV was measured to be 0.069 ± 0.024 per multiparticle event. When compared with currently accepted models, this rate is consistent with that expected from charm and bottom decays, but does not support the production also of a top quark of mass less than about 15 GeV.     

A study of trimuon events in 280 GeV muon interactions

In 280 GeV μ⁺ iron interactions the inelastic production of muon pairs has been observed in excess of QED processes. For energies greater than 20 GeV deposited in the target calorimeter the interactions are found to be mainly hadronic. Cross sections are presented for this process in the mass range 1?2.5 GeV/c² and in the kinematic regions covered by the apparatus acceptance. The data are in good agreement with a photon-gluon fusion model for charmed particle production.     

Search for Theta++ pentaquarks in the exclusive reaction gammap-->K+K-p

The reaction gammap --> pK+K- was studied at Jefferson Lab with photon energies from 1.8 to 3.8 GeV using a tagged photon beam. The goal was to search for a Theta++ pentaquark, a narrow, doubly charged baryon state having strangeness S=+1 and isospin I=1, in the pK+ invariant mass spectrum. No statistically significant evidence of a Theta++ was found. Upper limits on the total and differential cross section for the reaction gammap --> K-Theta++ were obtained in the mass range from 1.5 to 2.0 GeV/c2, with an upper limit for a narrow resonance with a mass M(Theta++) = 1.54 GeV/c2 of about 0.15 nb, 95% C.L.. This result places a stringent upper limit on the Theta++ width Gamma(Theta++) <0.1 MeV/c2.     

Search for composite and exotic fermions at LEP 2

A search for unstable heavy fermions with the DELPHI detector at LEP is reported. Sequential and non-canonical leptons, as well as excited leptons and quarks, are considered. The data analysed correspond to an integrated luminosity of about 48 pb at an centre-of-mass energy of 183 GeV and about 20 pb equally shared between the centre-of-mass energies of 172 GeV and 161 GeV. The search for pair-produced new leptons establishes 95% confidence level mass limits in the region between 70 GeV/ and 90 GeV/, depending on the channel. The search for singly produced excited leptons and quarks establishes upper limits on the ratio of the coupling of the excited fermion to its mass () as a function of the mass. Received: 30 October 1998 / Published online: 1 March 1999     

Direct top-quark width measurement at CDF

We present a measurement of the top-quark width in the lepton+jets decay channel of tt events produced in p p collisions at Fermilab's Tevatron collider and collected by the CDF II detector. From a data sample corresponding to 4.3 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity, we identify 756 candidate events. The top-quark mass and the mass of the hadronically decaying W boson that comes from the top-quark decay are reconstructed for each event and compared with templates of different top-quark widths (Γ(t)) and deviations from nominal jet energy scale (Δ(JES)) to perform a simultaneous fit for both parameters, where Δ(JES) is used for the in situ calibration of the jet energy scale. By applying a Feldman-Cousins approach, we establish an upper limit at 95% confidence level (CL) of Γ(t) <7.6 GeV and a two-sided 68% CL interval of 0.3 GeV <Γ(t) <4.4 GeV for a top-quark mass of 172.5 GeV/c(2), which are consistent with the standard model prediction.     

Exclusion of canonical weakly interacting massive particles by joint analysis of Milky Way dwarf galaxies with data from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope

Dwarf spheroidal galaxies are known to be excellent targets for the detection of annihilating dark matter. We present new limits on the annihilation cross section of weakly interacting massive particles based on the joint analysis of seven Milky Way dwarfs using a frequentist Neyman construction and Pass 7 data from the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. We exclude generic weakly interacting massive particle candidates annihilating into bb with a mass less than 40 GeV that reproduce the observed relic abundance. To within 95% systematic errors on the dark matter distribution within the dwarfs, the mass lower limit can be as low as 19 GeV or as high as 240 GeV. For annihilation into τ+ τ-, these limits become 19, 13, and 80 GeV, respectively.     

Where to look for solving the gauge hierarchy problem?

A mass of the Higgs boson close to 126 GeV may give a hint that the standard model of particle physics is valid up to the Planck scale. We discuss perspectives for the solution of the gauge hierarchy problem at high scales. Scenarios with an ultraviolet fixed point have predicted a Higgs boson mass very close to 126 GeV if the fixed point value of the quartic scalar coupling is small. In this case the top quark pole mass should be close to 172 GeV.