Search for D+→φl+ν and measurement of the branching fraction for D+→φπ+

Using a data sample of integrated luminosity of about 33 pb^-1 collected around 3.773 GeV with the BESII detector at the BEPC collider, the semileptonic decays D⁺→φe⁺ν_e, D⁺→φμ⁺ν_μ and the hadronic decay D⁺→φπ⁺ are studied. The upper limits of the branching fractions are set to be BF(D⁺→φe⁺ν_e)<2.01% and BF(D⁺→φμ⁺ν_μ)<2.04% at the 90% confidence level. The ratio of the branching fractions for D⁺→φπ⁺ relative to D⁺→K^-π⁺π⁺ is measured to be 0.057±0.011±0.003. In addition, the branching fraction for D⁺→φπ⁺ is obtained to be (5.2±1.0±0.4)×10^-3.     

Charmed-meson decay constants in three-flavor lattice QCD

We present the first lattice QCD calculation with realistic sea quark content of the D+-meson decay constant f(D+). We use the MILC Collaboration's publicly available ensembles of lattice gauge fields, which have a quark sea with two flavors (up and down) much lighter than a third (strange). We obtain f(D+)=201+/-3+/-17 MeV, where the errors are statistical and a combination of systematic errors. We also obtain f(Ds)=249+/-3+/-16 MeV for the Ds meson.     

Positron spectra from internal pair conversion observed in 238U + 181Ta collisions

We present new results from measurements and simulations of positron spectra, originating from ²³⁸U + ¹⁸¹Ta collisions at beam energies close to the Coulomb barrier. The measurements were performed using an improved experimental setup at the double-Orange spectrometer of GSI. Particular emphasis is put on the signature of positrons from Internal-Pair-Conversion (IPC) processes in the measured e⁺-energy spectra, following the de-excitation of electromagnetic transitions in the moving Ta-like nucleus. It is shown by Monte Carlo simulations that, for the chosen current sweeping procedure used in the present experiments, positron emission from discrete IPC transitions can lead to rather narrow line structures in the measured energy spectra. The measured positron spectra do not show evidence for line structures within the statistical accuracy achieved, although expected from the intensities of the observed γ-transitions ( E _γ∼ 1250-1600 keV) and theoretical conversion coefficients. This is due to the reduced detection efficiency for IPC positrons, caused by the limited spatial and momentum acceptance of the spectrometer. A comparison with previous results, in which lines have been observed, is presented and the implications are discussed. Received: 27 April 2000 / Accepted: 14 September 2000     

Experimental results on neutrino-electron scattering

A determination of sin² θ _w based on measurements of elastic scattering of muon-neutrinos and muon-anti-neutrinos on atomic electrons is described. These purely leptonic processes were studied using the CHARM calorimeter exposed to neutrino and antineutrino wide-band beams at the CERN super proton synchrotron. A total of 83±16 neutrino-electron and 112±21 antineutrino-electron events have been detected. From the measurement of the ratio of muon-neutrino and muon-antineutrino cross-sections a value of sin² θ _w =0.211±0.037 was obtained.     

Searches for extra dimensions in the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

Predictions of multidimensonal theories are analyzed, and the possibility of detecting signals from extra spatial dimensions in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is studied.     

Prospects for p̄p → ȲY studies at PANDA

Strangeness and charm production provide an excellent probe of QCD in the confinement domain. With the PANDA detector at FAIR, this can be studied in e.g., hyperon production in the p?p → ?Y reactions. In PANDA, all ground state strange hyperons and single charmed Λ’s will be accessible. Simulations show that the differential cross sections and spin observables can be well reconstructed for these reaction channels.     

Total cross sections for photoabsorption on light nuclei in the energy range 600–1500 MeV

Experimental data of the GRAAL Collaboration on the total cross sections for photoabsorption on deuterium and carbon targets at gamma-ray energies in the range between 600 and 1500 MeV are presented. The experiment was performed in a beam of photons obtained by the method of the Compton backscattering of laser photons at the electron storage ring of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF, Grenoble, France) by using a wide-aperture detector covering a solid angle close to 4π. The total photoabsorption cross sections were determined by two independent methods: by subtracting the emptytarget background and by summing partial cross sections for meson photoproduction. The total cross sections for photoabsorption on quasifree protons and neutrons are shown to agree both in magnitude and in shape within a 5% precision of the measurements. In contrast to data previously available in the literature, both cross sections show distinctly the F ₁₅(1680) resonance at a photon energy of about 1 GeV. Data obtained in the present experiment for the cross sections for photoabsorption on a free and a bound nucleon are compared. This comparison reveals a substantial role of two-nucleon correlations in estimating the nuclear-medium effect on meson photoproduction.     

Inclusiveπ° production in 360 GeVpp interactions using the european hybrid spectrometer

The intermediate and forward gamma detectors of EHS are used to reconstructπ°'s produced by 360 GeV/cpp interactions in the Rapid Cycling Bubble Chamber (RCBC). Using thepp forwardbackward symmetry, the inclusiveπ° production cross section is obtainedσ _π°=(132±11) mb. The averageπ° multiplicity is determined as a function of the charged particle multiplicity. The (1?x) dependence is given for differentp _T regions.     

Microscopical studies at cadmium impurities in compound semiconductors

Molecule-like defect complexes have been studied at Cd acceptors in the III–V semiconductors GaAs, GaP, InP, InAs, and InSb by PAC spectroscopy. After hydrogen plasma treatment, the formation of Cd-H complexes was observed in all these compounds. Additionally, the formation and stability of Cd-S and Cd-Se pairs in GaAs have been analyzed.     

Hypernuclear production in the (K, π) reaction

Cross sections for the production of hypernuclei were measured in the reaction A(K⁻, π⁻) _ΛA. on light and heavy nuclear targets, using a separated K⁻ beam at the CERN Proton Synchrotron. The pions were detected in the forward direction. The results are compared with cross sections calculated under the assumption that the reaction took place on a single neutron. The good agreement between the measured and the calculated cross sections justifies the use of the (K⁻, π⁻) reaction in order to obtain spectroscopic information on hypernuclei.