Professor Claire Gwenlan

Abstract:

First measurements of cross sections for isolated prompt photon production in deep inelastic ep scattering have been made using the ZEUS detector at the HERA electron-proton collider using an integrated luminosity of 121 pb -1. A signal for isolated photons in the transverse energy and rapidity ranges 535GeV2. Cross sections are presented for inclusive prompt photons and for those accompanied by a single jet in the range ETjet≥6GeV and -1. 5≤ηjet<1.8. Calculations at order α 3αs describe the data reasonably well. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

A resonance search has been made in the K⁰Sp and K⁰Sp̄ invariant-mass spectrum measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA using an integrated luminosity of 121 pb^-1. The search was performed in the central rapidity region of inclusive deep inelastic scattering at an ep centre-of-mass energy of 300-318 GeV for exchanged photon virtuality, Q², above 1 GeV². Recent results from fixed-target experiments give evidence for a narrow baryon resonance decaying to K⁺n and K⁰Sp, interpreted as a pentaquark. The results presented here support the existence of such state, with a mass of 1521.5±1.5(stat.)^+2.8-1.7(syst.) MeV and a Gaussian width consistent with the experimental resolution of 2 MeV. The signal is visible at high Q² and, for Q²>20 GeV², contains 221±48 events. The probability of a similar signal anywhere in the range 1500-1560 MeV arising from fluctuations of the background is below 6×10^-5. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

A search for physics beyond the Standard Model has been performed with high-Q² neutral current deep inelastic scattering events recorded with the ZEUS detector at HERA. Two data sets, e⁺p→e ⁺X and e^-p→e^-X, with respective integrated luminosities of 112 pb^-1 and 16 pb^-1, were analyzed. The data reach Q² values as high as 40000 GeV². No significant deviations from Standard Model predictions were observed. Limits were derived on the effective mass scale in eeqq contact interactions, the ratio of leptoquark mass to the Yukawa coupling for heavy leptoquark models and the mass scale parameter in models with large extra dimensions. The limit on the quark charge radius, in the classical form factor approximation, is 0.85×10 ^-16 cm. © 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.