Prof Roman Walczak

Abstract:

The e+p charged-current deep inelastic scattering cross sections, dσ/dQ2 for Q2 between 200 and 60000 GeV2, and dσ/dx and dσ/dy for Q2 > 200 GeV2, have been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA. A data sample of 47.7 pb-1, collected at a center-of-mass energy of 300 GeV, has been used. The double-differential cross-section dσ/dQ2 falls by a factor of about 50000 as Q2 increases from 280 to 30000 GeV2. The double differential cross section d2σ/dxdQ2 has also been measured. A comparison between the data and Standard Model (SM) predictions shows that contributions from antiquarks (ū and c̄) and quarks (d and s) are both required by the data. The predictions of the SM give a good description of the full body of the data presented here. A comparison of the charged-current cross-section dσ/dQ2 with the recent ZEUS results for neutral-current scattering shows that the weak and electromagnetic forces have similar strengths for Q2 above M2W, M2Z. A fit to the data for dσ/dQ2 with the Fermi constant GF and MW as free parameters yields GF = (1.171±0.034 (stat.)+0.026-0.032 (syst.)+0.016-0.015 (PDF)) × 10-5 Gev-2 and MW = 80.8+4.9-4.5 (stat.)+5.0-4.3(syst.)+1.4-1.3 (PDF) GeV. Results For MW, where the propagator effect alone or the SM constraint between GF and MW have been considered, are also presented.

Abstract:

Exclusive electroproduction of ρ0 mesons has been measured using the ZEUS detector at HERA in two Q2 ranges, 0.25 < Q2 < 0.85 GeV2 and 3 < Q2 < 30 GeV2. The low-Q2 data span the range 20 < W < 90 GeV; the high-Q2 data cover the 40 < W < 120 GeV interval. Both samples extend up to four-momentum transfers of |t| = 0.6 GeV2. The distribution in the azimuthal angle between the positron scattering plane and the ρ0 production plane shows a small but significant violation of s-channel helicity conservation, corresponding to the production of longitudinally polarised (i.e. helicity zero) ρ0 mesons from transverse photons. Measurements of the 15 combinations of spin-density matrix elements which completely define the angular distributions are presented and discussed.

Abstract:

In a search for signatures of physics processes beyond the Standard Model, various eeqq vector contact-interaction hypotheses have been tested using the high-Q2 deep inelastic neutral-current e+p scattering data collected with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 47.7pb-1 of e+p interactions at 300 GeV center-of-mass energy. No significant evidence of a contact-interaction signal has been found. Limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the contact-interaction amplitudes. The effective mass scales Λ corresponding to these limits range from 1.7 TeV to 5 TeV for the contact-interaction scenarios considered.

Abstract:

The e+-jet invariant mass spectrum produced in the reaction e+p → e+ X has been studied at a center-of-mass energy of 300 GeV. The data were collected using the ZEUS detector operating at the HERA collider, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 47.7 pb-1. The observed mass spectrum is in good agreement with Standard Model expectations up to an e+-jet mass of 210 GeV. Above this mass, some excess is seen. The angular distribution of these events is typical of high-Q2 neutral current events and does not give convincing evidence for the presence of a narrow scalar or vector state. Limits are presented on the product of cross section and branching ratio for such a state and are interpreted as limits on leptoquark or R-parity-violating squark production. Specific leptoquark types are ruled out at 95% confidence level for coupling strength λ = 0.3 for masses between 150 and 280 GeV.