Guy Wilkinson

Abstract:

Evidence for the production of b-flavoured baryons in Z0 decays is reported from the analysis of 365 000 hadronic events collected by the DELPHI detector. Assuming that most of the weakly decaying b flavoured baryons produced by the Z0 are Λb, the observed signal of (Λ-+Λl+) pairs, where l is a high transverse momentum lepton in the same jet as the Λ, leads to a production rate: f(b→Λb)×Br(Λb→ Λlν X) = (0.41±0.13±0.09)%. Using a sample of 18 reconstructed Λb decay vertices, the lifetime is determined to be τ(Λb) = (1.04+0.48-0.38±0.10) ps. © 1993.

Abstract:

The strong coupling constant for b quarks has been determined, and its flavour independence, as predicted by QCD, investigated. The analysis involved events with lepton candidates selected from approximately 356 000 hadronic decays of the Z0, collected by the DELPHI detector at LEP in 1990 and 1991. A method based on a direct comparison of the three-jet fraction in a b enriched sample, selected by requiring leptons with large momenta, to that of the entire hadronic sample, illustrated the significant effect of the b quark mass on the multi-jet cross section, and verified the flavour independence of the strong coupling constant to an accuracy of ±6%. A second procedure based on a fit to the momentum and transverse momentum spectra of the lepton candidates in both two-jet and three (or more)-jet event samples simultaneously determined the b content in each, and, using second order QCD calculations, gave an absolute measurement of αs for b quarks of 0.118±0.004 (stat.)±0.003 (syst.)±0.008 (scale). A comparison with αs for all quark flavours, as measured from the three-jet fraction in all hadronic events, further allowed the coupling strength for b quarks to be expressed in terms relative to that for udsc quarks, thereby cancelling certain common systematic uncertainties, and yielded αsb αsudsc = 1.00 ± 0.04 (stat.) ± 0.03 (syst.). © 1993.

Abstract:

A study of B meson decays into DlX final states is presented. In these events, neutral and charged D mesons originate predominantly from B⁺ and B⁰ decays, respectively. The dilution of this correlation due to D^** production has been taken into account. From 263 700 hadronic Z⁰ decays collected in 1991 with the DELPHI detector at the LEP collider, 92 D⁰→K^-π⁺, 35 D⁺→K^-π⁺π⁺ and 61 D^*0→D⁰π⁺ followed by D⁰→K^-π⁺ or D⁰→K^-π⁺π⁺π ^-, are found with an associated lepton of the same charge as the kaon. From the D⁰l^- and D^*+l^-, the probability fd that a b quark hadronizes into a B^- (or {Mathematical expression}) meson is found to be 0.44 ±0.08±0.09, corresponding to a total (Bs+Λb) hadronization fraction of 0.12-0.12^+0.24. By reconstructing the energy of each B meson, the b quark fragmentation is directly measured for the first time. The mean value of the B meson energy fraction is: {Mathematical expression} Reconstructing D-lepton vertices, the following B lifetimes are measured: {Mathematical expression} and an average τ(B)=1.23-0.13^+0.14(stat.)±0.15(syst.) ps is found. Allowing for decays into {Mathematical expression}, the B⁺ and B⁰ lifetimes are: {Mathematical expression} © 1993 Springer-Verlag.

Abstract:

A new measurement of αs is obtained from the distributions in thrust, heavy jet mass, energy-energy correlation and two recently introduced jet broadening variables following a method proposed by Catani, Trentadue, Turnock and Webber. This method includes the full calculation of O(s2) terms and leading and next-to-leading logarithms resummed to all orders of αs. The analysis is based on data taken with the DELPHI detector at LEP during 1991. I its found that the inclusion of the resummed leading and next-to-leading logarithms reduces the scale dependence of αs and allows an extension of the fit range towards the infrared limit of the kinematical range. The combined value for αs obtained at the scale μ2=MZ2 is: {Mathematical expression} © 1993 Springer-Verlag.

Abstract:

A search for lepton flavour violation through the decays Z0 → eμ, eτ and μτ was made with the DELPHI detector at LEP, using a sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 11.2 pb-1. The number of candidates was consistent with the estimated background. The upper limit on the branching ratio (at 95% confidence level) for Z0 → eμ was 3.2 × 10-5, for Z0 → eτ was 10.8 × 10-5 and for Z0 → μτ was 13.5 × 10-5. © 1993.