The reaction e+ e- ---> gamma gamma (gamma) at Z0 energies

The total and differential cross-sections for the reaction e+e- → γγ(γ) are measured at centre of mass energies around 91 GeV using an integrated luminosity of 4.7 pb-1. The aggreement with QED prediction is good. Consequently there is no evidence for non-standard channels which would have the same experimental signature. The lower limits on the QED cuttoff parameters are Λ+ > 113 GeV and Λ- > 95 GeV. An upper limit on the effective coupling between a possible excited electron and the gamma is derived. At 95% confidence level the branching ratios for Z0 decay into π0γ, ηψ and γγγ are below 1.5 × 10-4, 2.8 × 10-4 and 1.4 × 10-4 respectively.0info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

MEASUREMENT OF THE AVERAGE LIFETIME OF B-HADRONS

The average lifetime of B hadrons produced in hadronic Z0 decays has been measured with the DELPHI detector at LEP. The measurement is based on the analysis of the impact parameter distribution of high p(t) muons and hadrons. The resulting mean B lifetimes are tau(B) = (1.30 +/- 0.10 +/- 0.08) ps and tau(B) = (1.27 +/- 0.04 +/- 0.12) ps respectively, giving a combined value of tau(B) = (1.28 +/- 0.10) ps. The hadronic sample was also used to measure the partial Z0 width GAMMA(bbBAR)/GAMMA(h) and gave a value of 0.222(-0.031)+0.033 +/- 0.017

STUDY OF ORIENTATION OF 3-JET EVENTS IN Z(0) HADRONIC DECAYS USING THE DELPHI DETECTOR

The study of the orientation of three-jet events from e+ e- –> Z0 –> multi-hadrons is presented, in particular the polar angle distributions of the thrust axis and of the normal to the three-jet plane, and the azimuthal correlations between the hadron plane and the one defined by the beam and thrust axes. The data are compared with results at lower energy and with QCD predictions. Good agreement with QCD predictions is observed. The scalar gluon theory is excluded by the data

MEASUREMENT OF THE PARTIAL WIDTH OF THE Z0 INTO B(B)OVER-BAR FINAL-STATES USING THEIR SEMILEPTONIC DECAYS

The spectra of prompt electrons and muons from the semi-leptonic decays of heavy hadrons produced in Z0 decays have been used to measure the coupling of the Z0 to b quarks weighted by the B hadrons mean semi-leptonic branching fraction, giving a value: BR(sl)b*GAMMA(bbBAR)/GAMMA(H)=0.0221+/-0.0015. The data has also been used to measure the value of the fragmentation parameter, defined in the context of the LUND PS Model, version 7.2, giving: epsilon(b)=(8(+5/-3)+/-2) 10(-3). The corresponding value of the mean fraction of the beam energy taken by a B hadron in the fragmentation of a b quark is: X(E)bBAR=0.69(+0.02/-0.03)+/-0.01. If the values of GAMMA(bbBAR) and GAMMA(H) are taken from the Standard Model, the following value is obtained for the mean semi-leptonic braching fraction of B hadrons: BR(sl)b=(10.1+/-0.7)%. Taking the value of GAMMA(bbBAR)/GAMMA(H) from an independent analysis of DELPHI data based on the use of the boosted sphericity product, a value: BR(sl)b=(10.1+/-1.3)% is obtained

A SEARCH FOR NEUTRAL HIGGS PARTICLES IN Z(0) DECAYS

The search in DELPHI data for neutral Higgs bosons is described. No candidate for the Standard Model Higgs is seen in Z0 decays to H-0-nu-nuBAR, H-0-mu+-mu- or H-0-tau+-tau- after selections that proved efficient for finding simulated H-0. One remaining candidate for Z0 –> H-0e+ e- is consistent with background. Together with our earlier studies, these results restrict the H-0 mass to be above 38 GeV/c2 at the 95% confidence level. No signal is found for decays of Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model neutral Higgs bosons to tau+-tau-. Limits are obtained for their decays to produce four jets

BOSE-EINSTEIN CORRELATIONS IN THE HADRONIC DECAYS OF THE Z(0)

Bose-Einstein correlations between pairs of like-sign charged particles produced in e+e- annihilations near the Z0 peak have been studied using data taken with the DELPHI detector at LEP. An enhancement is found in the production of pairs of identical pions of similar momenta, with respect to a reference sample. Under the hypothesis that the pions are emitted by a spherically symmetrical source with gaussian density, the data indicate a radius of the source of r = 0.62 +/- 0.04(stat.) +/- 0.20(syst.) fm. The large systematic uncertainty reflects the sensitivity of r to the choice of the reference sample

DETERMINATION OF Z0 RESONANCE PARAMETERS AND COUPLINGS FROM ITS HADRONIC AND LEPTONIC DECAYS

From measurements of the cross sections for e+ e - –> hadrons and the cross sections and forward-backward charge-asymmetries for e+ e- –> e+ e-, mu+ mu- and tau+ tau- at several centre-of-mass energies around the Z0 pole with the DELPHI apparatus, using approximately 150000 hadronic and leptonic events from 1989 and 1990, one determines the following Z0 parameters: the mass and total width M(Z) = 91.177 +/- 0.022 GeV, GAMMA(Z) = 2.465 +/- 0.020 GeV, the hadronic and leptonic partial widths GAMMA(h) = 1.726 +/- 0.019 GeV, GAMMA(t) = 83.4 +/- 0.8 MeV, the invisible width GAMMA(inv) = 488 +/- 17 MeV, the ratio of hadronic over leptonic partial widths R(Z)z = 20.70 +/- 0.29 and the Born level hadronic peak cross section sigma-0 = 41.84 +/- 0.45 nb. A flavour-independent measurement of the leptonic cross section gives very consistent results to those presented above (GAMMA(t) = 83.7 +/- 0.8 MeV). From these results the number of light neutrino species is determined to be N(nu) = 2.94 +/0. 10. The individual leptonic widths obtained are: GAMMA(e) = 82.4 +/- 1.2 MeV, GAMMA(mu) = 86.9 +/- 2.1 MeV and GAMMA(tau) = 82.7 +/- 2.4 MeV. Assuming universality, the squared vector and axial-vector couplings of the Z0 to charged leptons are: VBAR(t)2 = 0.0003 +/- 0.0010 and ABAR(l)2 = 0.2508 +/- 0.0027. These values correspond to the electroweak parameters: rho(eff) = 1.003 +/- 0.011 and sin2-theta(W)eff = 0.241 +/- 0.009. Within the Minimal Standard Model (MSM), the results can be expressed in terms of a single parameter: sin2-theta(W)MSBAR = 0.2338 +/- 0.0027. All these values are in good agreement with the predictions of the MSM. Fits yield 43 < m(top) < 215 GeV at the 95% level. Finally, the measured values of GAMMA(Z) and GAMMA(inv), are used to derive lower mass bounds for possible new particles