From Color Fields to Quark Gluon Plasma

We discuss a model for the energy distribution and the early space-time evolution of a heavy ion collision. We estimate the gluon field generated in the wake of hard processes and through primordial fluctuations of the color charges in the nuclei. Without specifying the dynamical mechanism of thermalization we calculate the energy momentum tensor of the following plasma phase. The results of this model can be used as initial conditions for a further hydrodynamic evolution.Comment: Contribution to Quark Matter 2005; 4 pages, 4 figure

Does HBT Measure the Freeze-out Source Distribution?

It is generally assumed that as a result of multiple scattering, the source distribution measured in HBT interferometry corresponds to a chaotic source at freeze-out. This assumption is subject to question as effects of multiple scattering in HBT measurements must be investigated within a quantum-mechanical framework. Applying the Glauber multiple scattering theory at high energies and the optical model at lower energies, we find that multiple scattering leads to an effective HBT density distribution that depends on the initial chaotic source distribution with an absorption.Comment: 4 pages, talk presented at QM2004 Conference, January 11-17, 2004, Oakland, California, USA, to be published in the Proceeding

Study of time-dependent CP violation in B0 -> J/Psi pi0 decays

We report a measurement of CP asymmetry parameters in the decay B0(B0bar) -> J/Psi pi0, which is governed by the b->c cbar d transition. The analysis is based on a 140/fb data sample accumulated at the Upsilon(4S) resonance by the belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We fully reconstruct one neutral B meson in the J/Psi pi0 final state. The accompanying B meson flavor is identified by its decay products. From the distribution of proper time intervals between the two B decays, we obtain the following CP-violating parameters: S_{J/Psi pi0}=-0.72+-0.42+-0.09 and A_{J/Psi pi0}=-0.01 +-0.29+-0.03.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, submitted to PR

Measurements of Branching Fractions and CP Asymmetries in B-> etah Decays

We report measurements of B to pseudoscalar-pseudoscalar decays with at least one eta meson in the final state using 140 fb^{-1} of data collected by the Belle detector at KEKB e^+ e^- collider. We observe the decay B^+-> eta pi^+ and find evidence of B^+-> eta K+; the measured branching fractions are B(B^+-> eta pi^+)=(4.8^{+0.8}_{-0.7}(stat) +- 0.3(sys))*10^{-6} and B(B^+-> eta K^+)=(2.1 +- 0.6(stat)+- 0.2(sys))*10^{-6}. Their corresponding CP violating asymmetries are measured to be 0.07+- 0.15 (stat) +- 0.03(sys) for eta pi^+- and -0.49+- 0.31 (stat) +- 0.07(sys) for eta K^+-. No significant signals are found for neutral B->eta h decays. We report the following upper limits on branching fractions at the 90% confidence level: B(B-> eta K^0 < 2.0* 10^{-6}, B(B-> eta pi0) eta eta) <2.0*10^{-6}.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

Improved Measurements of Branching Fractions for B->Kpi, pipi and KK Decays

We report improved measurements of branching fractions for $B\to K\pi$, $\pi^+\pi^-$, $\pi^+\pi^0$ and $K\bar{K}$ decays based on a data sample of 85.0 million $B\bar{B}$ pairs collected at the $\Upsilon (4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB $e^+e^-$ storage ring. This data sample is almost three times larger than the sample previously used. We observe clear signals for $B\to K\pi$, $\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\pi^+\pi^0$ decays and set upper limits on $B\to K\bar{K}$ decays. The results can be used to give model-dependent constraints on the CKM angle $\phi_3$, as well as limits on the hadronic uncertainty in the time-dependent analysis of the angle $\phi_2$.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, 4 tables. Submitted to Phys. Rev. D Rapid Communications. Several corrections were mad

Observation of B0->pi0pi0

We report the first observation of the decay B0->pi0pi0, using a 253/fb data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- collider. The measured branching fraction is BF(B0->pi0pi0) = {2.32 +0.4-0.5(stat) +0.2-0.3(syst)} x 10^-6, with a significance of 5.8 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties. We also make the first measurement of the direct CP violating asymmetry in this mode.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, submitted to ICHEP04, Beijing and Physical Review Letters. v2: a possible pile-up background is checked and a systematic error for it is include

Observation of B+ -> proton Lambdabar gamma

We report the first observation of the radiative hyperonic B decay B+ -> proton Lambdabar gamma, using a 140 fb-1 data sample recorded on the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+e- collider. The measured branching fraction is B(B+ -> proton Lambdabar gamma) = (2.16 ^{+0.58}_{-0.53} +- 0.20) times 10^{-6}. A search for B+ -> proton Sigmabar gamma yields no significant signal, so we set a 90% confidence-level upper limit on the branching fraction of B(B+ -> proton Sigmabar gamma) < 3.3 times 10^{-6}.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, submitted to ICHEP2004, Beijing, Chin

Measurement of Polarization and Triple-Product Correlations in B -> phi K^* Decays

We present measurements of decay amplitudes and triple-product correlations in B -> phi K^* decays based on 253 fb^-1 of data recorded at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e^+ e^- storage ring. The decay amplitudes for the three different helicity states are determined from the angular distributions of final state particles. The longitudinal polarization amplitudes are found to be 0.45 +- 0.05 +- 0.02 for B^0 -> phi K^{*0} and 0.52 +- 0.08 +- 0.03 for B^+ -> phi K^{*+} decays. CP- and T-odd CP-violating triple-product asymmetries are measured to be consistent with zero.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, submit to Phys. Rev. Let

Observation of Large CP Violation and Evidence for Direct CP Violation in B0-->pi+pi- Decays

We report the first observation of CP-violating asymmetries in B0 --> pi+pi- decays based on a 140 fb-1 data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We reconstruct one neutral B meson as a B0 --> pi+pi- CP eigenstate and identify the flavor of the accompanying B meson from its decay products. We apply an unbinned maximum likelihood fit to the distribution of the time intervals between the two B meson decay points. The fit yields the CP-violating asymmetry amplitudes Apipi = +0.58+/-0.15(stat)+/-0.07(syst) and Spipi = -1.00+/-0.21(stat)+/-0.07(syst). We rule out the CP-conserving case, Apipi=Spipi=0, at a level of 5.2 standard deviations. We also find evidence for direct CP violation with a significance at or greater than 3.2 standard deviations for any Spipi value.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure

Photon and neutral pion production in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) = 130 GeV

We report the first inclusive photon measurements about mid-rapidity (|y|<0.5) from Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) = 130 GeV at RHIC. Photon pair conversions were reconstructed from electron and positron tracks measured with the Time Projection Chamber (TPC) of the STAR experiment. With this method, an energy resolution of Delta(E)/E = 2% at 0.5 GeV has been achieved. Reconstructed photons have also been used to measure the transverse momentum (pt) spectra of pi0 mesons about mid-rapidity (|y| photon photon decay channel. The fractional contribution of the pi0 -> photon photon decay to the inclusive photon spectrum decreases by 20% +/- 5% between pt = 1.65 GeV/c and pt = 2.4 GeV/c in the most central events, indicating that relative to pi0 -> photon photon decay the contribution of other photon sources is substantially increasing.Comment: 13 pages, 14 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.