LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., Ruiz Valls, P., et al. (2017). Observation of the Annihilation Decay Mode B-0 -> K+K-. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(8), 081801–9pp.
Abstract: A search for the B-0 -> K+K- decay is performed using pp-collision data collected by LHCb. The data set corresponds to integrated luminosities of 1.0 and 2.0 fb(-1) at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, respectively. This decay is observed for the first time, with a significance of more than 5 standard deviations. The analysis also results in an improved measurement of the branching fraction for the B-s(0) -> pi(+)pi(-) decay. The measured branching fractions are B(B-0 -> K+K-) = (7.80 +/- 1.27 +/- 0.81 +/- 0.21) x 10(-8) and B(B-s(0) -> pi(+)p(-)) = (6.91 +/- 0.54 +/- 0.63 +/- 0.19 +/- 0.40) x 10(-7). The first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, the third is due to the uncertainty on the B-0 -> K+pi(-) branching fraction used as a normalization. For the B-s(0) mode, the fourth accounts for the uncertainty on the ratio of the probabilities for b quarks to hadronize into B-s(0) and B-0 mesons.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., Ruiz Valls, P., et al. (2017). Observation of the Decay Xi(-)(b) -> pK(-)K(-). Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(7), 071801–11pp.
Abstract: Decays of the Xi(-)(b) and Omega(-)(b) baryons to the charmless final states ph(-)h'(-), where h((')) denotes a kaon or pion, are searched for with the LHCb detector. The analysis is based on a sample of proton-proton collision data collected at center-of-mass energies root s = 7 and 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1). The decay Xi(-)(b) -> pK(-)K(-) is observed with a significance of 8.7 standard deviations, and evidence at the level of 3.4 standard deviations is found for the Xi(-)(b) -> pK(-)pi(-) decay. Results are reported, relative to the B- -> K+K-K- normalization channel, for the products of branching fractions and b-hadron production fractions. The branching fractions of Xi(-)(b) -> pK(-)pi(-) and Xi(-)(b) -> p pi(-)pi(-) relative to Xi(-)(b) -> pK(-)K(-) decays are also measured.
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MoEDAL Collaboration(Acharya, B. et al), Bernabeu, J., Garcia, C., Mamuzic, J., Mitsou, V. A., Ruiz de Austri, R., et al. (2017). Search for Magnetic Monopoles with the MoEDAL Forward Trapping Detector in 13 TeV Proton-Proton Collisions at the LHC. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(6), 061801–6pp.
Abstract: MoEDAL is designed to identify new physics in the form of long-lived highly ionizing particles produced in high-energy LHC collisions. Its arrays of plastic nuclear-track detectors and aluminium trapping volumes provide two independent passive detection techniques. We present here the results of a first search for magnetic monopole production in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions using the trapping technique, extending a previous publication with 8 TeV data during LHC Run 1. A total of 222 kg of MoEDAL trapping detector samples was exposed in the forward region and analyzed by searching for induced persistent currents after passage through a superconducting magnetometer. Magnetic charges exceeding half the Dirac charge are excluded in all samples and limits are placed for the first time on the production of magnetic monopoles in 13 TeV pp collisions. The search probes mass ranges previously inaccessible to collider experiments for up to five times the Dirac charge.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., Ruiz Valls, P., et al. (2017). Measurement of the b- Quark Production Cross Section in 7 and 13 TeV pp Collisions. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(5), 052002–11pp.
Abstract: Measurements of the cross section for producing b quarks in the reaction pp -> b (b) over barX are reported in 7 and 13 TeV collisions at the LHC as a function of the pseudorapidity. in the range 2 < eta < 5 covered by the acceptance of the LHCb experiment. The measurements are done using semileptonic decays of b-flavored hadrons decaying into a ground-state charmed hadron in association with a muon. The cross sections in the covered. range are 72.0 +/- 0.3 +/- 6.8 and 154.3 +/- 1.5 +/- 14.3 +/- μb for 7 and 13 TeV. The ratio is 2.14 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.13, where the quoted uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The agreement with theoretical expectation is good at 7 TeV, but differs somewhat at 13 TeV. The measured ratio of cross sections is larger at lower eta than the model prediction.
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Casals, M., Fabbri, A., Martinez, C., & Zanelli, J. (2017). Quantum Backreaction on Three-Dimensional Black Holes and Naked Singularities. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(13), 131102–6pp.
Abstract: We analytically investigate backreaction by a quantum scalar field on two rotating Bañados-Teitelboim-Zanelli (BTZ) geometries: that of a black hole and that of a naked singularity. In the former case, we explore the quantum effects on various regions of relevance for a rotating black hole space-time. We find that the quantum effects lead to a growth of both the event horizon and the radius of the ergosphere, and to a reduction of the angular velocity, compared to the unperturbed values. Furthermore, they give rise to the formation of a curvature singularity at the Cauchy horizon and show no evidence of the appearance of a superradiant instability. In the case of a naked singularity, we find that quantum effects lead to the formation of a horizon that shields it, thus supporting evidence for the role of quantum mechanics as a cosmic censor in nature.
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