Abstract: The decay Z -> b (b) over bar is reconstructed in pp collision data, corresponding to 2 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity, collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 8 TeV. The product of the Z production cross-section and the Z -> b (b) over bar branching fraction is measured for candidates in the fiducial region defined by two particle-level b-quark jets with pseudorapidities in the range 2.2 < eta < 4.2, with transverse momenta p(T) > 20 GeV and dijet invariant mass in the range 45 < m(jj) < 165 GeV. From a signal yield of 5462 +/- 763 Z -> b (b) over bar events, where the uncertainty is statistical, a production cross-section times branching fraction of 332 +/- 46 +/- 59 pb is obtained, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The measured significance of the signal yield is 6.0 standard deviations. This measurement represents the first observation of the Z -> b (b) over bar production in the forward region of pp collisions.

Abstract: The decay Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)p (p) over bar pi(-) is observed using pp collision data collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of root s = 7 and 8 Tev, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1). The ratio of branching fractions between Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)p (p) over bar pi(-) and Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-) decays is measured to be B(Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)p (p) over bar pi(-))/B(Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-) = 0.0540 +/- 0.0023 +/- 0.0032. Two resonant structures are observed in the Lambda(+)(c)pi(-) mass spectrum of the Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)pp pi(-) decays, corresponding to the Xc(2455) and X (2520) states. The ratios of branching fractions with respect to the decay Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)p (p) over bar pi(-) are B(Lambda(0)(b) -> Sigma(0)(c)p (p) over bar x B(Sigma(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-))/B(Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)p (p) over bar pi(-)) = 0.089 +/- 0.015 +/- 0.006, B(Lambda(0)(b) -> Sigma(c)*(0)p (p) over bar x B(Sigma(c)*(0) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-))/B(Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)p (p) over bar pi(-)) = 0.119 +/- 0.020 +/- 0.014. In all of the above results, the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The phase space is also examined for the presence of dibaryon resonances. No evidence for such resonances is found.

Abstract: Decays of B-s(0) and (B) over bar (0)(s) mesons into J/psi pi(+)pi(-) final states are studied in a data sample corresponding to 1.9 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected with the LHCb detector in 13 TeV pp collisions. A time-dependent amplitude analysis is used to determine the final-state resonance contributions, the CP-violating phase phi(s) = -0.057 +/- 0.060 +/- 0.011 rad, the decay-width difference between the heavier mass B-s(0) eigenstate and the B-0 meson of -0.050 +/- 0.004 +/- 0.004 ps(-1), and the CP-violating parameter vertical bar lambda vertical bar = 1.01(-0.06)(+0.08) +/- 0.03, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These results are combined with previous LHCb measurements in the same decay channel using 7 TeV and 8 TeV pp collisions obtaining phi(s) = 0.002 +/- 0.044 +/- 0.012 rad, and vertical bar lambda vertical bar = 0.949 +/- 0.036 +/- 0.019.

Abstract: In the past decade, one of the major challenges of particle physics has been to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of quark flavor. In this time frame, measurements and the theoretical interpretation of their results have advanced tremendously. A much broader understanding of flavor particles has been achieved; apart from their masses and quantum numbers, there now exist detailed measurements of the characteristics of their interactions allowing stringent tests of Standard Model predictions. Among the most interesting phenomena of flavor physics is the violation of the CP symmetry that has been subtle and difficult to explore. In the past, observations of CP violation were confined to neutral K mesons, but since the early 1990s, a large number of CP-violating processes have been studied in detail in neutral B mesons. In parallel, measurements of the couplings of the heavy quarks and the dynamics for their decays in large samples of K, D, and B mesons have been greatly improved in accuracy and the results are being used as probes in the search for deviations from the Standard Model. In the near future, there will be a transition from the current to a new generation of experiments; thus a review of the status of quark flavor physics is timely. This report is the result of the work of physicists attending the 5th CKM workshop, hosted by the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, September 9-13, 2008. It summarizes the results of the current generation of experiments that are about to be completed and it confronts these results with the theoretical understanding of the field which has greatly improved in the past decade.

Abstract: The photoproduction of J/psi mesons at low transverse momentum is studied in peripheral lead-lead collisions collected by the LHCb Collaboration at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 210 μb(-1). The J/psi candidates are reconstructed through the prompt decay into two muons of opposite charge in the rapidity region of 2.0 < y < 4.5. The results significantly improve previous measurements and are compared to the latest theoretical prediction.