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n_TOF Collaboration(Barbagallo, M. et al), Domingo-Pardo, C., Tain, J. L., & Tarifeño-Saldivia, A. (2016). Be-7(n,alpha)He-4 Reaction and the Cosmological Lithium Problem: Measurement of the Cross Section in a Wide Energy Range at n_TOF at CERN. Phys. Rev. Lett., 117(15), 152701–7pp.
Abstract: The energy-dependent cross section of the (7)Bed(n,alpha)He-4 reaction, of interest for the so-called cosmological lithium problem in big bang nucleosynthesis, has been measured for the first time from 10 meV to 10 keV neutron energy. The challenges posed by the short half-life of Be-7 and by the low reaction cross section have been overcome at nTOF thanks to an unprecedented combination of the extremely high luminosity and good resolution of the neutron beam in the new experimental area (EAR2) of the nTOF facility at CERN, the availability of a sufficient amount of chemically pure Be-7, and a specifically designed experimental setup. Coincidences between the two alpha particles have been recorded in two Si-Be-7-Si arrays placed directly in the neutron beam. The present results are consistent, at thermal neutron energy, with the only previous measurement performed in the 1960s at a nuclear reactor. The energy dependence reported here clearly indicates the inadequacy of the cross section estimates currently used in BBN calculations. Although new measurements at higher neutron energy may still be needed, the n_TOF results hint at a minor role of this reaction in BBN, leaving the long-standing cosmological lithium problem unsolved.
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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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Dudouet, J. et al, Domingo-Pardo, C., Gadea, A., & Perez-Vidal, R. M. (2017). Kr-96(36)60-Low-Z Boundary of the Island of Deformation at N=60. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(16), 162501–6pp.
Abstract: Prompt.-ray spectroscopy of the neutron-rich Kr-96, produced in transfer-and fusion-induced fission reactions, has been performed using the combination of the Advanced Gamma Tracking Array and the VAMOS + +spectrometer. A second excited state, assigned to J pi = 4(+), is observed for the first time, and a previously reported level energy of the first 2+ excited state is confirmed. The measured energy ratio R-4/2 = E(4(+))/E(2(+)) = 2.12(1) indicates that this nucleus does not show a well-developed collectivity contrary to that seen in heavier N = 60 isotones. This new measurement highlights an abrupt transition of the degree of collectivity as a function of the proton number at Z = 36, of similar amplitude to that observed at N = 60 at higher Z values. A possible reason for this abrupt transition could be related to the insufficient proton excitations in the g(9/2), d(5/2), and s(1/2) orbitals to generate strong quadrupole correlations or to the coexistence of competing different shapes. An unexpected continuous decrease of R-4/2 as a function of the neutron number up to N = 60 is also evidenced. This measurement establishes the Kr isotopic chain as the low-Z boundary of the island of deformation for N = 60 isotones. A comparison with available theoretical predictions using different beyond mean-field approaches shows that these models fail to reproduce the abrupt transitions at N = 60 and Z = 36.
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T2K Collaboration(Abe, K. et al), Cervera-Villanueva, A., Izmaylov, A., Novella, P., & Sorel, M. (2017). Combined Analysis of Neutrino and Antineutrino Oscillations at T2K. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(15), 151801–9pp.
Abstract: T2K reports its first results in the search for CP violation in neutrino oscillations using appearance and disappearance channels for neutrino-and antineutrino-mode beams. The data include all runs from January 2010 to May 2016 and comprise 7.482 x 10(20) protons on target in neutrino mode, which yielded in the far detector 32 e-like and 135 mu-like events, and 7.471 x 10(20) protons on target in antineutrino mode, which yielded 4 e-like and 66 mu-like events. Reactor measurements of sin(2) 2 theta(13) have been used as an additional constraint. The one-dimensional confidence interval at 90% for the phase delta(CP) spans the range (-3.13,-0.39) for normal mass ordering. The CP conservation hypothesis (delta(CP) = 0, pi) is excluded at 90% C.L.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2017). Observation of Five New Narrow Omega(0)(c) States Decaying to Xi K-+(c)-. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(18), 182001–10pp.
Abstract: The Xi K-+(c)- mass spectrum is studied with a sample of pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.3 fb(-1), collected by the LHCb experiment. The Xi(+)(c) is reconstructed in the decay mode pK(-)pi(vertical bar) . Five new, narrow excited Omega(0)(c) states are observed: the Omega(c)(3000)(0), Omega(c)(3050)(0), Omega(c)(3066)(0), Omega(c) (3090)(0), and Omega(c)(3119)(0). Measurements of their masses and widths are reported.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2017). Measurement of the B-s(0)-> mu(+) mu(-) Branching Fraction and Effective Lifetime and Search for B-0 ->mu(+) mu(-) Decays. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(19), 191801–11pp.
Abstract: A search for the rare decays B-s(0)->mu(+)mu(-) and B-0 -> mu(+)mu(-) is performed at the LHCb experiment using data collected in pp collisions corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 4.4 fb(-1). An excess of B-s(0) -> mu(+)mu- decays is observed with a significance of 7.8 standard deviations, representing the first observation of this decay in a single experiment. The branching fraction is measured to be B(B-s(0) -> mu(+)mu(-)) = (3.0 +/- 0.6(-0.2)(+)(0.3)) x 10(-9), where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The first measurement of the B-s(0) -> mu(+)mu(-) effective lifetime, tau(B-s(0)-> mu(+) mu(-)) = 2.04 +/- 0.44 +/- 0.05 ps, is reported. No significant excess of B-0 -> mu(+)mu(-) decays is found, and a 95% confidence level upper limit, B(B-0 -> mu(+)mu(-) ) < 3.4 x 10(-10), is determined. All results are in agreement with the standard model expectations.
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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). Study of J/psi production in jets. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(19), 192001–11pp.
Abstract: The production of J/psi mesons in jets is studied in the forward region of proton-proton collisions using data collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The fraction of the jet transverse momentum carried by the J/psi meson, z(J/psi) p(T) (J/psi) / p(T)(jet) is measured using jets with p(T)(jet) > 20 GeV in the pseudorapidity range 2.5 < eta(jet) < 4.0. The observed z(J/psi) distribution for J/psi mesons produced in b-hadron decays is consistent with expectations. However, the results for prompt J/psi production do not agree with predictions based on fixed-order nonrelativistic QCD. This is the first measurement of the p(T) fraction carried by prompt J/psi mesons in jets at any experiment.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2017). Search for the Decays B-S(0) -> tau(+) tau(-) and B-0 -> tau(+) tau(-). Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(25), 251802–10pp.
Abstract: A search for the rare decays B-S(0) -> tau(+) tau(-) and B-0 -> tau(+) tau(-) is performed using proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1) collected in 2011 and 2012. The tau leptons are reconstructed through the decay tau(-) -> pi(-) pi(+)pi(-) nu(tau). Assuming no contribution from B-S(0) -> tau(+) tau(-) decays, an upper limit is set on the branching fraction B(B-S(0) -> tau(+) tau(-)) < 6.8 x 10(-3) at the 95% confidence level. If instead no contribution from B-S(0) -> tau(+) tau(-) decays is assumed, the limit is B(B-s(0) -> tau(+) tau(-)) < 2.1 x 10(-3) at the 95% confidence level. These results correspond to the first direct limit on B(B-S(0) -> tau(+) tau(-)) and the world's best limit on B(B-S(0) -> tau(+) tau(-))
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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 CP Violation Parameter A(r) in D-0 -> K+K- and D-0 -> pi(+)pi(-) Decays. Phys. Rev. Lett., 118(26), 261803–9pp.
Abstract: Asymmetries in the time-dependent rates of D-0 -> K+K- and D-0 -> pi(+)pi(-)decays are measured in a pp collision data sample collected with the LHCb detector during LHC Run 1, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1). The asymmetries in effective decay widths between D-0 and (D) over bar (0) decays, sensitive to indirect CP violation, are measured to be A(r)(K+K-) = (-0.30 +/- 0.32 0.10) x 10(-3) and A(r) pi(+)pi(-)) = (0.46 +/- 0.58 +/- 0.12) x 10(-3), where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These measurements show no evidence for CP violation and improve on the precision of the previous best measurements by nearly a factor of two.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Garcia Martin, L. M., Henry, L., Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Remon Alepuz, C., et al. (2017). First Observation of a Baryonic B-s(0) Decay. Phys. Rev. Lett., 119(4), 041802–10pp.
Abstract: We report the first observation of a baryonic B-s(0) decay, B-s(0). p (Lambda) over barK(-), using proton-proton collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb(-1). The branching fraction is measured to be B(B-s(0) -> p (Lambda) over bar K-)+ B(B-s(0) -> p (Lambda) over bar K+) [5.46 +/- 0.61 +/- 0.57 +/- 0.50(B) +/- 0.32(f(s)/(d))] x 10(-6), where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic, the third uncertainty accounts for the experimental uncertainty on the branching fraction of the B-0 -> p (Lambda) over bar pi(-) decay used for normalization, and the fourth uncertainty relates to the knowledge of the ratio of b-quark hadronization probabilities f(s)/f(d).
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