Abstract: This paper reports the observation of the decays B-(s)(0) -> D-s1(2536)K--/+(+/-) using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb(-1). The branching fractions of these decays are measured relative to the normalisation channel B-0 -> (D) over bar (K+K-)-K-0. The D-s1(2536)(-) meson is reconstructed in the (D) over bar*(2007)K-0(-) decay channel and the products of branching fractions are measured to be B(B-s(0) -> D-s1(2536)K--/+(+/-)) x B(D-s1(2536)(-) -> D ($) over bar*(2007)K-0(-)) = (2.49 +/- 0.11 +/- 0.12 +/- 0.25 +/- 0.06) x 10(-5), B(B-0 -> D-s1(2536)K--/+(+/-) ) x B(D-s1(2536)(-) -> (D) over bar*(2007)K-0(-)) = (0.510 +/- 0.021 +/- 0.036 +/- 0.050) x 10(-5). The first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third arises from the uncertainty of the branching fraction of the B-0 -> (D) over bar (K+K-)-K-0 normalisation channel. The last uncertainty in the B-s(0) result is due to the limited knowledge of the fragmentation fraction ratio, f(s)/f(d). The significance for the B-s(0) and B-0 signals is larger than 10 sigma. The ratio of the helicity amplitudes which governs the angular distribution of the D-s1(2536)(-) -> (D) over bar*(2007)K-0(-) decay is determined from the data. The ratio of the S- and D-wave amplitudes is found to be 1.11 +/- 0.15 +/- 0.06 and the phase difference between them 0.70 +/- 0.09 +/- 0.04 rad, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.

Abstract: A search for rare B. D mu+ mu- decays is performed using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb-1. No significant signals are observed in the non-resonant mu+ mu- modes, and upper limits of B -> B0. D0 mu+ mu- < 5.1 x 10-8, B B+. D+ s mu+ mu- -> < 3.2 x 10-8, B -> B0 s. D0 mu+ mu--> < 1.6 x 10-7 and fc/fu center dot B B+ c. D+ s mu+ mu--> < 9.6 x 10-8 are set at the 95% confidence level, where fc and fu are the fragmentation fractions of a B meson with a c and u quark respectively in proton-proton collisions. Each result is either the first such measurement or an improvement by three orders of magnitude on an existing limit. Separate upper limits are calculated when the muon pair originates from a J/.. mu+ mu- decay. The branching fraction of B+ c. D+ s J/. multiplied by the fragmentation-fraction ratio is measured to be fc fu center dot B -> B+ c. D+ s J/.-> = (1.63 +/- 0.15 +/- 0.13) x 10-5, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.

Abstract: The first measurement of the Z boson production cross-section at centre-of-mass energy v s = 5.02TeV in the forward region is reported, using pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment in year 2017, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 100 +/- 2 pb-1. The production cross-section is measured for final-state muons in the pseudorapidity range 2.0 <. < 4.5 with transverse momentum pT > 20 GeV/c. The integrated cross-section is determined to be sZ.mu+mu- = 39.6 +/- 0.7(stat) +/- 0.6(syst) +/- 0.8(lumi) pb for the di-muon invariant mass in the range 60 < M μμ< 120 GeV/c2. This result and the differential cross-section results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions at next-to-next-to-leading order in the strong coupling constant. Based on a previous LHCb measurement of the Z boson production cross-section in pPb collisions at v sNN = 5.02TeV, the nuclear modification factor RpPb is measured for the first time at this energy. The measured values are 1.2+0.5 -0.3(stat) +/- 0.1(syst) in the forward region (1.53 < y* μ< 4.03) and 3.6+1.6 -0.9(stat)+/- 0.2(syst) in the backward region (-4.97 < y* μ< -2.47), where y* μrepresents the muon rapidity in the centre-of-mass frame.

Abstract: The production of prompt D+ and D-s(+) mesons is studied in proton-lead collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s(NN) = 5.02TeV. The data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of (1.58 +/- 0.02)nb(-1) is collected by the LHCb experiment at the LHC. The differential production cross-sections are measured using D+ and D-s(+) candidates with transverse momentum in the range of 0 < p(T) < 14 GeV/c and rapidities in the ranges of 1.5 < y* < 4.0 and -5.0 < y* < -2.5 in the nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass system. For both particles, the nuclear modification factor and the forward-backward production ratio are determined. These results are compared with theoretical models that include initial-state nuclear effects. In addition, measurements of the cross-section ratios between D+, D-s(+) and D-0 mesons are presented, providing a baseline for studying the charm hadronization in lead-lead collisions at LHC energies.

Abstract: The identification of helium nuclei at LHCb is achieved using a method based on measurements of ionisation losses in the silicon sensors and timing measurements in the Outer Tracker drift tubes. The background from photon conversions is reduced using the RICH detectors and an isolation requirement. The method is developed using pp collision data at root s = 13 TeV recorded by the LHCb experiment in the years 2016 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.5 fb(-1). A total of around 10(5) helium and antihelium candidates are identified with negligible background contamination. The helium identification efficiency is estimated to be approximately 50% with a corresponding background rejection rate of up to O(10(12)). These results demonstrate the feasibility of a rich programme of measurements of QCD and astrophysics interest involving light nuclei.