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Caballero-Folch, R. et al, Domingo-Pardo, C., Agramunt, J., Algora, A., Rubio, B., & Tain, J. L. (2016). First Measurement of Several beta-Delayed Neutron Emitting Isotopes Beyond N=126. Phys. Rev. Lett., 117(1), 012501–6pp.
Abstract: The beta-delayed neutron emission probabilities of neutron rich Hg and Tl nuclei have been measured together with beta-decay half-lives for 20 isotopes of Au, Hg, Tl, Pb, and Bi in the mass region N greater than or similar to 126. These are the heaviest species where neutron emission has been observed so far. These measurements provide key information to evaluate the performance of nuclear microscopic and phenomenological models in reproducing the high-energy part of the beta-decay strength distribution. This provides important constraints on global theoretical models currently used in r-process nucleosynthesis.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Ruiz Valls, P., & Sanchez Mayordomo, C. (2015). Evidence for the Strangeness-Changing Weak Decay Xi(-)(b) -> Lambda(0)(b)pi(-). Phys. Rev. Lett., 115(24), 241801–10pp.
Abstract: Using a pp collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb(-1), collected by the LHCb detector, we present the first search for the strangeness-changing weak decay Xi(-)(b) -> Delta(0)(b)pi(-). No b hadron decay of this type has been seen before. A signal for this decay, corresponding to a significance of 3.2 standard deviations, is reported. The relative rate is measured to be f Xi(-)(b)/f Lambda B-0(b)(Xi(-)(b) -> Lambda(0)(b)pi(-)) = (5.7 +/- 1.8(-0.9)(+0.8)) x 10(-4) where f Xi(-)(b) and f Lambda(0)(b) are the b -> Xi(-)(b) and b -> Lambda(0)(b) fragmentation fractions, and B(Xi(-)(b) -> Lambda(0)(b)pi(-)) is the branching fraction. Assuming f Xi(-)(b)/f Lambda(0)(b) is bounded between 0.1 and 0.3, the branching fraction B(Xi(-)(b) -> Lambda(0)(b)pi(-)) would lie in the range from (0.57 +/- 0.21)% to (0.19 +/- 0.07)%.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Ruiz Valls, P., & Sanchez Mayordomo, C. (2015). Search for Hidden-Sector Bosons in B-0 -> K*(0)mu(+)mu(-) Decays. Phys. Rev. Lett., 115(16), 161802–10pp.
Abstract: A search is presented for hidden-sector bosons, chi, produced in the decay B-0 -> K*(892)(0)chi, with K*(892)(0) -> K+pi(-) and chi -> mu(+)mu(-). The search is performed using pp-collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb(-1) collected with the LHCb detector. No significant signal is observed in the accessible mass range 214 <= m(chi) <= 4350 MeV, and upper limits are placed on the branching fraction product B(B-0 -> K*(892)(0)chi) X B(chi -> mu(+)mu(-)) as a function of the mass and lifetime of the chi boson. These limits are of the order of 10(-9) for chi lifetimes less than 100 ps over most of the m(chi) range, and place the most stringent constraints to date on many theories that predict the existence of additional low-mass bosons.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Alvarez Piqueras, D., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Costa, M. J., Fernandez Martinez, P., et al. (2015). Determination of the Ratio of b-Quark Fragmentation Fractions f(s)/f(d) in pp Collisions at root s=7 TeV with the ATLAS Detector. Phys. Rev. Lett., 115(26), 262001–18pp.
Abstract: With an integrated luminosity of 2.47 fb(-1) recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, the exclusive decays B-s(0) -> J/psi phi and B-d(0) -> J/psi K*(0) of B mesons produced in pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV are used to determine the ratio of fragmentation fractions f(s)/f(d). From the observed B-s(0) -> J/psi phi and B-d(0) -> J/psi K*(0) yields, the quantity (f(s)/f(d))[B(B-s(0) -> J/psi phi)/B(B-d(0) -> J/psi K*(0) )] is measured to be 0.199 +/- 0.004(stat) +/- 0.008(syst). Using a recent theory prediction for [B(B-s(0) -> J/psi phi)/B(B-d(0) -> J/psi K*(0))] yields (f(s)/f(d)) = 0.240 +/- 0.004(stat) +/- 0.010(syst) +/- 0.017(th). This result is based on a new approach that provides a significant improvement of the world average.
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BABAR Collaboration(Lees, J. P. et al), Martinez-Vidal, F., & Oyanguren, A. (2016). Observation of (B)over-bar -> D-(*()) pi(+)pi(-)l(-)(nu)over-bar Decays in e(+)e(-) Collisions at the Upsilon(4S) Resonance. Phys. Rev. Lett., 116(4), 041801–7pp.
Abstract: We report on measurements of the decays of (B) over bar mesons into the semileptonic final states (B) over bar -> D-(*())pi(+)pi(-)l(-)(nu) over bar, where D-(*()) represents a D or D* meson and l(-) is an electron or a muon. These measurements are based on 471 x 10(6) B (B) over bar pairs recorded with the BABAR detector at the SLAC asymmetric B factory PEP-II. We determine the branching fraction ratios R-pi+pi-(()*()) = B((B) over bar -> D-(*())pi(+)pi(-)l(-)(nu) over bar /B (B) over bar -> D-(*())l(-)(nu) over bar) using events in which the second B meson is fully reconstructed. We find R pi+pi- = 0.067 +/- 0.010 +/- 0.008 and R pi+pi-* = 0.019 +/- 0.005 +/- 0.004, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. Based on these results and assuming isospin invariance, we estimate that (B) over bar -> D-(*())pi pi l (nu) over bar decays, where pi denotes either a pi(+/-) and pi(0) meson, account for up to half the difference between the measured inclusive semileptonic branching fraction to charm hadrons and the corresponding sum of previously measured exclusive branching fractions.
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XENON Collaboration(Aprile, E. et al), & Orrigo, S. E. A. (2015). Search for Event Rate Modulation in XENON100 Electronic Recoil Data. Phys. Rev. Lett., 115(9), 091302–6pp.
Abstract: We have searched for periodic variations of the electronic recoil event rate in the (2-6) keVenergy range recorded between February 2011 and March 2012 with the XENON100 detector, adding up to 224.6 live days in total. Following a detailed study to establish the stability of the detector and its background contributions during this run, we performed an unbinned profile likelihood analysis to identify any periodicity up to 500 days. We find a global significance of less than 1 sigma for all periods, suggesting no statistically significant modulation in the data. While the local significance for an annual modulation is 2.8 sigma, the analysis of a multiple-scatter control sample and the phase of the modulation disfavor a dark matter interpretation. The DAMA/LIBRA annual modulation interpreted as a dark matter signature with axial-vector coupling of weakly interacting massive particles to electrons is excluded at 4.8 sigma.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Ruiz Valls, P., & Sanchez Mayordomo, C. (2015). Observation of J/psi p Resonances Consistent with Pentaquark States in Lambda(0)(b) -> J/psi K(-)p Decays. Phys. Rev. Lett., 115(7), 072001–15pp.
Abstract: Observations of exotic structures in the J/psi p channel, which we refer to as charmonium-pentaquark states, in Lambda(0)(b) --> J/psi K(-)p decays are presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1) acquired with the LHCb detector from 7 and 8 TeV pp collisions. An amplitude analysis of the three-body final state reproduces the two-body mass and angular distributions. To obtain a satisfactory fit of the structures seen in the J/psi p mass spectrum, it is necessary to include two Breit-Wigner amplitudes that each describe a resonant state. The significance of each of these resonances is more than 9 standard deviations. One has a mass of 4380 +/- 8 +/- 29 MeV and a width of 205 +/- 18 +/- 86 MeV, while the second is narrower, with a mass of 4449.8 +/- 1.7 +/- 2.5 MeV and a width of 39 +/- 5 +/- 19 MeV. The preferred J(P) assignments are of opposite parity, with one state having spin 3/2 and the other 5/2.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Ruiz Valls, P., & Sanchez Mayordomo, C. (2015). Measurement of the Ratio of Branching Fractions B((B)over-bar(0) -> D-*(+)tau(-)(nu)over-bar(tau))/B((B)over-bar(0) -> D-*(+)mu(-)(nu)over-bar(mu)). Phys. Rev. Lett., 115(11), 111803–10pp.
Abstract: The branching fraction ratio R(D-*) = B((B) over bar (0) -> D-*(+)tau(-)(nu) over bar (tau))/B((B) over bar (0) -> D-*(+)mu(-)(nu) over bar (mu)) is measured using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The tau lepton is identified in the decay mode tau(-) -> mu(-)(nu) over bar (mu)nu(tau). The semitauonic decay is sensitive to contributions from non-standard-model particles that preferentially couple to the third generation of fermions, in particular, Higgs-like charged scalars. A multidimensional fit to kinematic distributions of the candidate (B) over bar (0) decays gives R(D-*) = 0.336 +/- 0.027(stat) +/- 0.030(syst). This result, which is the first measurement of this quantity at a hadron collider, is 2.1 standard deviations larger than the value expected from lepton universality in the standard model.
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ATLAS Collaboration(Aad, G. et al), Alvarez Piqueras, D., Cabrera Urban, S., Castillo Gimenez, V., Costa, M. J., Fernandez Martinez, P., et al. (2015). Search for Dark Matter in Events with Missing Transverse Momentum and a Higgs Boson Decaying to Two Photons in pp Collisions at root s=8 TeV with the ATLAS Detector. Phys. Rev. Lett., 115(13), 131801–19pp.
Abstract: Results of a search for new phenomena in events with large missing transverse momentum and a Higgs boson decaying to two photons are reported. Data from proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb(-1) have been collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The observed data are well described by the expected standard model backgrounds. Upper limits on the cross section of events with large missing transverse momentum and a Higgs boson candidate are also placed. Exclusion limits are presented for models of physics beyond the standard model featuring dark-matter candidates.
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LHCb Collaboration(Aaij, R. et al), Martinez-Vidal, F., Oyanguren, A., Ruiz Valls, P., & Sanchez Mayordomo, C. (2015). First Observation of Top Quark Production in the Forward Region. Phys. Rev. Lett., 115(11), 112001–10pp.
Abstract: Top quark production in the forward region in proton-proton collisions is observed for the first time. The W + b final state with W -> μnu is reconstructed using muons with a transverse momentum, p(T), larger than 25 GeV in the pseudorapidity range 2.0 < eta < 4.5. The b jets are required to have 50 < p(T) < 100 GeV and 2.2 < eta < 4.2, while the transverse component of the sum of the muon and b-jet momenta must satisfy p(T) > 20 GeV. The results are based on data corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1.0 and 2.0 fb(-1) collected at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV by LHCb. The inclusive top quark production cross sections in the fiducial region are sigma(top)[7 TeV] = 239 +/- 53(stat) +/- 33(syst) +/- 24(theory) fb; sigma(top)[8 TeV ] = 289 +/- 43(stat) +/- 40(syst) +/- 29(theory) fb: These results, along with the observed differential yields and charge asymmetries, are in agreement with next-to-leading order standard model predictions.
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