Nuclear coherent versus incoherent effects in peripheral RHI collisions

We derive simple and physically transparent expressions for the contribution of the strong interaction to one-nucleon-removal processes in peripheral relativistic heavy-ion collisions. The coherent contribution, i.e., the excitation of a giant dipole resonance via meson exchange, is shown to be negligible as well as the interference between Coulomb and nuclear excitation. The incoherent nucleon-knockout contribution is also derived suggesting the nature of the nuclear interaction in this class of processes. We also justify the simple formulae used to fit the data of the E814 Collaboration. © 1995 Elseier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Glueballs in peripheral heavy-ion collisions

We estimate the cross-section for glueball production in peripheral heavy-ion collisions through two-photon and double-Pomeron exchange, at energies that will be available at RHIC and LHC. Glueballs will be produced at large rates, opening the possibility to study decays with very small branching ratios. In particular, we discuss the possibility of observing the subprocess γγ(PP) → G → γγ.

Inelasticity distributions in high-energy p-nucleus collisions

Inelasticity distributions in high-energy p-nucleus collisions are computed in the framework of the interacting gluon model, with the impact-parameter fluctuation included. A proper account of the peripheral events by this fluctuation has shown to be vital for the overall agreement with several reported data. The energy dependence is found to be weak.

Semiclassical approach to the three-body muon-transfer collisions

Muon-transfer rates in collisions of hydrogen-like atoms (pμ -) or (dμ -) with light nuclei t, 3He, 4He, 6Li or 7Li, are calculated in a semiclassical approximation to the Faddeev-Hahn equations. The two nuclei involved are treated classically, while the motion of the muon in their Coulomb field is considered from the quantum mechanical point of view. The experimentally observed strong dependence on the charge of the nuclei is reproduced.

Photon-photon and pomeron-pomeron processes in peripheral heavy ion collisions

We estimate the cross sections for the production of resonances, pion pairs, and a central cluster of hadrons in peripheral heavy-ion collisions through two-photon and double-pomeron exchange, at energies that will be available at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The effect of the impact parameter in the diffractive reactions is introduced, and by imposing the condition for realistic peripheral collisions we verify that in the case of very heavy ions the pomeron-pomeron contribution is indeed smaller than the electromagnetic one. However, they give a non-negligible background in the collision of light ions. This diffractive background will be more important at RHIC than at LHC.

Two-photon final states in peripheral heavy ion collisions

We discuss processes leading to two photon final states in peripheral heavy ion collisions at RHIC. Due to the large photon luminosity we show that the continuum subprocess γγ→ γγ can be observed with a large number of events. We study this reaction when it is intermediated by a resonance made of quarks or gluons and discuss its interplay with the continuum process, verifying that in several cases the resonant process overwhelms the continuum one. It also investigated the possibility of observing a scalar resonance (the σ meson) in this process. Assuming for the σ the mass and total decay width values recently reported by the E791 Collaboration we show that RHIC may detect this particle in its two photon decay mode if its partial photonic decay width is of the order of the ones discussed in the literature.

Search for the flavor-changing neutral current decay Bs 0 → μ+ μ- pp̄ Collisions at √s = 1.96 TeV with the DO Detector

We present the results of a search for the flavor-changing neutral current decay Bs 0 → μ+ μ-. using a data set with integrated luminosity of 240 pb-1 of pp̄ collisions at √s = 1.96 TeV collected with the D0 detector in run II of the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We find the upper limit on the branching fraction to be B(Bs 0 → μ+ π-) ≤ 5.0 × 10-7 at the 95% C.L. assuming no contributions from the decay Bd 0 → μ+ μ- in the signal region. This limit is the most stringent upper bound on the branching fraction Bs 0 → μ+ μ- to date. © 2005 The American Physical Society.

Measurement of the tt̄ production cross section in pp̄ collisions at √s = 1.96 TeV in dilepton final states

We present a measurement of the top quark pair (tt̄) production cross section in pp̄ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV using events with two charged leptons in the final state. This analysis utilizes an integrated luminosity of 224-243 pb-1 collected with the DØ detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We observe 13 events in the e+e -, eμ and μ+μ- channels with an expected background of 3.2±0.7 events. For a top quark mass of 175 GeV, we measure a tt̄ production cross section of σtt̄=8. 6-2.7 +3.2(stat)±1.1(syst)±0.6(lumi) pb, consistent with the standard model prediction. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Search for squarks and gluinos in events with jets and missing transverse energy in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s-=1.96 TeV

The results of a search for squarks and gluinos using data from p over(p, ̄) collisions recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV by the DØ detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider are reported. The topologies analyzed consist of acoplanar-jet and multijet events with large missing transverse energy. No evidence for the production of squarks or gluinos was found in a data sample of 310 pb-1. Lower limits of 325 and 241 GeV were derived at the 95% C.L. on the squark and gluino masses, respectively, within the framework of minimal supergravity with tan β = 3, A0 = 0, and μ < 0. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Search for associated Higgs boson production WH→WWW *→l±νl′±ν′+X in pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV

We present a search for associated Higgs boson production in the process pp̄→WH→WWW*→l±νl′±ν′ +X in final states containing two like-sign isolated electrons or muons (e±e±, e±μ±, or μ±μ±). The search is based on D0 run II data samples corresponding to integrated luminosities of 360-380pb-1. No excess is observed over the predicted standard model background. We set 95% C.L. upper limits on σ(pp̄→WH) ×Br(H→WW*) between 3.2 and 2.8 pb for Higgs boson masses from 115 to 175 GeV. © 2006 The American Physical Society.

Status and promise of particle interferometry in heavy-ion collisions

After five years of running at RHIC, and on the eve of the LHC heavy-ion program, we highlight the status of femtoscopic measurements. We emphasize the role interferometry plays in addressing fundamental questions about the state of matter created in such collisions, and present an enumerated list of measurements, analyses and calculations that are needed to advance the field in the coming years.

Z gamma production and limits on anomalous ZZ gamma and Z gamma gamma couplings in pp collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We present a study of eeγ and μμγ events using 1109 (1009) pb-1 of data in the electron (muon) channel, respectively. These data were collected with the DØ detector at the Fermilab Tevatron p over(p, ̄) collider at sqrt(s) = 1.96   TeV. Having observed 453 (515) candidates in the eeγ (μμγ) final state, we measure the Zγ production cross section for a photon with transverse energy ET > 7   GeV, separation between the photon and leptons Δ Rℓ γ > 0.7, and invariant mass of the di-lepton pair Mℓ ℓ > 30   GeV / c2, to be 4.96 ± 0.30 (stat . + syst .) ± 0.30 (lumi .)   pb, in agreement with the Standard Model prediction of 4.74 ± 0.22   pb. This is the most precise Zγ cross section measurement at a hadron collider. We set limits on anomalous trilinear Zγγ and ZZγ gauge boson couplings of - 0.085 < h30 γ < 0.084, - 0.0053 < h40 γ < 0.0054 and - 0.083 < h30 Z < 0.082, - 0.0053 < h40 Z < 0.0054 at the 95% C.L. for the form-factor scale Λ = 1.2   TeV.

Search for Randall-Sundrum gravitons with 1 fb(-1) of data from p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We search for decays of Kaluza-Klein excitations of the graviton in the Randall-Sundrum model of extra dimensions to e+e- and in 1 fb-1 of pp collisions at s=1.96 TeV collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. We set 95% confidence level upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction, which translate into lower limits on the mass of the lightest excitation between 300 and 900 GeV for values of the coupling k/M Pl between 0.01 and 0.1. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Search for scalar neutrino superpartners in e+mu final states in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We report a search for R-parity-violating production and decay of sneutrino particles in the eμ final state with 1.04±0.06fb-1 of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider in 2002-2006. Good agreement between the data and the standard model prediction is observed. With no evidence for new physics, we set limits on the R-parity-violating couplings λ311′ and λ312 as a function of the sneutrino mass. © 2008 The American Physical Society.

Measurement of the inclusive jet cross section in pp̄ collisions at s=1.96TeV

We report on a measurement of the inclusive jet cross section in pp̄ collisions at a center-of-mass energy s=1.96TeV using data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.70fb-1. The data cover jet transverse momenta from 50 to 600 GeV and jet rapidities in the range -2.4 to 2.4. Detailed studies of correlations between systematic uncertainties in transverse momentum and rapidity are presented, and the cross section measurements are found to be in good agreement with next-to-leading order QCD calculations. © 2008 The American Physical Society.