E. von Goeler

Design, construction, prototype tests and performance of a vertex chamber for the MAC detector☆

Abstract The design considerations, construction techniques, prototype tests and performance characteristics of a pressurized drift chamber used in the MAC detector at PEP are described. The chamber consists of 324 aluminized mylar tubes of 6.9 mm diameter with wall thickness of 100 μm. With appropriate shielding it operates successfully at 4.6 cm from the beam line. It was simple to construct and was configured to permit any malfunctioning tubes to be remotely disconnected without affecting operation. The chamber operated without problems for two years in the PEP environment with a gas mixture of 49.5% argon, 49.5% CO 2 , 1% CH 4 , at 4 atm absolute pressure. The mean spatial resolution averaged over all tubes was 45 μm. The time to distance relation for this gas mixture, along with the geometric positioning of individual wires relative to the central tracking chamber, was obtained with data from Bhabha scattering events. We also describe resolution studies performed with a prototype chamber in a SLAC test beam. A wide range of gases, gas pressures, and electronic parameters were explored. These studies proved that resolutions in the 10–50 μm range were possible. Our experience demonstrates that chambers of this type provide high precision tracking and are particularly suited for operation in regions with difficult physical access and/or high ambient radiation levels.

Results from a test of a PbCu liquid argon calorimeter

Abstract Results from a test with a lead-copper calorimeter in liquid argon are presented. The electromagnetic energy resolution obtained is 10%/√E. For hadronic showers the software weighting technique is demonstrated to work. A hadronic energy resolution of 50%/√E is found.

Additional evidence for B0B̄0 mixing

Abstract The rate of like-charge dimuons has been measured with the MAC detector in hardonic events produced in e + e − annihilation at √ s =29 GeV. If the observed excess is attributed to B 0 B 0 mixing, the corresponding value of the mixing parameter χ = Γ (B→ μ − X)/ Γ (B→ μ ± X) is χ =0.21 +0.29 −0.15 and χ >0.02 at 90% CL.

Performance of a PbCu liquid argon calorimeter with an iron streamer tube tail catcher

A lead-copper calorimeter in liquid argon and an iron streamer tube calorimeter acting as a tail catcher have been tested with pions in the energy range of 30–230 GeV. Results are given on the energy resolution, on sampling fluctuations and on the space resolution of the liquid argon calorimeter. For the combined system an energy resolution of σE ≈ 0.5√E is obtained applying software weighting techniques and corrections for the dead material between the two calorimeters on an event to event basis. The remaining tails in the energy distributions are discussed.

Measurements of tau decays to three pions

Abstract We reports the result of a study of a tau decays with three pions in the final state (τ±→π±π+π−υτ and τ ±→π±π0π0υτ) from data accumulated with the MAC detector operating at the PEP storage ring. The branching fractions for these modes are measured to be 0.070±0.003±0.007 and, with assumptions discussed in the text, 0.087±0.004±0.011, respectively. Assuming that these final states result from the decay of the a1 meson, we measure the resonant parameters of the a1 with the three charged pion sample to be ma1=1166±18±11 MeV and γa1=405±75±25 MeV, and with the one charged plus two neutral pions sample to be ma1=1164±41±23 MeV and γa1=419±108±57 MeV.

Upper limit on the prompt muon flux derived from the LVD underground experiment

We present the analysis of the muon events with all muon multiplicities collected during 21804 hours of operation of the first LVD tower. The measured depth-angular distribution of muon intensities has been used to obtain the normalization factor, A, the power index, gamma, of the primary all-nucleon spectrum and the ratio, R_c, of prompt muon flux to that of pi-mesons - the main parameters which determine the spectrum of cosmic ray muons at the sea level. The value of gamma = 2.77 +/- 0.05 (68% C.L.) and R_c<2.0 x 10^-3 (95% C.L.) have been obtained. The upper limit to the prompt muon flux favours the models of charm production based on QGSM and the dual parton model.

A measurement of the e+e−→bb forward-backward charge asymmetry at √s=29 GeV☆

Abstract High p ⊥ inclusive muon events produced in e + e − annihilations at √ s =29 GeV have been analyzed to obtain a measurement of the b b forward-backward charge asymmetry. The result A b =0.034±0.070±0.035 differs from the theoretical expectation (−0.16) unless substantial B 0  B 0 mixing is assumed.

Tests of Cathode Strip Chamber Prototypes

Abstract We report on the results of testing two six-layer 0.6 × 0.6 m 2 cathode strip chamber (CSC) prototypes in a muon beam at CERN. The prototypes were designed to simulate sections of the end-cap muon system of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detector which will be installed at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We measured the spatial and time resolutions of each chamber for different gains, different orientations with respect to the beam direction and different strength magnetic fields. The single-layer spatial resolution of a prototype with a strip pitch of 15.88 mm ranged from 78 to 468 μm, depending on whether the particle passed between two cathode strips or through the center of a strip; its six-layer resolution was found to be 44 μm. The single-layer spatial resolution of a prototype with a strip pitch of 6.35 mm ranged from 54 to 66 μm; its six-layer resolution was found to be 23 μm. The efficiency for collecting an anode wire signal from one of six layers within a 20 ns time window appropriate for the LHC was found to be greater than 95% in normal running conditions.

Nonflammable gas mixtures for streamer tubes

Abstract Tests with streamer tubes of small cross section (Frascati type) were performed using gas mixtures of isobutane, CO 2 , and small amounts of either Ne or Ar. The flammabilities of the various mixtures were experimentally determined. The operating characteristics of the streamer tubes with such mixtures were studied. It was found that the nonflammable mixture whose isobutane: Ne: CO 2 ratio is 10:2:88 gave an efficiency plateau of about 400 V with a midpoint at 4.9 kV.

Dimuon production by protons in Tungsten

The mass spectrum of dimuons produced by 400 GeV/c protons in Tungsten has been measured for masses greater than 7 GeV. A clear resonant signal of 2700 upsilons has been seen. The dependence of dimuon production on xF and pT has been determined for dimuon masses in the range 7.0 to 8.25 GeV as well as for masses in the upsilon region 8.25 to 9.75 GeV.