G. Barbiellini

Small-angle proton-proton elastic scattering at very high energies (460 GeV2 < s < 2900 GeV2)☆

Abstract We have investigated the above processes at the CERN Intersecting Storage Rings (ISR). Results show a marked change of the slope parameter b ( t , s ) = (d/d t ) ln (d σ /d t ) around − t ≈ 0.10 GeV 2 . The s − and t − dependence of b ( t , s ) have been observed over the interval 460 GeV 2 s 2 and 0.02 GeV 2 t 2 .

A precise determination of the electroweak mixing angle from semi-leptonic neutrino scattering

Abstract The cross section ratio of neutral-current and charged-current semi-leptonic interactions of muon-neutrinos on isoscalar nuclei has been measured with the result: R v =0.3093±0.0031 for hadronic energy larger than 4 GeV. From this ratio, the electroweak mixing angle is determined to be sin 2 θ w =0.236+0.012( m c −1.5)±0.005 (exp.)±0.003 (theor.), where m c is the charm-quark mass in GeV/ c 2 .

A search for decays of heavy neutrinos in the mass range 0.5–2.8 GeV

A search for decays of heavy neutrinos was conducted by the CHARM Collaboration in a prompt neutrino beam produced by dumping 400 GeV protons in a Cu target, and in the CERN wide-band neutrino beam produced by 400 GeV primary protons. No candidate event was found. In the beam-dump experiment heavy neutrinos have been assumed to be produced by mixing in charmed D meson decays. Neutrinos decaying into e+e−ve, μ+e−vμ, and μ+μ−vμ were searched for. Limits of |Uei|2, |Uμi|2 < 10−7 were obtained for neutrino masses around 1.5 GeV. In the wide-band experiment heavy neutrinos were assumed to be produced by neutral-current neutrino interactions in the CHARM calorimeter. Here a search was made for neutrinos decaying into a μ and hadrons. This experiment is sensitive to decays of neutrinos with mass in the range 0.5–2.8 GeV with limits of |Uμi|2 < 3 × 10−4 for masses around 2.5 GeV. These measurements extend our previous results in the mass range 10–400 MeV.

A detector for neutral-current interactions of high-energy neutrinod

Abstract The construction and performance of a large detector, designed principally to investigate neutral-current interactions of high-energy neutrinos, are described. The detector consists of an ionization calorimeter as a target to determine the energy and the direction of the shower produced by the neutrino scattering, and of a magnetic muon spectrometer. The calorimeter has also been used as a muon polarimeter.

A Precise Determination of the Electroweak Mixing Angle from Semileptonic Neutrino Scattering

The cross-section ratio of neutral-current and charged-current semileptonic interactions of muon-neutrinos on isoscalar nuclei has been measured with the result:Rv=0.3093±0.0031 for hadronic energy larger than 4 GeV. From this ratio we determined the electroweak mixing angle sin2θW, wheremc is the charm-quark mass in GeV/c2. Comparison with direct measurements ofmw andmz determines the radiative shift of the intermediate boson mass Δr=0.077±0.025(exp.)±0.038(syst.), in agreement with the prediction. Assuming the validity of the electroweak standard theory we determined ϱ=0.990−0.013(mc−1.5)±0.009(exp.)±0.003(theor.).

A search for decays of heavy neutrinos

Abstract A search for heavy neutrinos was conducted in the neutrino beam produced by the 400 GeV proton beam-dump and in the 400 GeV wide-band neutrino beam at CERN. A heavy neutrino associated with the τ lepton was searched for in the beam-dump experiment. No assumption on the nature of heavy neutrinos was made in the wide-band beam experiment. A search was made for neutrinos decaying into two electrons and a light neutrino. Since no events were observed, an upper limit on the neutrino mixing angles as a function of the neutrino mass is derived. The beam-dump experiment is sensitive to a neutrino mass range of 10–250 MeV and an upper limit at 90% confidende level on the square of the neutrino mixing angle of θ10 −10 was obtained for neutrino masses greater than 180 MeV. The wide-band neutrino experiment is sensitive to neutrinos with a mass in a larger range (10–490 MeV), and for masses greater than 250 MeV yields an upper limit on the square of the neutrino mixing angle of θ10 −6 .

Experimental study of neutral-current and charged-current neutrino cross sections

Abstract Samples of 9200 muon-neutrino and 3800 muon-antineutrino interactions on nuclei were obtained with the fine-grain calorimeter of the CHARM Collaboration at the CERN 200 GeV narrow-band neutrino beam. The interactions were classified as either neutral-current or charged-current processes on an event-by-event basis. Neutral-current and charged-current cross sections in neutrino and antineutrino interactions are presented. From these results we deduce a statistically significant contribution of right-handed coupling to the neutral hadronic current, and a value of the electroweak mixing angle corresponding to sin 2 θ = 0.220 ± 0.014.

Search for axion-like particle production in 400 GeV proton-copper interactions

Abstract A search for axion-like particles was performed at the 400 GeV proton beam-dump experiment at CERN. Exploring an empty decay region of 35 m length and 9 m 2 cross section, we searched for decays of neutral and penetrating scalar particles into a pair of photons, electrons or muons. No evidence for the existence for such particles was found in this experiment. Limits are quoted as a function of the mass and of the model independent decay constant of axions.

Experimental study of the nucleon structure functions and of the gluon distribution from charged-current neutrino and antineutrino interactions

Abstract Inclusive neutrino and antineutrino charged current interactions were studied in the CHARM detector exposed to neutrino and antineutrino Wide Band Beams of the CERN 400 GeV SPS. The x and Q2 dependence of the structure functions F2 and xF3 and of the antiquark momentum distribution q were determined. The data have been interpreted in terms of QCD theory using the Furmanski-Petronzio method. In this way we have determined ΛLO = [190−40+70 (stat) ± 70 (syst.)] MeV and the structure functions of quarks and gluons without specific assumptions on their analytic dependence. The results agree with previous experiments which relied on model assumptions in the analysis. We conclude that the model independent simultaneous analysis of the xF3, F2, q structure functions gives a more reliable determination of the gluon distribution in the nucleon.

Observation of small angle proton proton elastic scattering at 30 gev and 45 gev center-of-mass energies

Abstract Small angle elastic scattering events have been observed at the CERN Intersecting Storage Rings. Directions of both particles as well as the collision vertex are reconstructed with the help of four sets of spark chambers, two for each of the two arms. The elastic nature of the events is demonstrated by a collinearity requirement. We find values for the (diffraction) slope parameter in disagreement with the simple linear extrapolation of lower energy (Surpukov) data.