L. Massonnet

Production of charmed particles in 250 GeV μ+-iron interactions

Abstract Dimuon and trimuon events produced by the interaction of 250 GeV muons in an iron target have been studied and are shown to originate predominantly from charm production. The data are used to measure the contribution of charm to the nucleon structure function F 2 . The cross sections for real photoproduction ( Q 2 =0) of charm in the current fragmentation region are derived as a function of photon energy and are found to be ∼0.6% of the total, hadronic photoproduction cross section in this energy range. The measured cross sections are found to be well represented by the photon-gluon fusion model. The charmed quark fragmentation function is obtained by using this model to fit the measured decay muon energy distribution and is found to be well represented by exp(1.6±1.6) Z . The data are used to study the momentum distribution of the gluons in the nucleon. An upper limit of 1.4% (90% confidence level) is set on the branching ratio D→ μν and a model-dependent upper limit on the branching ratio F→ μν is derived.

A large magnetic spectrometer system for high-energy muon physics

Abstract The European Muon Collaboration has built a large magnetic spectrometer system for deep inelastic muon scattering experiments at the CERN SPS muon beam. The general characteristics of the apparatus — composed of a target of either liquid hydrogen or deuterium, or iron plus scintillator, followed by a large magnet with wire chambers before and after it for precise angle and momentum measurement, a muon identifier, large trigger hodoscopes, and hadron identifiers — are explained and each part is described in some detail. The main features of the data-acquisition and apparatus-monitoring systems and of the off-line event reconstruction are given.

Production of charmonium in 250 GeV μ+-iron interactions

The production of J/ϑ and ϑ′ has been measured in 250 GeV muon iron interactions. The measured total cross sections are σ(μN → μJ/ϑX)=0.74±0.14 nb and σ(μN → μϑ′X)=0.16 ± 0.07 nb. An upper limit on the cross section times branching ratio for ϒ production of BR · σ (μN → μϒX) < 5.2 × 10−38 cm2 (at 90% confidence level) is obtained. About half the J/ϑ cross section is found to have Z ⩾ 0.95 (where Z=E(J/ϑ/ν). The first-order photon-gluon fusion model agrees well with the measured Q2 and ν dependence of the J/ϑ data and is used to extract the gluon momentum distribution. However, higher order QCD effects are needed to explain the Z distribution of the J/ϑ and the observed broadening of the Pt2 distribution with decreasing Z. The decay angular distributions of the J/ϑ are found to be flat in the s-channel frame, but there is evidence for polarisation in the t-channel frame.

Measurement of the proton structure function F2 in muon-hydrogen interactions at 120 and 280 GeV

Abstract The proton structure function F2 has been measured in the range 2.5 ⪕ Q 2 ⪕ 170 GeV 2 and 0.03 ⪕ x ⪕ 0.65 . Scaling violation is clearly seen in the data. Results of fits to leading-order QCD are presented, together with values of the scale-breaking parameter λ.

An experimental limit on the intrinsic charm component of the nucleon

Abstract Charm production has been studied through multimuon events produced in 250 GeV μ + -interactions. The measured dimuon cross section is in agreement with the photon gluon fusion model at low values of Bjorken x within statistical and systematic errors. At larger values of x Bi the data do not support the magnitude of intrinsic charm used to explain hadro-production of charm. Upper limits on the intrinsic charm content of the nucleon are derived from the data.

Transverse momentum of charged hadrons observed in deep inelastic muon scattering

Abstract The transverse momenta of charged hadrons produced in high energy muon-proton scattering have been studied. The average squared transverse momentum 〈 p 2 ⊥ 〉 shows a strong dependence on z = E h / v characteristic of intrinsic momentum effects and a significant rise as a function of s = W 2 . The W 2 , q 2 , x and z dependences of the data are compared with the predictions of a perturbative QCD model.

QCD analysis of the structure function F2 in muon nucleon scattering

Abstract A QCD analysis in leading and next to leading order of the structure function F 2 measured in deep inelastic muon nucleon scattering is presented. Taking into account several phenomenological uncertainties, including the gluon description and the charm contribution, fits to the data give values of the QCD scale parameter Λ LO in the range 7-–250 MeV. A consistent description of muon scattering and lower Q 2 electron scattering requires the presence of higher twist 1/ Q 2 contributions to the scale breaking which are then determined as a function of x from the data.

Hadron production in 200 gev mu -copper and mu -carbon deep inelastic interactions

Abstract The measurements of the z and p T 2 distribution of hadrons produced in the interactions of 200 GeV muons with copper and carbon nuclei are shown in different x Bj and virtual photon energy intervals. Effects of the jet scattering are seen at the lowest virtual photon energies while for energies above 70 GeV there is no evidence of these effects. Comparison with a theoretical model indicates that at high jet energies the parton fragmentation distance is greater than the nuclear radius and that the parton absorption cross section is less than 10 mb.

Measurement of the nucleon structure function F2 in muon-iron interactions at 120,250 and 280 GeV

Abstract A measurement of the nucleon structure function F 2 on iron is presented. The data cover a kinematic range of 3.25 ⪕ Q 2 ⪕ 200 GeV 2 and 0.05 ⪕ x ⪕ 0.65 . The data clearly show scaling violation. Fits in leading-order QCD have been made and values for the scale breaking parameter λ are given.

Forward produced protons and antiprotons in deep inelastic muon-proton scattering

Abstract A significant rate of forward proton and antiproton production has been observed in 120 and 280 GeV muon-proton scattering. The z and pT2 distributions are presented. The dependence of the normalized production cross section on the muon variables x and Q2 is studied.