M. Corcoran

Search for the decay

Abstract Data collected in Fermilab experiment E731 was used to perform the first search for the decay K L →π 0 ν ν . This decay is dominated by short distance effects and is almost entirely direct CP violating within the standard model. Cuts were developed to reject the background processes Λ→nπ0 and KL→π+e−γν. No candidate events were seen. We find BR (K L →π 0 ν ν ) −4 at the 90% confidence level.We report on a search for the rare decay K_L -> pi^0 nu nubar in the KTeV experiment at Fermilab. We searched for two-photon events whose kinematics were consistent with an isolated pi^0 coming from the decay K_L -> pi^0 nu nubar. One candidate event was observed, which was consistent with the expected level of background. An upper limit on the branching ratio was determined to be B(K_L -> pi^0 nu nubar) < 1.6E-6 at the 90% confidence level.We report on a search for the rare decay K_L -> pi^0 nu nubar in the KTeV experiment at Fermilab. We searched for two-photon events whose kinematics were consistent with an isolated pi^0 coming from the decay K_L -> pi^0 nu nubar. One candidate event was observed, which was consistent with the expected level of background. An upper limit on the branching ratio was determined to be B(K_L -> pi^0 nu nubar) < 1.6E-6 at the 90% confidence level.

Analyzing power in inclusive π+ and π− production at high xF with a 200 GeV polarized proton beam☆

The analyzing power in inclusive charged pion production has been measured using the 200 GeV Fermilab polarized proton beam. A striking dependence in x(F) is observed in which A(N) increases from 0 to 0.42 with increasing x(F) for the pi+ data and decreases from 0 to -0.38 with increasing x(F) for pi- data. The kinematic range covered is 0.2 less-than-or-equal-to x(F) less-than-or-equal-to 0.9 and 0.2 less-than-or-equal-to p(T) 2.0 GeV/c. In a simple model our data indicate that at large x(F) the transverse spin of the proton is correlated with that of its quark constituents.

Measurements of direct CP violation, CPT symmetry, and other parameters in the neutral kaon system

The authors present precision measurements of the direct CP violation parameter, Re({epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon}), the kaon parameters, {Delta}m and {tau}{sub S}, and the CPT tests, {phi}{sub {+-}} and {Delta}{phi}, in neutral kaon decays. These results are based on the full dataset collected by the KTeV experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory during 1996, 1997, and 1999. This dataset contains {approx} 15 million K {yields} {pi}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0} decays and {approx} 69 million K {yields} {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} decays. They describe significant improvements to the precision of these measurements relative to previous KTeV analyses. They find Re({epsilon}{prime}/{epsilon}) = [19.2 {+-} 1.1(stat) {+-} 1.8(syst)] x 10{sup -4}, {Delta}m = (5265 {+-} 10) x 10{sup 6} hs{sup -1}, and {tau}{sub S} = (89.62 {+-} 0.05) x 10{sup -12} s. They measure {phi}{sub {+-}} = (44.09 {+-} 1.00){sup o} and {Delta}{phi} = (0.29 {+-} 0.31){sup o}; these results are consistent with CPT symmetry.

A determination of the cabibbo-kobayashi-maskawa parameter |VUS| using KL decays

We present a determination of the CKM parameter |Vus| based on new measurements of the six largest KL branching fractions and semileptonic form factors by the KTeV (E832) experiment at Fermilab. We find |Vus| = 0.2252 +- 0.0008(KTeV) +- 0.0021(ext), where the errors are from KTeV measurements and from external sources. We also use the measured branching fractions to determine the CP violation parameter |eta+-| = [2.228 +- 0.005(KTeV) +- 0.009(ext)]E-3.

Large-xF spin asymmetry inπ0 production by 200-GeV polarized protons

The spin asymmetryAN for inclusive π0 production by 200-GeV transversely-polarized protons on a liquid hydrogen target has been measured at Fermilab over a wide range ofxF, with 0.5<pT<2 GeV/c. AtxF>0.3, the asymmetry rises with increasingxF and reaches a value ofAN=0.15±0.03 in the region 0.6<xF<0.8. This result provides new input regarding the question of the internal spin structure of transversely-polarized protons.

The design and performance of the FNAL high-energy polarized beam facility

We describe a new polarized-proton and -antiproton beam with 185-GeV/c momentum in the Fermilab MP beam line which is currently operational. The design uses the parity-conserving decay of lambda and antilambda hyperons to produce polarized protons and antiprotons, respectively. A beam-transport system minimizes depolarization effects and uses a set of 12 dipole magnets that rotate the beam-particle spin direction. A beam-tagging system determines the momentum and polarization of individual beam particles, allowing a selection of particles in definite intervals at momentum and polarization. We measured polarization of the beam by using two types of polarimeters, which verified the determination of polarization by a beam-particle tagging system. Two of these processes are the inverse-Primakoff effect and the Coulomb-nuclear interference (CNI) in elastic proton-proton scattering. Another experiment measured the {pi}{sup 0} production asymmetry of large-x{sub F} values; this process may now be used as an on-line beam polarimeter. 9 refs., 9 figs.

Measurements of K(L) branching fractions and the CP violation parameter |eta+-|

We present new measurements of the six largest branching fractions of the KL using data collected in 1997 by the KTeV experiment (E832) at Fermilab. The results are B(KL -> pi e nu) = 0.4067 +- 0.0011 B(KL -> pi mu nu) = 0.2701 +- 0.0009 B(KL -> pi+ pi- pi0) = 0.1252 +- 0.0007 B(KL -> pi0 pi0 pi0) = 0.1945 +- 0.0018 B(KL -> pi+ pi-) = (1.975 +- 0.012)E-3, and B(KL -> pi0 pi0) = (0.865 +- 0.010)E-3, where statistical and systematic errors have been summed in quadrature. We also determine the CP violation parameter |eta+-| to be (2.228 +- 0.010)E-3. Several of these results are not in good agreement with averages of previous measurements.

Determination of the Parity of the Neutral Pion via Its Four-Electron Decay

We present a new determination of the parity of the neutral pion via the double Dalitz decay pi0-->e+e-e+e-. Our sample, which consists of 30,511 candidate decays, was collected from KL-->pi0pi0pi0 decays in flight at the KTeV-E799 experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. We confirm the negative pi0 parity and place a limit on scalar contributions to the pi0-->e+e-e+e- decay amplitude of less than 3.3% assuming CPT conservation. The pi0gamma*gamma* form factor is well described by a momentum-dependent model with a slope parameter fit to the final state phase-space distribution. Additionally, we have measured the branching ratio of this mode to be B(pi0-->e+e-e+e-)=(3.26+/-0.18)x10(-5).

Detailed study of the KL→π0π0π0 Dalitz plot

Using a sample of 68 million KL -> 3pi0 decays collected in 1996-1999 by the KTeV (E832) experiment at Fermilab, we present a detailed study of the KL -> 3pi0 Dalitz plot density. We report the first observation of interference from KL->pi+pi-pi0 decays in which pi+pi- rescatters to 2pi0 in a final-state interaction. This rescattering effect is described by the Cabibbo-Isidori model, and it depends on the difference in pion scattering lengths between the isospin I=0 and I=2 states, a0-a2. Using the Cabibbo-Isidori model, we present the first measurement of the KL-> 3pi0 quadratic slope parameter that accounts for the rescattering effect.

Search for the decay KL → π0e+e-

We report on a search for the decay Kl -> pi0 e+ e- carried out by the KTeV/E799 experiment at Fermilab. This decay is expected to have a significant CP violating contribution and the measurement of its branching ratio could support the CKM mechanism for CP violation or could point to new physics. Two events were observed in the 1997 data with an expected background of 1.06 +-0.41 events, and we set an upper limit Br(Kl -> pi0 e+ e-) < 5.1 x 10^-10 at the 90% confidence level.