Search

The decay rates of K L → 2γ and K S → 2γ have been measured at the CERN SPS. The results are Γ (K L →2 γ )/ χ (K L →2 π 0 )=0.632±0.004±0.008 and Γ (K S →2 γ )/ Γ (K L →2 γ )=2.3 ±1.0±0.4. This is the first observation of K S →2γ decays.

At the Bonn 2.5 GeV electron synchrotron we have measured the differential cross section of the reaction γp→π0p at a pion CM angle of 170° and at photon energiesKγ between 0.6 and 1.8 GeV. In comparison to previous measurements the accuracy of the data was improved substantially. For the first time in neutral pion photoproduction a cusp structure at the η-threshold has been confirmed [1].

At the Bonn 2.5 GeV synchrotron the polarization of the Λ0 was measured at 40° and 90° for three energies. The kaon was detected with a strong focussing magnetic spectrometer and separated from other particles with the help of a differential liquid Cerenkov counter. The polarization was determined by means of the angular distribution of the decay proton which was measured with a combination of sonic spark chambers and a scintillation counter hodoscope. The typical statistical errors are about 13%. The systematic errors add up to 8%.

Studying the reaction γ d → pp π − , a narrow resonance structure in the pp invariant mass distribution has been observed at 2014 ± 2 MeV/ c 2 with a statistical significance of 4.7 standard deviations. Using a bremsstrahlung photon beam ( k 0 = 520 MeV), the kinematics of the reaction were completely determined by detecting both outgoing protons in two large solid angle time-of-flight spectrometers. By accepting only proton momenta greater than ∼300 MeV/ c , the predominant contribution from quasi-free pion production was suppressed.

At the Bonn 2.5 GeV electron synchrotron the angular distribution of the target asymmetry T = (σ↑ − σ↓) (σ↑ + σ↓) for the reaction γp↑ → π+n was measured at a mean photon energy of 700 MeV and pion CM-angles from 50° to 155°. The combination of a 3He-cryostat, polarizing the free protons in the target up to 65%, with a large acceptance magnet for pion detection led to statistical errors of the target asymmetry comparable with those of cross section measurements.

The target asymmetry for the reaction γp → K+Λ0 was measured at the Bonn 2.5 GeV synchroton. Data were taken at a fixed kaon c.m. angle of 90° and at photon energies between 1.1 and 1.3 GeV. The kaons were detected in a large aperture magnetic spectrometer.

The reaction γ d → pp π − has been studied in order to investigate whether dibaryon resonances contribute to the cross section in the invariant mass region from 2.16 to 2.32 GeV/ c 2 . Using a bremsstrahlung photon beam we have determined the invariant mass M ppπ by detecting both outgoing protons in large solid angle TOF spectrometers, thus achieving a statistical accuracy of 1 to 2% per 2.5 MeV/ c 2 bin, a mean invariant mass resolution of 4.4 MeV/ c 2 (σ) and a smooth M ppπ acceptance. Despite the resulting high resonance sensitivity no evidence for a dibaryon resonance in the M ppπ distribution was found. Assuming an isotropic phase space decay we estimate the upper limit for the dibaryon resonance cross section to be 1μb for masses around 2.23 GeV/ c 2 and resonance widths between 5 and 40 GeV/ c 2 .

A search for the decay KL→π0e+e− has been performed at the CERN SPS. One candidate event has been found, compatible with an expected background of 1.5 events. The corresponding upper limit for the branching ration is Γ(KL→π0e+e−)Γ(KL → all)

A polarized neutron target was used at the Bonn 2.5 GeV Synchrotron to measure the target asymmetry for the reaction γ n↑→ π − p at a fixed photon energy of 700 MeV and pion c.m. angles between 50° and 140°. The pions were detected in a large aperture magnetic spectrometer. The data show a structure which is quite different from the distribution previously measured for the reaction γ p↑→ π + n.

The differential cross section of the reactionγ+p→π+ was measured at pion CM-angles of 20° and 30° for photon energies between 500 MeV and 1,400 MeV. The pions were detected in a magnetic spectrometer. By measuring each pion trajectory and by offline calculation of the initial pion parameters an energy resolution of about 2.5% FWHM was achieved. The results complete a set of data which were measured in recent years at the Bonn 2.5 GeV synchrotron. In comparison to photoproduction analyses two effects were revealed: The η cusp appears in the energy dependence of the cross section as a sharp drop atKγ=710 MeV. In the region of the third resonance the data show a greater enhancement than predicted by most of the analyses.

Since CP violation was first observed in the decay of the long-lived neutral kaon into two pions [1], it remains one of the enigmas in particle physics. Whilst CP violation is manifest in neutral kaon decays, the search for CP-violating effects has elsewhere been unsuccessful. In the phenomenology of CP violation in the neutral kaon system [2], the short- and long-lived mass eigenstates are usually defined in terms of the CP eigenstates K1 (CP = + 1) and K2 (CP = - 1) as Ks ≈ K1 + ?K2 and KL ≈ K2 + ?K1. The parameter ? describes CP violation induced by kaon state-mixing. Direct CP violation may also occur in the decay of K2 into two pions with a relative amplitude ?′, which is non-zero in the case of a phase difference between the amplitudes A0 and A2 for the decay into isospin O and 2 states of two pions. Before the present measurement, all experimental results were compatible with ? = 2.27 × 10-3 exp (i 43.70) and with the Superweak Model [3], in which state-mixing is the only source of CP violation and ?′ = 0. In the Standard Model with six weakly interacting quarks [4], direct CP violation as well as state-mixing is introduced by transitions via heavy-quark intermediate states. Based on this, a small, but non-zero, value of ?′ is predicted [5]. To a good approximation, ?′ /? is related to the double ratio R of the relative decay rates of the long- and short-lived neutral kaons into two neutral and two charged pions as Re (?′/?) = 1/6 × (1 - R).

Measurements of the target asymmetry T = ( σ ↑ − σ ↓)/( σ ↑ + σ ↓) for the reactions γ p → π + n and γ n → π − p at a fixed photon energy of 850 MeV and pion c.m. angles between 70° and 150° are reported. The data are compared to the previously measured angular distribution at 700 MeV.

We have searched for the sequence of decays K L 0 → π 0 H 0 and H 0 →e + e − at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS), and have allowed for a non-zero H 0 lifetime. Three candidates have been seen, consistent with an expected background of 3.3. Limits on the branching ratio product in the range 10 −8 –10 −7 are presented as a function of the mass and lifetime of the H 0 . These can be used to restrict the neutral Higgs of the minimal standard model.

The K0 beam and detector used for a high-precision measurement of the CP-violation parameter ϵ′ at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) are described. The beam provides KL and KS alternately through a common decay region. The detection of the decays is based on wire chambers and calorimeters without employing a magnet. The trigger and readout system achieve a high selectively for the suppressed, CP-violating, two-pion decays of the KL by incorporation of hard-wired processors. The readout is based on Fastbus for maximum data rates.

At the Bonn 2.5.GeV electron synchrotron the target asymmetry for the photoproduction of positive pions has been measured. Data were taken at photon energies between 0.7 and 2.2 GeV and a pion CM-angle of 65°.