25,894 research outputs found
Search for the Standard Model Higgs Boson at LEP
No full textThe four LEP collaborations, ALEPH, DELPHI, L3 and OPAL, have collected a total of 2461 pb-1 of e+e- collision data at centre-of-mass energies between 189 and 209 GeV. The data are used to search for the Standard Model Higgs boson. The search results of the four collaborations are combined and examined in a likelihood test for their consistency with two hypotheses: the background hypothesis and the signal plus background hypothesis. The corresponding confidences have been computed as functions of the hypothetical Higgs boson mass. A lower bound of 114.4 GeV/c2 is established, at the 95% confidence level, on the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson. The LEP data are also used to set upper bounds on the HZZ coupling for various assumptions concerning the decay of the Higgs boson
Measurement of alpha(s) with radiative hadronic events.
No full textHadronic final states with a hard isolated photon are studied using data taken at centre-of-mass energies around the mass of the Z boson with the OPAL detector at LEP. The strong coupling alpha(s) is extracted by comparing data and QCD predictions for event shape observables at average reduced centre-of-mass energies ranging from 24 GeV to 78 GeV, and the energy dependence of alpha(s) is studied. Our results are consistent with the running of alpha(s) as predicted by QCD and show that within the uncertainties of our analysis event shapes in hadronic Z decays with hard and isolated photon radiation can be described by QCD at reduced centre-of-mass energies. Combining all values from different event shape observables and energies gives alpha(s)(M-Z)=0.1182 +/- 0.0015(stat.)+/- 0.0101(syst.)
Measurement of the hadronic photon structure function F_{2}^{γ} at LEP2
No full textThe hadronic structure function of the photon F_{2}^{γ} (x, Q²) is measured as a function of Bjorken x and of the photon virtuality Q² using deep-inelastic scattering data taken by the OPAL detector at LEP at e⁺e⁻ centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV. Previous OPAL measurements of the x dependence of F_{2}^{γ} are extended to an average Q² of 〈Q²〉=780 GeV² using data in the kinematic range 0.15<x<0.98. The Q² evolution of F_{2}^{γ} is studied for 12.1<〈Q²〉<780 GeV² using three ranges of x. As predicted by QCD, the data show positive scaling violations in F_{2}^{γ} with F_{2}^{γ} (Q²)/α = (0.08±0.02⁺⁰·⁰⁵_₀.₀₃) + (0.13±0.01⁺⁰·⁰¹_₀.₀₁) lnQ², where Q² is in GeV², for the central x region 0.10–0.60. Several parameterisations of F_{2}^{γ} are in qualitative agreement with the measurements whereas the quark-parton model prediction fails to describe the data
Search for the Standard Model Higgs Boson with the OPAL Detector at LEP
No full textThis paper summarises the search for the Standard Model Higgs boson in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies up to 209 GeV performed by the OPAL Collaboration at LEP. The consistency of the data with the background hypothesis and various Higgs boson mass hypotheses is examined. No indication of a signal is found in the data and a lower bound of 112.7GeV/C^2 is obtained on the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson at the 95% CL
A study of charm and anti-charm production in beauty decays with the OPAL detector at LEP
No full textSearch for Dirac magnetic monopoles in <tex>e^{+}e^{-}$</tex> collisions with the OPAL detector at LEP2
No full textAbstract: This Letter describes a direct search for pair produced magnetic monopoles in e+e 12 collisions. The analysis is based on 62.7 pb 121 of data collected with the OPAL detector at an average centre-of-mass energy of . The monopole signal was assumed to be characterized by two back-to-back particles with an anomalously high ionization energy loss dE/dx in the tracking chambers. No evidence for production of monopoles was observed. Upper limits were obtained on the magnetic monopole pair-production cross-section (\uf3) in the mass range 45 GeV/c2<mM<102 GeV/c2. The average limit is \uf3<0.05 pb and is essentially independent of the magnetic monopole mass. The cross-section limit is derived at the 95% confidence level and is valid for spin-1/2 magnetic monopoles
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