Hadroproduction of D* going to (kaon,pion)pion

A study of the decay D*$\sp+$ $\to$ (K$\sp-$ π\sp+) π\sp+ (and charge conjugate) has been performed based on data taken from n-nucleus collisions by the experiment E400 at the Proton East area of FNAL. A signal was observed at the 3.3σ level that behaves properly under lifetime cuts. A method for determining the acceptance due to spectrometer geometry and analysis cuts was developed with the intention of making the acceptance as independent as possible of biases resulting from the production model chosen for the Monte Carlo studies that determined the acceptance. The acceptance was parameterized in two different ways chosen so that inconsistencies would expose any remaining model dependence. The cross-sections resulting from these two parameterizations were consistent and the average of the two is \Deltaσ $\cdot$ Br = 2.36 $\pm$.72 (statistical) $\pm$ 1.18 (systematic) over the range $-$.02 $<$ x$\sb{F}$ $<$.3. A comparison is made between this cross-section and the cross-section found for the decay D* $\to$ (K$\sp+$ K$\sp-$) π, also measured by E400, over the more limited range 0. $<$ x$\sb{F}$ $<$.14 and the two values are found to be statistically consistent. The cross-section from D* $\to$ (K π) π is compared to cross-sections determined by LEBC, an experiment also using a hadron beam of energy similar to E400, with considerable disagreement although no explicit explanation is readily available. Both experiments, as well as many others, measure cross-sections that are considerably larger than lowest order QCD calculations.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Kroc, Thomas Knight

Contributors dc:contributor

• Wiss, J.E.

• Physics, Elementary Particles and High Energy

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1989 Kroc, Thomas Knight

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI8924867
(UMI)AAI8924867

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/22899