We present a novel method to measure precisely the relative spectral response of the fluorescence telescopes of the Pierre Auger Observatory. We used a portable light source based on a xenon flasher ...and a monochromator to measure the relative spectral efficiencies of eight telescopes in steps of 5 nm from 280 nm to 440 nm. Each point in a scan had approximately 2 nm FWHM out of the monochromator. Different sets of telescopes in the observatory have different optical components, and the eight telescopes measured represent two each of the four combinations of components represented in the observatory. We made an end-to-end measurement of the response from different combinations of optical components, and the monochromator setup allowed for more precise and complete measurements than our previous multi-wavelength calibrations. We find an overall uncertainty in the calibration of the spectral response of most of the telescopes of 1.5% for all wavelengths; the six oldest telescopes have larger overall uncertainties of about 2.2%. We also report changes in physics measurables due to the change in calibration, which are generally small.
► Analysis of data recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory. ► We search for groups of aligned events which exhibit a correlation between arrival direction and the inverse of the energy. ► We ...describe the largest multiplets found. ► There is no statistically significant evidence for the presence of multiplets arising from magnetic deflections.
We present the results of an analysis of data recorded at the Pierre Auger Observatory in which we search for groups of directionally-aligned events (or ‘multiplets’) which exhibit a correlation between arrival direction and the inverse of the energy. These signatures are expected from sets of events coming from the same source after having been deflected by intervening coherent magnetic fields. The observation of several events from the same source would open the possibility to accurately reconstruct the position of the source and also measure the integral of the component of the magnetic field orthogonal to the trajectory of the cosmic rays. We describe the largest multiplets found and compute the probability that they appeared by chance from an isotropic distribution. We find no statistically significant evidence for the presence of multiplets arising from magnetic deflections in the present data.
We extract the total width of the top quark, Γ(t), from the partial decay width Γ(t → Wb) measured using the t-channel cross section for single top-quark production and from the branching fraction ...B(t → Wb) measured in tt events using up to 2.3 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 Collaboration at the Tevatron pp Collider. The result is Γ(t) = 1.99(-0.55)(+0.69) GeV, which translates to a top-quark lifetime of τ(t) = (3.3(-0.9)(+1.3)) × 10(-25) s. Assuming a high mass fourth generation b' quark and unitarity of the four-generation quark-mixing matrix, we set the first upper limit on |V(tb')| < 0.63 at 95% C.L.
We report the results of a search for associated production of charginos and neutralinos using a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.3 fb−1 collected with the DØ experiment during ...Run II of the Tevatron proton–antiproton collider. Final states containing three charged leptons and missing transverse energy are probed for a signal from supersymmetry with four dedicated trilepton event selections. No evidence for a signal is observed, and we set limits on the product of production cross section and leptonic branching fraction. Within minimal supergravity, these limits translate into bounds on m0 and m1/2 that are well beyond existing limits.
We report on a search for charged massive long-lived particles (CMLLPs), based on 5.2 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp collider. We search ...for events in which one or more particles are reconstructed as muons but have speed and ionization energy loss (dE/dx) inconsistent with muons produced in beam collisions. CMLLPs are predicted in several theories of physics beyond the standard model. We exclude pair-produced long-lived gauginolike charginos below 267 GeV and Higgsino-like charginos below 217 GeV at 95% C.L., as well as long-lived scalar top quarks with mass below 285 GeV.
We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson and a fermiophobic Higgs boson in the diphoton final states based on 8.2 fb(-1) of pp collisions at sqrts=1.96 TeV collected with the D0 ...detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. No excess of data above background predictions is observed and upper limits at the 95% C.L. on the cross section multiplied by the branching fraction are set which are the most restrictive to date. A fermiophobic Higgs boson with a mass below 112.9 GeV is excluded at the 95% C.L.
The observation of ultrahigh energy neutrinos (UHEνs) has become a priority in experimental astroparticle physics. UHEνs can be detected with a variety of techniques. In particular, neutrinos can ...interact in the atmosphere (downward-going ν) or in the Earth crust (Earth-skimming ν), producing air showers that can be observed with arrays of detectors at the ground. With the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory we can detect these types of cascades. The distinguishing signature for neutrino events is the presence of very inclined showers produced close to the ground (i.e., after having traversed a large amount of atmosphere). In this work we review the procedure and criteria established to search for UHEνs in the data collected with the ground array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. This includes Earth-skimming as well as downward-going neutrinos. No neutrino candidates have been found, which allows us to place competitive limits to the diffuse flux of UHEνs in the EeV range and above.
We present a search for charged Higgs bosons in decays of top quarks, in the mass range $80 < m_{H^{\pm} < 155$ GeV, assuming the subsequent decay $H^{+} \to \tau^{+} \nu_\tau$ (and its charge ...conjugate). Using 0.9 fb$^{-1}$ of lepton+jets data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron $p\bar{p}$ collider, operating at a center of mass energy $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV, we find no evidence for a $H^{\pm}$ signal. Hence, we exclude branching ratios $B(t \to H^+b) > 0.24$ for $m_{H^{\pm}=80$ GeV, and $B(t \to H^+b) > 0.19$ for $m_{H^{\pm}=155$ GeV, at the 95% C.L.
We report the result of a search for the pair production of the lightest supersymmetric partner of the top quark (t˜1) in pp¯ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV at the Fermilab ...Tevatron collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb−1. The scalar top quarks are assumed to decay into a b quark, a charged lepton, and a scalar neutrino (ν˜), and the search is performed in the electron plus muon final state. No significant excess of events above the standard model prediction is detected, and substantially improved exclusion limits at the 95% C.L. are set in the the (Mt˜1, Mν˜) mass plane.
We report on a search for the pair production of second generation scalar leptoquarks (LQ) in pp¯ collisions at the center of mass energy s=1.96 TeV using a data set corresponding to an integrated ...luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 collected with the DØ experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Topologies arising from the LQLQ¯→μqνq and LQLQ¯→μqμq decay modes are investigated. No excess of data over the standard model prediction is observed and upper limits on the leptoquark pair production cross section are derived at the 95% C.L. as a function of the leptoquark mass and the branching fraction β for the decay LQ→μq. These are interpreted as lower limits on the leptoquark mass as a function of β. For β=1(0.5), scalar second generation leptoquarks with masses up to 316 GeV (270 GeV) are excluded.
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