Measurements are presented of R_b, the ratio of the b bbar cross-section to the q qbar cross-section in e+e- collisions, and the forward-backward asymmetry A^b_FB at twelve energy points in the range ...sqrt(s) = 130-207 GeV. These results are found to be consistent with the Standard Model expectations. The measurements are used to set limits on new physics scenarios involving contact interactions.
Soft photons inside hadronic jets converted in front of the DELPHI main tracker (TPC) in events of qqbar disintegrations of the Z^0 were studied in the kinematic range 0.2 < E_gamma < 1 GeV and ...transverse momentum with respect to the closest jet direction p_T < 80 MeV/c. A clear excess of photons in the experimental data as compared to the Monte Carlo predictions is observed. This excess (uncorrected for the photon detection efficiency) is (1.17 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.27) x 10^{-3} gamma/jet in the specified kinematic region, while the expected level of the inner hadronic bremsstrahlung (which is not included in the Monte Carlo) is (0.340 +/- 0.001 +/- 0.038) x 10^{-3} gamma/jet. The ratio of the excess to the predicted bremsstrahlung rate is then (3.4 +/- 0.2 +/- 0.8), which is similar in strength to the anomalous soft photon signal observed in fixed target experiments with hadronic beams.
The charmed strange baryon Xi_c^0 was searched for in the decay channel Xi_c^0 -> Xi- pi+, and the beauty strange baryon Xi_b in the inclusive channel Xi_b -> Xi- l- anti-nu X, using the 3.5 million ...hadronic Z events collected by the DELPHI experiment in the years 1992--1995. The Xi- was reconstructed through the decay Xi- -> Lambda pi-, using a constrained fit method for cascade decays. An iterative discriminant analysis was used for the Xi_c^0 and Xi_b selection. The production rates were measured to be f_{Xi_c^0} x BR(Xi_c^0 -> Xi- pi+)= (4.7 +/- 1.4 (stat.) +/- 1.1 (syst.))10^{-4} per hadronic Z decay, and BR(b -> Xi_b) x BR(Xi_b -> Xi- l- X)= (3.0 +/- 1.0 (stat.) +/- 0.3 (syst.))10^{-4} for each lepton species (electron or muon). The lifetime of the Xi_b baryon was measured to be tau_{Xi_b} = 1.45{^{+0.55}_{-0.43}} (stat.) +/- 0.13 (syst.) ps. A combination with the previous DELPHI lifetime measurement gives tau_{Xi_b} = 1.48{^{+0.40}_{-0.31}} (stat.) +/- 0.12 (syst.) ps.
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