Determination of the strong coupling constant α s ( m Z ) in next-to-next-to-leading order QCD using H1 jet cross section measurements: H1 Collaboration

The strong coupling constant α s is determined from inclusive jet and dijet cross sections in neutral-current deep-inelastic ep scattering (DIS) measured at HERA by the H1 collaboration using next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD predictions. The dependence of the NNLO predictions and of the resulting value ofα s ( m Z ) at the Z-boson mass m Z are studied as a function of the choice of the renormalisation and factorisation scales. Using inclusive jet and dijet data together, the strong coupling constant is determined to beα s ( m Z ) = 0.1157 ( 20 ) exp ( 29 ) th . Complementary,α s ( m Z ) is determined together with parton distribution functions of the proton (PDFs) from jet and inclusive DIS data measured by the H1 experiment. The valueα s ( m Z ) = 0.1142 ( 28 ) tot obtained is consistent with the determination from jet data alone. The impact of the jet data on the PDFs is studied. The running of the strong coupling is tested at different values of the renormalisation scale and the results are found to be in agreement with expectations.

High statistics measurement of the K+-->pi0e+nu (K+e3) branching ratio

E865 at the Brookhaven National Laboratory AGS collected about 70 000 K(+)(e3) events to measure the K(+)(e3) branching ratio relative to the observed K+-->pi(+)pi(0), K+-->pi(0)micro(+)nu, and K+-->pi(+)pi(0)pi(0) decays. The pi(0) in all the decays was detected using the e(+)e(-) pair from pi(0)-->e(+)e(-)gamma decay and no photons were required. Using the 2002 Particle Data Group branching ratios for the normalization decays, we obtain BR(K(+)(e3(gamma)))=(5.13+/-0.02(stat)+/-0.09(syst)+/-0.04(norm))%, where K(+)(e3(gamma)) includes the effect of virtual and real photons. This result is approximately 2.3sigma higher than the current Particle Data Group value. Implications for the V(us) element of the CKM matrix, and the matrix's unitarity are discussed.

Experimental study of the radiative decays K+-->mu(+)nue(+)e(-) and K+-->e(+)nue(+)e(-)

Experiment 865 at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron obtained 410 K+-->e(+)nue(+)e(-) and 2679 K+-->mu(+)nue(+)e(-) events including 10% and 19% background. The branching ratios were measured to be [2.48+/-0.14(stat)+/-0.14(syst)]x10(-8) (m(ee)>150 MeV) and (7.06+/-0.16+/-0.26)x10(-8) (m(ee)>145 MeV), respectively. Results for the decay form factors are presented.

New measurement of K(+)(e4) decay and the s-pave pi pi-scattering length a(0)(0)

A sample of 4 x 10(5) events from the decay K(+)-->pi(+)pi(-)e(+)nu(e) (K(e4)) has been collected in experiment E865 at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. The analysis of these data yields new measurements of the K(e4) branching ratio [(4.11+/-0.01+/-0.11) x 10(-5)], the s-wave pi pi scattering length [a(0)(0) = 0.216+/-0.013(stat)+/-0.004(syst)+/-0.005(theor)], and the form factors F, G, and H of the hadronic current and their dependence on the invariant pi pi mass.

Search for lepton flavor violation in K+ decays into a charged pion and two leptons

A search for lepton flavor violating decays, K+ --> mu+ mu+ pi-, K+ --> e+ e+ pi-, K+ --> pi+ e+ mu-, K+ --> mu+ e+ pi-, and pi0 --> e+ mu-, was performed using the data collected in Experiment E865 at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron. No signal was found in any of the decay modes. At the 90% confidence level, the branching ratios are less than 3.0x10(-9), 6.4x10(-10), 5. 2x10(-10), 5.0x10(-10), and 3.4x10(-9), respectively.