The Discovery of the B quark at Fermilab in 1977: The Experiment coordinator's story
- Fermilab
I present the history of the discovery of the Upsilon (Υ) particle (the first member of the b-quark family to be observed) at Fermilab in 1977 by the CFS (Columbia-Fermilab-Stony Brook collaboration) E288 experiment headed by Leon Lederman. We found the first evidence of the Υ in November 1976 in an early phase of E288. The subsequent discovery in the spring of 1977 resulted from an upgraded E288—the μμII phase, optimized for dimuons, with about 100 times the sensitivity of the previous investigatory dimuon phase (which had been optimized for dielectrons). The events leading to the discovery, the planning of μμII and the running, including a misadventure (the infamous Shunt Fire of May 1977), are described. Some discussions of the aftermath, a summary, and an acknowledgment list end this brief historical note.
- Research Organization:
- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP) (SC-25)
- Contributing Organization:
- E288
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11359
- OSTI ID:
- 645407
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-CONF-97-432-E; oai:inspirehep.net:453157
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conf.Proc., Journal Name: AIP Conf.Proc. Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 424
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The discovery of the {ital b} quark at Fermilab in 1977: The experiment coordinator{close_quote}s story
Lederman wins Fermi award