Neutrino production by 400-GeV/c protons in a beam-dump experiment

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Phys. Rev. D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.38.2032· OSTI ID:7065227

Duffy, M E; Fanourakis, G K; Loveless, R J; Reeder, D D; Smith, E S; Childress, S; Castoldi, C; Conforto, G; Ball, R C; Coffin, C T; others, and

The ..nu../sub e/ and ..nu../sub ..mu../ fluxes from decay of short-lived parents (presumed to be predominantly charmed particles) have been measured in a beam-dump experiment at Fermilab. Novel and important features of the experimental arrangement and procedures are presented and discussed in detail. Details of the analysis of the prompt flux and the backgrounds are presented together with a discussion of the systematic error. The energy and angular distributions of the prompt neutrino flux are presented, and the cross section for charm production is measured to be 57.2 +- 2.9 +- 8.5 ..mu..b/nucleon. The dependence of the cross section on atomic weight is measured to be sigma/sub c/proportionalA/sup 0.75/. The possibility that charm is produced by a mixture of central and diffractive processes is examined and discussed in the context of these results. The prompt fluxes of ..nu../sub ..mu../ and nu-bar/sub ..mu../ are roughly equal, as are the prompt fluxes of ..nu../sub ..mu../ and ..nu../sub e/. Quasielastic neutrino interactions were identified and used to provide an independent measurement of the flux which corroborates the energy calibration of the detector. A search for additional sources of prompt neutrinos beyond charm is reported. Negative results were obtained for supersymmetric particles, heavy neutral leptons, and b quarks, subject to the assumption of specific characteristics of the particles and the production mechanisms.

• Research Organization: University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
• OSTI ID: 7065227
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. D; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. D; (United States) Vol. 38:7; ISSN PRVDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

645102* -- High Energy Physics-- Particle Interactions & Properties-Experimental-- Weak Interactions & Properties
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ACCELERATORS
BARYON REACTIONS
BEAM DUMPS
CHARGED-PARTICLE REACTIONS
CHARM PARTICLES
CROSS SECTIONS
CYCLIC ACCELERATORS
DATA
DECAY
ELECTRON NEUTRINOS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY RANGE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FERMILAB ACCELERATOR
FERMIONS
GEV RANGE
GEV RANGE 100-1000
HADRON REACTIONS
HADRONS
INFORMATION
LEPTONS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MUON NEUTRINOS
NEUTRINOS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEON REACTIONS
NUMERICAL DATA
PARTICLE DECAY
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
PROTON REACTIONS
SEMILEPTONIC DECAY
SYNCHROTRONS
WEAK PARTICLE DECAY