Background studies for particle astrophysics experiments
Neutron background for the high-sensitivity underground particle astrophysics experiments, in particular for dark matter searches, is discussed with an emphasis on the neutrons from rock and from cosmic-ray muons.

title: The potential of liquid xenon for WIMP search: the ZEPLIN diagnostic array
abstract: A Liquid Xenon based WIMP detector diagnostic array is currently developed by the UKDMC with the help of international collaborators. After a brief reminder on the detection principle in Liquid Xenon, the individual detectors will be described. ZEPLIN I, a detector with a 4 kg fiducial mass with a background discrimination based on Pulse Shape Analysis, is already underground and starting operation. Two setups with improved background discrimination tools (as the ionisation is also recorded) are designed and scheduled to move underground in the second half of 2001. Both of them, ZEPLIN II and ZEPLIN III, are predicted to be sensitive to rate of 0.1–0.01 events/kg/day within 2 years of data taking. Furthermore, new ideas for lower background readout devices are studied, in order to avoid the use of PhotoMultiplier Tubes (PMTs).

title: The ZEPLIN-III dark matter detector: Performance study using an end-to-end simulation tool
abstract: We present results from a GEANT4-based Monte Carlo tool for end-to-end simulations of the ZEPLIN-III dark matter experiment. ZEPLIN-III is a two-phase detector which measures both the scintillation light and the ionisation charge generated in liquid xenon by interacting particles and radiation. The software models the instrument response to radioactive backgrounds and calibration sources, including the generation, ray-tracing and detection of the primary and secondary scintillations in liquid and gaseous xenon, and subsequent processing by data acquisition electronics. A flexible user interface allows easy modification of detector parameters at run time. Realistic datasets can be produced to help with data analysis, an example of which is the position reconstruction algorithm developed from simulated data. We present a range of simulation results confirming the original design sensitivity of a few times 10−8 pb to the WIMP-nucleon cross-section.

title: Muon-induced background in the EDELWEISS dark matter search
abstract: A dedicated analysis of the muon-induced background in the EDELWEISS dark matter search has been performed on a data set acquired in 2009 and 2010. The total muon flux underground in the Laboratoire Souterrain de Modane (LSM) was measured to be Φ μ = ( 5.4 ± 0.2 - 0.9 + 0.5 )  muons/m 2 /d. The modular design of the μ -veto system allows the reconstruction of the muon trajectory and hence the determination of the angular dependent muon flux in LSM. The results are in good agreement with both MC simulations and earlier measurements. Synchronization of the μ -veto system with the phonon and ionization signals of the Ge detector array allowed identification of muon-induced events. Rates for all muon-induced events Γ μ = ( 0.172 ± 0.012 ) evts / ( kg d ) and of WIMP-like events Γ μ – n = 0.008 - 0.004 + 0.005 evts / ( kg d ) were extracted. After vetoing, the remaining rate of accepted muon-induced neutrons in the EDELWEISS-II dark matter search was determined to be Γ irred μ – n 6 · 10 - 4 evts / ( kg d ) at 90% C.L. Based on these results, the muon-induced background expectation for an anticipated exposure of 3000 kg d for EDELWEISS-III is N 3000 kg d μ – n 0.6 events.

title: Progress report from the UK Dark Matter search at Boulby Mine
abstract: The UK Dark Matter Collaboration is currently running a series of scintillation devices at the Boulby mine in North Yorkshire to search for the neutralino, the hypothetical WIMP solution to the dark matter problem. Results of the current NaI(T1) detector array will be discussed, illustrating a population of events of unknown origin. Diagnostic tests performed to investigate the origin of these anomalous events will be outlined, including alpha, beta and neutron calibrations.

title: Particle polarization in inclusive reactions

title: Measurement of B meson production cross-sections in proton-proton collisions at $ \sqrt{s}=7 $ TeV
abstract: A bstractThe production cross-sections of B mesons are measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, using data collected with the LHCb detector corresponding to a integrated luminosity of 0.36 fb−1. The B+, B0 and $ B_s^0 $ mesons are reconstructed in the exclusive decays B+ → J/ψK+, B0 → J/ψK*0 and $ B_s^0\to {J \left/ {{\psi \phi }} \right.} $, with J/ψ → μ+μ−, K*0 → K+π− and ϕ → K+K−. The differential cross-sections are measured as functions of B meson transverse momentum pT and rapidity y, in the range 0 < pT< 40 GeV/c and 2.0 < y < 4.5. The integrated cross-sections in the same pT and y ranges, including charge-conjugate states, are measured to be
$ \begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {\sigma \left( {pp\to {B^{+}}+X} \right)=38.9\pm 0.3\left( {\mathrm{stat}.} \right)\pm 2.5\left( {\mathrm{syst}.} \right)\pm 1.3\left( {\mathrm{norm}.} \right)\upmu \mathrm{b},} \hfill \\ {\sigma \left( {pp\to {B^0}+X} \right)=38.1\pm 0.6\left( {\mathrm{stat}.} \right)\pm 3.7\left( {\mathrm{syst}.} \right)\pm 4.7\left( {\mathrm{norm}.} \right)\upmu \mathrm{b},} \hfill \\ {\sigma \left( {pp\to B_s^0+X} \right)=10.5\pm 0.2\left( {\mathrm{stat}.} \right)\pm 0.8\left( {\mathrm{syst}.} \right)\pm 1.0\left( {\mathrm{norm}.} \right)\upmu \mathrm{b},} \hfill \\ \end{array} $where the third uncertainty arises from the pre-existing branching fraction measurements.

title: Search for rare $B^0_{(s)}\rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^- \mu^+ \mu^-$ decays
abstract: A search for the decays $B^0_{s}\rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^- \mu^+ \mu^-$ and $B^0 \rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^- \mu^+ \mu^-$ is performed using data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0\ensuremath{\{\,fb}^{-1}}\xspace, collected with the LHCb detector in 2011. The number of candidates observed is consistent with the expected background and, assuming phase-space models of the decays, limits on the branching fractions are set: \{${\ensuremath{\cal B}\xspace}(B^0_{s}\rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^- \mu^+ \mu^-) < 1.6 \ (1.2) \times 10^{-8}$} and \{${\ensuremath{\cal B}\xspace}(B^0 \rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^- \mu^+ \mu^-)< 6.6 \ (5.3) \times 10^{-9}$} at 95\,% (90\,%) confidence level. In addition, limits are set in the context of a supersymmetric model which allows for the $B^0_{(s)}$ meson to decay into a scalar ($S$) and pseudoscalar particle ($P$), where $S$ and $P$ have masses of 2.5 GeV and 214.3 MeV, respectively, both resonances decay into $\mu^+\mu^-$. The branching fraction limits for these decays are \{${\ensuremath{\cal B}\xspace}(\ensuremath{B^0_{s}\rightarrow SP}\xspace) < 1.6 \ (1.2) \times 10^{-8}$} and \{${\ensuremath{\cal B}\xspace}(\ensuremath{B^0\rightarrow SP}\xspace)< 6.3 \ (5.1) \times 10^{-9}$} at 95% (90%) confidence level.

title: Heavy states of hadron string as weak interacting massive particles for Dark Matter
abstract: Massive states (of order 10 Gev and more) of hadron string (with scale 1 Gev) can have very small coupling constants with usual baryons of the Universe. Corresponding mean times for them are found to be order and even more than the age of the Universe. They are proposed as possible candidates for weak interacting massive particles (WIMP) of Dark Matter.

title: Measurement of the differential branching fraction of the decay $\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow\Lambda\mu^+\mu^-$
abstract: The differential branching fraction of the decay $\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow\Lambda\mu^+\mu^-$ is measured as a function of the square of the dimuon invariant mass, $q^2$. A yield of $78\pm12$ $\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow\Lambda\mu^+\mu^-$ decays is observed using data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0\,fb$^{-1}$, collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 7\,TeV. A significant signal is found in the $q^2$ region above the square of the $J/\psi$ mass, while at lower-$q^2$ values upper limits are set on the differential branching fraction. Integrating the differential branching fraction over $q^2$, while excluding the $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ regions, gives a branching fraction of $\BF($\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow\Lambda\mu^+\mu^-$)=(0.96\pm 0.16\stat\pm 0.13\syst\pm 0.21 (\mathrm{norm}))\times 10^{-6}$, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic and due to the normalisation mode, $$\Lambda_b^0\rightarrow J/psi\Lambda$, respectively.

title: Observation of the resonant character of the Z(4430)(-) state.
abstract: Resonant structures in B^{0}→ψ^{'}π^{-}K^{+} decays are analyzed by performing a four-dimensional fit of the decay amplitude, using pp collision data corresponding to 3  fb^{-1} collected with the LHCb detector. The data cannot be described with K^{+}π^{-} resonances alone, which is confirmed with a model-independent approach. A highly significant Z(4430)^{-}→ψ^{'}π^{-} component is required, thus confirming the existence of this state. The observed evolution of the Z(4430)^{-} amplitude with the ψ^{'}π^{-} mass establishes the resonant nature of this particle. The mass and width measurements are substantially improved. The spin parity is determined unambiguously to be 1^{+}.