Limits on WIMP-nucleon cross-sections from the ZEPLIN-II data
Results are presented from ZEPLIN-II, the world-first 31 kg two-phase xenon dark matter detector. Discrimination between nuclear recoils and background electron recoils is achieved by recording both the scintillation and ionisation signals generated within the liquid xenon, with the ratio of these signals being different for the two classes of events. This ratio is calibrated for different incident species using neutron and γ-ray sources. Background populations of gamma-induced events and radon progeny events were observed in the data. An acceptance window, defined by the neutron calibration data, of 50% nuclear recoil acceptance between 5 keV and 20 keV electron equivalent energy, had an observed count of 29 events, with a summed expectation of 28.6±4.3 γ-ray and radon progeny induced background events. These figures provide a 90% CL upper limit to the number of nuclear recoils of 10.4 events in this acceptance window. This corresponds to a WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross-section with a minimum of 6.6 × 10-7 pb, and to a WIMP neutron spin-dependent cross-section of 7 × 10-2 pb at a WIMP mass of around 65 GeV.

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: Particle polarization in inclusive reactions

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: 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: 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: Determination of the X(3872) meson quantum numbers.
abstract: The quantum numbers of the X(3872) meson are determined to be J(PC)=1(++) based on angular correlations in B(+)→X(3872)K(+) decays, where X(3872)→π(+)π(-)J/ψ and J/ψ→μ(+)μ(-). The data correspond to 1.0 fb(-1) of pp collisions collected by the LHCb detector. The only alternative assignment allowed by previous measurements J(PC)=2(-+) is rejected with a confidence level equivalent to more than 8 Gaussian standard deviations using a likelihood-ratio test in the full angular phase space. This result favors exotic explanations of the X(3872) state.

title: Unified description of hadronic and leptonic degrees of freedom in a superstring model involving supercurrent conditions

title: Search for the rare decay $D^0 \to \mu^+ \mu^-$
abstract: A search for the rare decay $D^0 \to \mu^+ \mu^-$is performed using a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.9 fb$^{-1}$, of $pp$ collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV by the LHCb experiment. The observed number of events is consistent with the background expectations and corresponds to an upper limit of \mbox{${\cal B}(D^0 \to \mu^+ \mu^-) < 6.2(7.6) \times 10^{-9}$} at \mbox{90%} \mbox{(95%)} confidence level. This result represents an improvement of more than a factor twenty with respect to previous measurements.

title: Measurement of the Ds+ - Ds- production asymmetry in 7 TeV pp collisions
abstract: Article history: Received 4 May 2012 Received in revised form 30 May 2012  W.-D. Schlatter Heavy quark production in 7 TeV centre-of-mass energy pp collisions at the LHC is not necessarily flavour symmetric. The production asymmetry, AP, between D+s and D−s mesons is studied using the φπ± decay mode in a data sample of 1.0 fb−1 collected with the LHCb detector. The difference between π+ and π− detection efficiencies is determined using the ratios of fully reconstructed to partially reconstructed D∗± decays. The overall production asymmetry in the D±s rapidity region 2.0 to 4.5 with transverse momentum larger than 2 GeV is measured to be AP = (−0.33 ± 0.22 ± 0.10)%. This result can constrain models of heavy flavour production.

title: Limits on neutral Higgs boson production in the forward region in pp collisions at $ \sqrt{s}=7 $ TeV
abstract: A bstractLimits on the cross-section times branching fraction for neutral Higgs bosons, produced in pp collisions at $ \sqrt{s}=7 $ TeV, and decaying to two tau leptons with pseudorapidities between 2.0 and 4.5, are presented. The result is based on a dataset, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1, collected with the LHCb detector. Candidates are identified by reconstructing final states with two muons, a muon and an electron, a muon and a hadron, or an electron and a hadron. A model independent upper limit at the 95% confidence level is set on a neutral Higgs boson cross-section times branching fraction. It varies from 8.6 pb for a Higgs boson mass of 90 GeV to 0.7 pb for a Higgs boson mass of 250 GeV, and is compared to the Standard Model expectation. An upper limit on tan β in the Minimal Supersymmetric Model is set in the $ m_{{{h^0}}}^{\max } $ scenario. It ranges from 34 for a CP -odd Higgs boson mass of 90 GeV to 70 for a pseudo-scalar Higgs boson mass of 140 GeV.