e+e- -> Z0 -> b-quark + b-antiquark -> jet + jet
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(event date 14 May 1994) [Back to Introduction] [Help] [Previous Event] [LEP2 Events]

This is a particularly clear example showing secondary vertices. The positron - electron annihilation has here produced a b-quark and an b-antiquark, the heaviest type of quark that can be produced from Z0 decay. Two secondary vertices are clearly visible if you zoom in, where each quark has moved before decaying into three other charged particles.

Notes for experts: This beautiful B event has two clear secondary vertices, with 3D decay lengths of 5.9 mm (red) and 4.9 mm (green), which would correspond to lifetimes of 3.3 and 2.7 ps respectively (both quite a bit longer than the mean life of 1.6 ps) if both had the average B momentum. Two of the green tracks are tagged as muons (one "tight", the other "standard" association) and form a mass of 3.08 GeV/c2 - compatible with a J/psi.


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Tim Adye, <T.J.Adye@rl.ac.uk>