Skip to main content
Log in

Determination of an upper limit for the mass of the τ-neutrino at LEP

  • Experimental Physics
  • Published:
Zeitschrift für Physik C Particles and Fields

Abstract

An upper limit for theν τ mass is determined through the kinematic reconstruction of the decayτ→5π ± ν τ in the OPAL detector at LEP. The limit is obtained using a new method based on the comparison of the two-dimensional distribution of energy and invariant mass of the five-pion system with expectations from different neutrino mass hypotheses. From a sample of five events surviving the selection criteria we obtain an upper limit of 74 MeV at 95% confidence level. It is the first measurement at LEP energies, where the larger average multiplicity of\(e^ + e^ - \to q\bar q\) events makes the suppression of this background more robust compared to lower energies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. ARGUS Collaboration, H. Albrecht et al., Phys. Lett. B20 (1988) 149; ARGUS Collaboration, H. Albrecht et al., Phys. Lett. B292 (1992) 221

    Google Scholar 

  2. CLEO Collaboration, D. Cinabro et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 70 (1993) 3700

    Google Scholar 

  3. Johannes Raab, who first suggested this method, private communication

  4. A. Posthaus, Thesis University Bonn IB 94-03 (1994)

  5. OPAL Collaboration, K. Ahmet et al., Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A305 (1991) 275

    Google Scholar 

  6. P. P. Allport et al., Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A324 (1993) 34

    Google Scholar 

  7. O. Biebel et al., Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A323 (1992) 169

    Google Scholar 

  8. M. Hauschild et al., Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A314 (1992) 74

    Google Scholar 

  9. J. Allison et al., Nucl. Inst. and Meth. A317 (1992) 47

    Google Scholar 

  10. S. Jadach, B. F. Ward und Z. Was, Comp. Phys. Comm. 66 (1991) 276

    Google Scholar 

  11. S. Jadach, J. H. Kühn und Z. Was, Comp. Phys. Comm. 64 (1991) 275

    Google Scholar 

  12. OPAL Collaboration, M. Z. Akrawy et al., Z. Phys. C47 (1990) 505

    Google Scholar 

  13. OPAL Collaboration, G. Alexander et al., Phys. Lett. B266 (1991) 201

    Google Scholar 

  14. CLEO Collaboration, D. Gibaut et al., CLNS 94/1284 CLEO 94-12

  15. Particle Data Group, K. Hikasa et al., Phys. Rev. D45 (1992); BES Collaboration, J. Z. Bai et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 69 (1992) 3021; CLEO Collaboration, R. Balest et al. Phys. Rev. D47 (1993) R3671; ARGUS Collaboration, H. Albrecht et al. Phys. Lett. B292 (1992) 221

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Consortia

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

OPAL Collaboration., Akers, R., Alexander, G. et al. Determination of an upper limit for the mass of the τ-neutrino at LEP. Z. Phys. C - Particles and Fields 65, 183–188 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01571874

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01571874

Keywords

Navigation