Inclusive Sigma+ and Sigma0 Production in Hadronic Z Decays

TL;DR

This paper measures the production rates of Sigma+ and Sigma0 baryons in hadronic Z decays, finding higher rates than predicted by existing models, thus providing new data for understanding strange baryon production.

Contribution

It provides the first precise measurements of Sigma+ and Sigma0 production rates in Z decays, challenging current hadronization models and analytical predictions.

Findings

Measured Sigma+ and Sigma0 production rates are higher than model predictions.

Results suggest the need to refine hadronization models for strange baryons.

Data enhances understanding of baryon production in high-energy collisions.

Abstract

We report on measurements of the inclusive production rate of Sigma+ and Sigma0 baryons in hadronic Z decays collected with the L3 detector at LEP. The Sigma+ baryons are detected through the decay Sigma+ -> p pi0, while the Sigma0 baryons are detected via the decay mode Sigma0 -> Lambda gamma. The average numbers of Sigma+ and Sigma0 per hadronic Z decay are measured to be: < N_Sigma+ > + < N_Sigma+~ > = 0.114 +/- 0.011 (stat) +/- 0.009 (syst), < N_Sigma0 > + < N_Sigma0~ > = 0.095 +/- 0.015 (stat) +/- 0.013 (syst). These rates are found to be higher than the predictions from Monte Carlo hadronization models and analytical parameterizations of strange baryon production.