CP violation measurements using fully reconstructed B± -> D* h± decays, h ∈ (K, π)

Thesis

Measurements of CP observables using fully reconstructed B^± -> D^* h± decays are made, h ∈ (K, π), where the D^*0 meson is reconstructed in the D⁰π⁰ and D⁰γ final states. The analysis is conducted using proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 8.7 fb⁻¹: 3 fb⁻¹ taken at centre-of-mass energies of 7 TeV and 8 TeV (Run 1); and 5.7 fb⁻¹ at 13 TeV (Run 2). This work presents the first reconstruction of these decays at a hadron collider, and the first time D^*0 mesons have been fully reconstructed for a CP violation analysis at a hadron collider. The 2-body D meson final states K⁻π⁺, K⁻K⁺, π⁻π⁺, and π⁻K⁺ are considered, facilitating the measurement of 16 CP observables in order to further constrain the CKM angle γ and the hadronic parameters (r_B^{D* K}, delta_B^{D* K}, r_B^{D* π}, delta_B^{D* π}). The first observation of the suppressed B^± -> (D* -> [π^∓ K^±]_D γ) K^± decay channel is also presented, colloquially known as the D⁰γ ADS mode.

Authors: Rollings, AP

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-dxj8gqpe5
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: Hadronic physics; Particle physics; Neutral particle reconstruction; Frequentist statistical analysis; High energy physics; CP violation
• Subjects: Modeling; Particle dynamics analysis; Particle methods (Numerical analysis); Particle beams, Colliding; Physics; Statistics