Search for Baryon-Number Violating Ξ_{b}^{0} Oscillations

Area of Science:

• High Energy Physics
• Particle Physics
• Quantum Mechanics

Background:

• Baryon number conservation is a fundamental principle in particle physics.
• The Standard Model of particle physics does not allow for baryon number violation.
• Theoretical extensions to the Standard Model predict possible baryon number violating processes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To search for evidence of baryon-number violating oscillations of the Xi_b0 (bottom strange baryon).
• To set an upper limit on the oscillation rate of Xi_b0 particles if no evidence is found.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of proton-proton collision data from the LHCb experiment.
• Identification of Xi_b0 production through specific resonance decays (Xi_b*-, Xi_b'-).
• Identification of Xi_b0 decay products to determine baryon number at decay (Xi_b0 -> Ξ_c+π−, Ξ_c+ → pK−π+).

Main Results:

• No statistically significant evidence for baryon-number violating Xi_b0 oscillations was observed.
• An upper limit at the 95% confidence level was set on the oscillation rate: ω < 0.08 ps⁻¹.

Conclusions:

• The study places stringent constraints on theories predicting baryon number violation.
• The findings are consistent with baryon number conservation in the studied energy regime.