Photoproduction of <script type="math/tex">D^{*\pm}</script> mesons in electron-proton collisions at HERA

Aid, S.; De Roeck, A.; de Wolf, E.A.; Van Mechelen, P.; Jung, H.; [et al.]

doi:10.1016/0550-3213(96)00275-1

Title

Photoproduction of $D^{*\pm}$ mesons in electron-proton collisions at HERA

Author

Aid, S.

De Roeck, A.

de Wolf, E.A.

Van Mechelen, P.

Jung, H.

[et al.]

Abstract

At the electron-proton collider HERA the inclusive D-*+/- meson photoproduction cross section has been measured with the H1 detector in two different, but partly overlapping, kinematical regions. For the first, where [W-gamma p] approximate to 200 GeV and Q(2) < 0.01 GeV2, the result is sigma(gamma p --> c(c) over barX$) = (13.2 +/- 2.2(-1.7-4.8)(+2.1+9.9)) mu b. The second measurement for Q(2) < 4 GeV2 yields sigma(gamma p) --> c(c) over barX$) = (9.3 +/- 2.1(-1.8-3.2)(+1.9+6.9)) mu b at [W-gamma p] approximate to 142 GeV and sigma(gamma p --> c(c) over barX$) = (20.6 +/- 5.5(-3.9-7.2)(+4.3+15.4)) mu b at [W-gamma p] approximate to 230 GeV, respectively. The third error accounts for an additional uncertainty due to the proton and photon parton density parametrizations. Differential cross sections are presented as a function of the D-*+/- transverse momentum and rapidity. The results compare reasonably well with next-to-leading order QCD calculations. Evidence for diffractive photoproduction of charm quarks is presented.

Language

English

Source (journal)

Nuclear physics : B / Institute of Physics [London] - Amsterdam, 1967, currens

Publication

Amsterdam : North-Holland , 1996

ISSN

0550-3213 [print]

1873-1562 [online]

DOI

10.1016/0550-3213(96)00275-1

Volume/pages