Exoplanet detection. A terrestrial planet in a ~1-AU orbit around one member of a ~15-AU binary.

Using gravitational microlensing, we detected a cold terrestrial planet orbiting one member of a binary star system. The planet has low mass (twice Earth's) and lies projected at ~0.8 astronomical units (AU) from its host star, about the distance between Earth and the Sun. However, the planet's temperature is much lower, <60 Kelvin, because the host star is only 0.10 to 0.15 solar masses and therefore more than 400 times less luminous than the Sun. The host itself orbits a slightly more massive companion with projected separation of 10 to 15 AU. This detection is consistent with such systems being very common. Straightforward modification of current microlensing search strategies could increase sensitivity to planets in binary systems. With more detections, such binary-star planetary systems could constrain models of planet formation and evolution.

Observation of exclusive γγ production in pp¯ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV.

We have observed exclusive γγ production in proton-antiproton collisions at √s=1.96 TeV, using data from 1.11±0.07 fb(-1) integrated luminosity taken by the Run II Collider Detector at Fermilab. We selected events with two electromagnetic showers, each with transverse energy E(T)>2.5 GeV and pseudorapidity |η|<1.0, with no other particles detected in -7.4<η<+7.4. The two showers have similar E(T) and azimuthal angle separation Δφ~π; 34 events have two charged particle tracks, consistent with the QED process pp¯â†’p+e(+)e(-)+p¯ by two-photon exchange, while 43 events have no charged tracks. The number of these events that are exclusive π(0)π(0) is consistent with zero and is <15 at 95% C.L. The cross section for pp¯â†’p+γγ+p¯ with |η(γ)|<1.0 and E(T)(γ)>2.5 GeV is 2.48(-0.35)(+0.40)(stat)(-0.51)(+0.40)(syst) pb.

One or more bound planets per Milky Way star from microlensing observations.

Most known extrasolar planets (exoplanets) have been discovered using the radial velocity or transit methods. Both are biased towards planets that are relatively close to their parent stars, and studies find that around 17-30% (refs 4, 5) of solar-like stars host a planet. Gravitational microlensing, on the other hand, probes planets that are further away from their stars. Recently, a population of planets that are unbound or very far from their stars was discovered by microlensing. These planets are at least as numerous as the stars in the Milky Way. Here we report a statistical analysis of microlensing data (gathered in 2002-07) that reveals the fraction of bound planets 0.5-10 AU (Sun-Earth distance) from their stars. We find that 17(+6)(-9)% of stars host Jupiter-mass planets (0.3-10 M(J), where M(J) = 318 M(⊕) and M(⊕) is Earth's mass). Cool Neptunes (10-30 M(⊕)) and super-Earths (5-10 M(⊕)) are even more common: their respective abundances per star are 52(+22)(-29)% and 62(+35)(-37)%. We conclude that stars are orbited by planets as a rule, rather than the exception.

Search for exclusive Z-boson production and observation of high-mass pp[over ]-->pgammagammap[over ]-->pl;{+}l;{-}p[over ] events in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV.

This Letter presents a search for exclusive Z boson production in proton-antiproton collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV, using the CDF II detector. No exclusive Z-->l;{+}l;{-} candidates are observed and the first upper limit on the exclusive Z cross section in hadron collisions is found to be sigma_{excl}(Z)<0.96 pb at 95% confidence level. In addition, eight candidate exclusive dilepton events from the process pp[over ]-->pgammagammap[over ]-->pl;{+}l;{-}p[over ] are observed, and a measurement of the cross section for M_{ll}>40 GeV/c;{2} and |eta_{l}|<4 is found to be sigma=0.24_{-0.10};{+0.13} pb, which is consistent with the standard model prediction.

Observation of exclusive charmonium production and gammagamma --> micro;{+}micro;{-} in pp[over] collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.96 TeV.

In CDF we have observed the reactions p + p[over] --> p + X + p[over], with X being a centrally produced J/psi, psi(2S), or chi_{c0}, and gammagamma-->micro;{+}micro;{-} in pp[over] collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.96 TeV. The event signature requires two oppositely charged central muons, and either no other particles or one additional photon detected. Exclusive vector meson production is as expected for elastic photoproduction, gamma + p --> J/psi(psi(2S)) + p, observed here for the first time in hadron-hadron collisions. We also observe exclusive chi_{c0} --> J/psi + gamma. The cross sections dsigma/dy|_{y = 0} for J/psi, psi(2S), and chi_{c0} are 3.92 +/- 0.25(stat) +/- 0.52(syst) nb, 0.53 +/- 0.09(stat) +/- 0.10(syst) nb, and 76 +/- 10(stat) +/- 10(syst) nb, respectively, and the continuum is consistent with QED. We put an upper limit on the cross section for Odderon exchange in exclusive J/psi production.

Measurement of the top-quark mass with dilepton events selected using neuroevolution at CDF.

We report a measurement of the top-quark mass M_{t} in the dilepton decay channel tt[over ] --> bl;{'+} nu_{l};{'}b[over ]l;{-}nu[over ]_{l}. Events are selected with a neural network which has been directly optimized for statistical precision in top-quark mass using neuroevolution, a technique modeled on biological evolution. The top-quark mass is extracted from per-event probability densities that are formed by the convolution of leading order matrix elements and detector resolution functions. The joint probability is the product of the probability densities from 344 candidate events in 2.0 fb;{-1} of pp[over ] collisions collected with the CDF II detector, yielding a measurement of M_{t} = 171.2 +/- 2.7(stat) +/- 2.9(syst) GeV / c;{2}.

Measurement of resonance parameters of orbitally excited narrow B0 mesons.

We report a measurement of resonance parameters of the orbitally excited (L=1) narrow B0 mesons in decays to B;{(*)+}pi;{-} using 1.7 fb;{-1} of data collected by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. The mass and width of the B_{2};{*0} state are measured to be m(B_{2};{*0})=5740.2_{-1.8};{+1.7}(stat)-0.8+0.9(syst) MeV/c;{2} and Gamma(B_{2};{*0})=22.7_{-3.2};{+3.8}(stat)-10.2+3.2(syst) MeV/c;{2}. The mass difference between the B_{2};{*0} and B10 states is measured to be 14.9_{-2.5};{+2.2}(stat)-1.4+1.2(syst) MeV/c;{2}, resulting in a B10 mass of 5725.3_{-2.2};{+1.6}(stat)-1.5+1.4(syst) MeV/c;{2}. This is currently the most precise measurement of the masses of these states and the first measurement of the B_{2};{*0} width.

Inclusive search for squark and gluino production in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV.

We report on a search for inclusive production of squarks and gluinos in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV, in events with large missing transverse energy and multiple jets of hadrons in the final state. The study uses a CDF Run II data sample corresponding to 2 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The data are in good agreement with the standard model predictions, giving no evidence for any squark or gluino component. In an R-parity conserving minimal supergravity scenario with A(0)=0, mu<0, and tanbeta=5, 95% C.L. upper limits on the production cross sections in the range between 0.1 and 1 pb are obtained, depending on the squark and gluino masses considered. For gluino masses below 280 GeV/c(2), arbitrarily large squark masses are excluded at the 95% C.L., while for mass degenerate gluinos and squarks, masses below 392 GeV/c(2) are excluded at the 95% C.L.

Search for a Higgs boson decaying to two W bosons at CDF.

We present a search for a Higgs boson decaying to two W bosons in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV center-of-mass energy. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb;(-1) collected with the CDF II detector. We find no evidence for production of a Higgs boson with mass between 110 and 200 GeV/c;(2), and determine upper limits on the production cross section. For the mass of 160 GeV/c;(2), where the analysis is most sensitive, the observed (expected) limit is 0.7 pb (0.9 pb) at 95% Bayesian credibility level which is 1.7 (2.2) times the standard model cross section.

Search for high-mass e+e- resonances in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV.

A search for high-mass resonances in the e+e- final state is presented based on 2.5 fb(-1) of sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV pp collision data from the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. The largest excess over the standard model prediction is at an e+e- invariant mass of 240 GeV/c2. The probability of observing such an excess arising from fluctuations in the standard model anywhere in the mass range of 150-1000 GeV/c2 is 0.6% (equivalent to 2.5sigma). We exclude the standard model coupling Z' and the Randall-Sundrum graviton for k/MPl=0.1 with masses below 963 and 848 GeV/c2 at the 95% credibility level, respectively.

Search for maximal flavor violating scalars in same-charge lepton pairs in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV.

Models of maximal flavor violation (MxFV) in elementary particle physics may contain at least one new scalar SU(2) doublet field Phi(FV)=(eta(0),eta(+)) that couples the first and third generation quarks (q_(1), q_(3)) via a Lagrangian term L(FV)=xi(13)Phi(FV)q(1)q(3). These models have a distinctive signature of same-charge top-quark pairs and evade flavor-changing limits from meson mixing measurements. Data corresponding to 2 fb(-1) collected by the Collider Dectector at Fermilab II detector in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV are analyzed for evidence of the MxFV signature. For a neutral scalar eta(0) with m_(eta;(0))=200 GeV/c(2) and coupling xi(13)=1, approximately 11 signal events are expected over a background of 2.1+/-1.8 events. Three events are observed in the data, consistent with background expectations, and limits are set on the coupling xi(13) for m(eta(0)=180-300 GeV/c(2).

Direct bound on the total decay width of the top quark in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV.

We present the first direct experimental bound on the total decay width of the top quark, Gamma(t), using 955 pb(-1) of the Tevatron's pp collisions recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We identify 253 top-antitop pair candidate events. The distribution of reconstructed top quark mass from these events is fitted to templates representing different values of the top quark width. Using a confidence interval based on likelihood-ratio ordering, we extract an upper limit at 95% C.L. of Gamma(t)<13.1 GeV for an assumed top quark mass of 175 GeV/c(2).

First observation of B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+/-)K(-/+) and measurement of the ratio of branching fractions B(B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+/-)K(-/+)/B(B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+)pi(-)).

A combined mass and particle identification fit is used to make the first observation of the decay B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+/-)K(-/+) and measure the branching fraction of B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+/-)K(-/+) relative to B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+)pi(-). This analysis uses 1.2 fb(-1) integrated luminosity of pp collisions at square root(s) = 1.96 TeV collected with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We observe a B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+/-)K(-/+) signal with a statistical significance of 8.1 sigma and measure B(B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+/-)K(-/+) /B(B(s)(0) --> D(s)(+)pi(-) 0.097+/-0.018(stat) +/- 0.009(syst).

Search for the associated production of the standard-model Higgs Boson in the all-hadronic channel.

We report on a search for the standard-model Higgs boson in pp collisions at square root(s) = 1.96 TeV using an integrated luminosity of 2.0 fb(-1). We look for production of the Higgs boson decaying to a pair of bottom quarks in association with a vector boson V (W or Z) decaying to quarks, resulting in a four-jet final state. Two of the jets are required to have secondary vertices consistent with B-hadron decays. We set the first 95% confidence level upper limit on the VH production cross section with V(--> qq/qq')H(--> bb) decay for Higgs boson masses of 100-150 GeV/c2 using data from run II at the Fermilab Tevatron. For m(H) = 120 GeV/c2, we exclude cross sections larger than 38 times the standard-model prediction.

Search for the flavor-changing neutral-current decay t-->Zq in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.96 TeV.

We report a search for the flavor-changing neutral-current decay of the top quark t-->Zq (q=u, c) in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 fb(-1) collected by the CDF II detector. This decay is strongly suppressed in the standard model and an observation of a signal at the Fermilab Tevatron would be an indication of physics beyond the standard model. Using Z+ > or = 4 jet final state candidate events, with and without an identified bottom quark jet, we obtain an upper limit of B(t-->Zq) < 3.7% at 95% C.L.

Forward-backward asymmetry in top-quark production in pp[over] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV.

We present measurements of the forward-backward charge asymmetry in top pair production using 1.9 fb;{-1} of pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV recorded with the Collider Detector at Fermilab II. Correcting for acceptance and measurement dilutions we obtain parton-level asymmetries of A_{FB};{pp[over ]}=0.17+/-0.08 in the pp[over ] frame and A_{FB};{tt[over ]}=0.24+/-0.14 in the tt[over ] frame. The values are consistent with the standard model expectation and disfavor exotic production mechanisms with significant negative values.

Search for supersymmetry in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV Using the trilepton signature for chargino-neutralino production.

We use the three lepton and missing energy trilepton signature to search for chargino-neutralino production with 2.0 fb;{-1} of integrated luminosity collected by the CDF II experiment at the Tevatron pp[over ] collider. We expect an excess of approximately 11 supersymmetric events for a choice of parameters of the mSUGRA model, but our observation of 7 events is consistent with the standard model expectation of 6.4 events. We constrain the mSUGRA model of supersymmetry and rule out chargino masses up to 145 GeV/c;{2} for a specific choice of parameters.

Search for the Higgs boson produced in association with Z-->l+l in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV.

We present a search for the Higgs boson in the process qq-->ZH-->l;{+}l;{-}bb[over ]. The analysis uses an integrated luminosity of 1 fb;{-1} of pp[over ] collisions produced at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV and accumulated by the upgraded Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF II). We employ artificial neural networks both to correct jets mismeasured in the calorimeter and to distinguish the signal kinematic distributions from those of the background. We see no evidence for Higgs boson production, and set 95% C.L. upper limits on sigma{ZH}B(H-->bb[over ]), ranging from 1.5 to 1.2 pb for a Higgs boson mass (m{H}) of 110 to 150 GeV/c(2).

Measurement of the single-top-quark production cross section at CDF.

We report a measurement of the single-top-quark production cross section in 2.2 fb;{-1} of pp collision data collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV. Candidate events are classified as signal-like by three parallel analyses which use likelihood, matrix element, and neural network discriminants. These results are combined in order to improve the sensitivity. We observe a signal consistent with the standard model prediction, but inconsistent with the background-only model by 3.7 standard deviations with a median expected sensitivity of 4.9 standard deviations. We measure a cross section of 2.2(-0.6)(+0.7)(stat+syst) pb, extract the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix-element value |V(tb)|=0.88(-0.12)(+0.13)(stat+syst)+/-0.07(theory), and set the limit |V(tb)|>0.66 at the 95% C.L.

Search for large extra dimensions in final states containing one photon or jet and large missing transverse energy produced in pp collisions at square root[s]=1.96 TeV.

We present the results of searches for large extra dimensions in samples of events with large missing transverse energy E_{T} and either a photon or a jet produced in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab II. For gamma+E_{T} and jet+E_{T} candidate samples corresponding to 2.0 and 1.1 fb;{-1} of integrated luminosity, respectively, we observe good agreement with standard model expectations and obtain a combined lower limit on the fundamental parameter of the large extra dimensions model M_{D} as a function of the number of extra dimensions in the model.