News Physics

Particle discovery fills a gap

Neutral xi-sub-b was predicted by theory

By Devin Powell

July 21, 2011 at 5:23 pm - More than 2 years ago

Scientists have found a previously unseen particle using the Tevatron, the most powerful particle accelerator in the United States.

GONE WITH A TRACE Xi-sub-b, a particle spotted for the first time at the Tevatron, decayed too quickly to be observed directly, but physicists were able to detect the shower of particles the baryon left behind — a xi particle (Ξ-), a lambda particle (Λ), pions (π) and a proton (p).