INVESTIGATION OF LIKE-SIGN DIMUON PRODUCTION IN NEUTRINO AND ANTINEUTRINO REACTIONS

290 events of the type νFe→μ-μ-X and 53 events from the reaction νFe→μ+μ+X withEν>30GeV and muon momenta pμ>6.5GeV/c have been observed in the CDHS detector. After subtracting the background from charged-current processes with one π or K meson of the hadronic shower decaying into μ-ν(or μ+μ), we obtain for neutrinos a rate of prompt like- sign dimuon production of (3.4±1.8)×10-5 relative to the rate of charged-current events with the same cuts, or (4.1 ± 2.2)% relative to the prompt μ-μ+ rate, and for antineutrinos the corresponding relative rates (4.3±2.3)×10-5 and (4.2 ± 2.3)%. A possible explanation for the events is charm pair production at a level of 10-3 relative to all charged-current reactions. © 1979.