We present a measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry in hadronic decays of the Z 0 using data collected with the OPAL detector at LEP. The forward-backward charge asymmetry was measured using a weight function method which gave the number of forward events on a statistical basis. In a data sample of 448 942 hadronic Z 0 decays, we have observed a charge asymmetry of A h = 0.040±0.004 (stat.)±0.006 (syst.)±0.002 (B 0 B 0 mix.), taking into account the effect of B 0 B 0 mixing. In the framework of the standard model, this asymmetry corresponds to an effective weak mixing angle averaged over five quark flavours of sin 2 θ W = 0.2321 ± 0.0017 ( stat. ) ± 0.0027 ( syst. ) ± 0.0009 (B 0 B 0 mix.). The result agrees with the value obtained from the Z 0 line shape and lepton pair forward-backward asymmetry.
No description provided.
The second systematic error is due to the uncertainty in the correction for B.BBAR mixing which had been applied to the data.
Production of events with hadronic and leptonic final states has been measured in e^+e^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130-172 GeV, using the OPAL detector at LEP. Cross-sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries are presented, both including and excluding the dominant production of radiative Z \gamma events, and compared to Standard Model expectations. The ratio R_b of the cross-section for bb(bar) production to the hadronic cross-section has been measured. In a model-independent fit to the Z lineshape, the data have been used to obtain an improved precision on the measurement of \gamma-Z interference. The energy dependence of \alpha_em has been investigated. The measurements have also been used to obtain limits on extensions of the Standard Model described by effective four-fermion contact interactions, to search for t-channel contributions from new massive particles and to place limits on chargino pair production with subsequent decay of the chargino into a light gluino and a quark pair.
Errors include statistical and systematic effects combined, with the formerdominant.
ASYM(C=MEAS) and ASYM(C=CORR) stand for measured values without (C=MEAS) and with (C=CORR) correction for interference between initial- and final-state radiation.
ASYM(C=MEAS) and ASYM(C=CORR) stand for measured values without (C=MEAS) and with (C=CORR) correction for interference between initial- and final-state radiation.