The interaction of virtual photons is investigated using double tagged gammagamma events with hadronic final states recorded by the ALEPH experiment at e^+e^- centre-of-mass energies between 188 and 209 GeV. The measured cross section is compared to Monte Carlo models, and to next-to-leading-order QCD and BFKL calculations.

The inclusive production of D$^{*\pm}$ mesons in two-photon collisions is measured with the ALEPH detector at $\epem$ centre-of-mass energies from 183$\unit{GeV}$ to 209$\unit{GeV}$. A total of $360 \pm 27$ D$^{*\pm}$ meson events were observed from an integrated luminosity of 699\unit{pb^{-1}}$. Contributions from direct and single-resolved rocesses are separated using the ratio of the transverse momentum $p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}}$ of the D$^{*\pm}$ to the visible invariant mass $W_{\mathrm{vis}}$ of the event. Differential cross sections of D$^{*\pm}$ production as functions of $p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}}$ and the pseudorapidity $|\eta^{\rm D^{*\pm}}| $ are measured in the range $ 2\unit{GeV}/c < p_{\rm t}^{\rm D^{*\pm}} < 12\unit{GeV}/c $ and $ |\eta^{\rm D^{*\pm}}| < 1.5 $. They are compared to next-to-leading order (NLO)perturbative QCD calculations. The extrapolation of the integrated visible D$^{*\pm}$ cross section to the total charm cross section, based on the Pythia Monte Carlo program, yields $ \sigma (\epem \to \epem \ccbar)_ {=197\unit{GeV}} = 731 \pm 74_{\mathrm{stat}} \pm 47_{\mathrm{syst}} \pm 157_{\mathrm{extr}} \unit{pb} $.

Some experimental properties of the charged hadronic fragments are compared for νp, νn,\(\bar vp\) and\(\bar vn\) interactions: multiplicities of forward and backward going particles,xF distributions for pions, fragmentation functions and theirQ2 andW2 dependence. The results are compared with the predictions of the Lund fragmentation model.

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The average transverse momentum squared, 〈 p ⊥ 2 〉, of hadrons is studied as a function of W 2 and of Q 2 for ν and ν interactions on an isoscalar target. An increase of 〈 p ⊥ 2 〉 with W 2 is observed for the hadrons emitted forward in the hadronic c.m.s. The p ⊥ dependence of the fragmentation function is found to factorise from the structure function at fixed W , but does not factorise at fixed Q 2 . Unlike the case of forward-going particles, the 〈 p ⊥ 2 〉 of hadrons going backward in the c.m.s. shows no strong dependence on W 2 .

We present results for the differential cross sections of neutrinos and antineutrinos on nucleons in the energy range E = 2−200 GeV, from the BEBC and Gargamelle experiments. The structure functions F 2 , 2 χF 1 and χF 3 have been evaluated as a function of χ and q 2 . Deviations are observed from Bjorken scaling, which are very similar to those found in electron and muon inelastic scattering. For the Callan-Gross ratio, we find 2χF 1 F 2 = 0.80 ± 0.12 and the corresponding value for 〈R〉 = 〈 σ S σ T 〉 = 0.15 ± 0.10 . Our results are consistent with the Gross-Llewellyn-Smith sum rule; we measure ⩾2.5 ± 0.5 valence quarks per nucleon. Quark and antiquark distributions are given. The Nachtmann moments of F 2 and χF 3 are quantitatively consistent with the predictions from QCD. The value of the strong interaction parameter is λ = 0.74 ± 0.05 GeV without corrections, and 0.66 ± 0.05 GeV including α S 2 corrections. The moments of the gluon distribution are found to be positive and indicate an χ distribution of gluons which is comparable with that of the valence quarks.

Data from an exposure of BEBC filled with hydrogen to a wideband neutrino beam are analysed to yield the structure function F v p 2 ( x ) for x > 0.2. Using our results in combination with data from electron-proton and muon-proton scattering, the quark density ratio d/u is determined as a function of x . The dominance u at large x is clearly seen. The results are compared with theoretical predictions.

Distributions of the Feynman x variable have been determined for positive and negative pions in charged current neutrino-proton and antineutrino-proton reactions with hadronic energy W > 3 GeV and Bjorken x B > 0.1. The distributions have been corrected for experimental effects such as measurement errors, uncertainties in estimating the neutrino energy and particle misidentification. In the framework of the quark-parton model, the distributions yield information about the fragmentation of forward going u and d quarks and backward going uu and ud diquarks. Approximate Feynman scaling is observed for the invariant Feynman x F distributions. They can be fitted by a power law of the form (1 − | x F |) n as suggested by the dimensional counting rules. Simple isospin relations predicted by the quark-parton model are fulfilled. The fragmentation of diquarks is compared with that of protons into π ± .

Inclusive ρ 0 production in neutrino-proton charged-current interactions is studied, using a sample of 7831 events obtained in BEBC filled with hydrogen and exposed to the CERN wideband neutrino beam. An average multiplicity of 0.14±0.02 ρ 0 per event is found, corresponding to a ratio 〈 ρ 0 〉/〈 π − 〉=0.13±0.02. The ρ 0 production characteristics are determined as functions of leptonic variables ( W , Q 2 , χ B ) and hadronic variables ( χ F , z , p t 2 ) and are found to be similar to those determined for hadron- and other lepton-induced reactions.

In a selected sample of 6770 charged current (CC) events of νp interactions with 〈 E ν 〉 = 43 GeV and 〈W〉 = 4.6 GeV , 359 K 0 , 180 Λ and 13 Λ have been observed, which corresponds to a corrected production rate at least one neutral strange particle in (17.4±0.8)% of the CC events. The ratio of the inclusive Λ to K 0 production cross section is found to be 0.26±0.03. The number of CC events containing at least one K 0 increases with increasing E ν and Q 2 , while the CC events containing at least one Λ remain practically constant. The fractions of the total hadronic energy carried by K 0 and Λ are found to be approximately the same in νp as in ep and μp interactions. In the hadronic c.m.s., the K 0 are produced mostly forwards, the Λ mostly backwards, with asymmetry parameters of +0.32±0.02 and −0.45±0.06, respectively. The total strange particle production cross section is estimated to be (25±4)% of the cross section for production of CC events with W >1.5 GeV and that for charm production (10±2)% of the CC cross section well above charm threshold ( W >3 GeV). The production of the resonances K ∗+ (890) and Σ + (1385) has been observed. The production rate of K ∗+ (890) is comparable to that of D ∗+ (2009), above the corresponding thresholds.