We have made a precise measurement of the cross section for e + e − →Z 0 →hadrons with the L3 detector at LEP, covering the s range from 88.28 to 95.04 GeV. From a fit to the Z 0 mass, total width, and the hadronic cross section to be M Z 0 =91.160 ± 0.024 (experiment) ±0.030(LEP) GeV, Γ Z 0 =2.539±0.054 GeV, and σ h ( M Z 0 )=29.5±0.7 nb. We also used the fit to the Z 0 peak cross section and the width todetermine Γ invisible =0.548±0.029 GeV, which corresponds to 3.29±0.17 species of light neutrinos. The possibility of four or more neutrino flavors is thus ruled out at the 4σ confidence level.

We report the results of first physics runs of the L3 detector at LEP. Based on 2538 hadron events, we determined the mass m z 0 and the width Γ z 0 of the intermediate vector boson Z 0 to be m z 0 =91.132±0.057 GeV (not including the 46 MeV LEP machine energy uncertainty) and Γ z 0 =2.588±0.137 GeV. We also determined Γ invisible =0.567±0.080 GeV, corresponding to 3.42±0.48 number of neutrino flavors. We also measured the muon pair cross section and determined the branching ratio Γ μμ = Γ h =0.056±0.006. The partial width of Z 0 →e + e − is Γ ee =88±9±7 MeV.

We have measured both the rates and the forward-backward asymmetry of ℓ + ℓ − from Z 0 →ℓ + ℓ − (where ℓ= μ , τ ) with the L3 detector. We obtained Γ ℓℓ =88±4±3 MeV and the vector neutral current coupling constant, g v =0.00±0.07 and the axial vector neutral current coupling constant, g A =−0.515±0.015.

From 2540 Z 0 → τ + τ − events, we determine the inclusive decay branching fractions of the τ -lepton into one and three charged particles to be 0.856 ± 0.006 (stat.) ± 0.003 (syst.) and 0.144 ± 0.006 (stat.) ± 0.003 (syst.), respectively. The leptonic branching fractions are measured to be 0.175 ± 0.008 (stat.) ± 0.005 (syst.) for τ → μν μ ντ and 0.177 ± 0.007 (stat.) ± 0.006 (syst.) for τ → eν e ν τ . We determined the τ lifetime both from three-prong decays using the decay length and from one-prong decays using the impact parameter. The results from the two independent methods agree and yield a combined value of [0.309 ± 0.023 (stat.) ± 0.030 (syst.)] × 10 −12 s.

We present a study of the inclusive production of neutral pions and charged particles from 112 000 hadronic Z 0 decays. The measured inclusive momentum distributions can be reproduced by parton shower Monte Carlo programs and also by an analytical QCD calculation. Comparing our results to e + e − data between √ s = 9 and 91 GeV, we findfind that the evolution of the spectra with center of mass energy is consistent with the QCD predictions.

We have measured the total and differential cross sections of the reaction e + e − → γγ ( γ ) at center-of-mass energies around 91 GeV, with an integrated luminosity of 14.2 pb −1 . The results are in good agreement with QED predictions. We set lower limits, at 95% confidence level, on the QED cutoff parameters of Λ + > 139 GeV, Λ − > 108 GeV and on the mass of an excited electron of m e∗ > 127 GeV . We searched for Z 0 rare decays with photonic signitures in the final state. Upper limits, at 95% confidence level, for branching ratio of Z 0 decaying into π 0 γ / γγ , νγ and γγγ are 1.2 × 10 −4 , 1.8 × 10 −4 , 3.3 × 10 −5 respectively.

We have measured the forward-backward asymmetry in e + e − → b b and e + e − → c c processes using hadronic events containing muons or electrons. The data sample corresponds to 4100000 hadronic decays of the Z 0 . From a fit to the single lepton and dilepton p and p T spectra, we determine A b b =0.086±0.015±0.007 and A c c =0.083±0.038±0.027 at the effective center-of-mass energy √ s =91.24 GeV. These measurements yield a value of the electroweak mixing angle sin 2 θ w =0.2336±0.0029 .

We present a study of the global event shape variables thrust and heavy jet mass, of energy-energy correlations and of jet multiplicities based on 250 000 hadronic Z 0 decays. The data are compared to new QCD calculations including resummation of leading and next-to-leading logarithms to all orders. We determine the strong coupling constant α s (91.2 GeV) = 0.125±0.003 (exp) ± 0.008 (theor). The first error is the experimental uncertainty. The second error is due to hadronization uncertainties and approximations in the calculations of the higher order corrections.

We have measured the cross-section of the production of single photon events in e + e − collisions near the Z 0 resonance. For an integrated luminosity of 9.6 pb −1 , we have observed 202 single photon candidates with energy between 0.9 and 3.5 GeV in the polar angular region between 45° and 135°. Assuming that the only stable weakly interacting particles are light neutrinos with standard model couplings, we determine the number of light neutrino species to be N v = 3.14 ± 0.24 (stat.)±0.12 (syst.). This corresponds to an invisible Z 0 width of Γ inv = 524 ± 40 ± 20 MeV.

We present a study of the inclusive η production based on 300 000 hadronic Z 0 decays. The measured inclusive momentum distribution can be reproduced by parton shower Monte Carlo programs and also by an analytical QCD calculation. Comparing our results with low energy e + e − data, we find that QCD describes both the shape and the energy evolution of the η spectrum. The comparison of η production rates in quark- and gluon-enriched jet samples does not show statistically significant evidence for more abundant production of η mesons in gluon fragmentation.

The L3 detector at LEP has been used to determine the number of light neutrino families by measuring the cross section of single photon even in e + e − collisions at energies near the Z 0 resonance. We have observed 61 single photon candidates with more than 1.5 GeV of deposited energy in the barrel electromagnetic calorimeter, for a total integrated luminosity of 3.0 pb −1 . From a likelihood fir to the single photon cross sections, we determin N ν =3.24 ± 0.46 ( statistical ) ±0.22 ( systematic ).

We have measured the ratio of the strong coupling constants α s for bottom quarks and light quarks at the Z 0 resonance, in order to test the flavour independence of the strong interaction. The coupling strength α s has been determined from the fraction of events with three jets, measured for a sample of all hardronic events, and for inclusive muon and electron events. The b purity is evaluated to be 22% for the first data set and 87% for the inclusive lepton sample. We find α s ( b ) α s ( udsc ) =1.00± 0.05 ( stat. )±0.06 ( syst. ) .

We present a study of 43 000 3-jet events from Z 0 boson decays. Both the measured jet energy distributions and the event orientation are reproduced by second order QCD. An alternative model with scalar gluons fails to describe the data.

Total and differential cross sections for the process e + e − → γγ ( γ ), and the total cross section for the process e + e − → γγγ , are measured at energies around 91 GeV using the data collected with the L3 detector from 1991 to 1993. We set lower limits, at 95% CL, on a contact interaction energy scale parameter Λ > 602 GeV, on the mass of an excited electron m e ∗ >146 GeV and on the QED cut-off parameters Λ + > 149 GeV and Λ _ > 143 GeV. Upper limits are also set o branching fractions of Z decaying into γγ , π ° and ηγ of 5.2 × 10 −5 , 5.2 × 10 −5 and 7.6 × 10 −5 respectively. The reactions e + e − → ℓ + ℓ − nγ (ℓ = e , μ , τ ) are studied using the data collected from 1990 to 1994. The data are consistent with the QED expectations.

We report on a study of radiative Bhabha and quasi-real Compton scattering at centre-of-mass energies between 50 GeV and 170 GeV, and 20 GeV and 140 GeV, respectively, using the L3 detector at LEP. The analysis is based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 232.2 pb −1 . A total of 2856 radiative Bhabha and 4641 Compton scattering events are collected. Total and differential cross sections for both reactions are presented and found to be in good agreement with QED expectations. Our measurement of Compton scattering at the highest energies obtained so far is used to derive exclusion limits on the coupling λ for the on-shell production of an excited electron e ★ decaying into a γ e pair in the mass range 20 GeV

We present results obtained from a study of the structure of hadronic events recorded by the L3 detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 183 GeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 55.3 pb −1 . The distributions of event shape variables and the energy dependence of their mean values are measured. From a comparison with resummed O ( α s 2 ) QCD calculations, we determine the strong coupling constant α s (183 GeV )=0.1086 ± 0.0026 (exp) ± 0.0054 (th) . The charged particle multiplicity distribution and momentum spectrum are studied and the energy dependence of the peak position of the ξ (=−ln x p ) distribution is compared with lower energy measurements and QCD expectations.

The reactions e + e − → e + e − e + e − and e + e − → e + e − μ + μ − , in a single tag configuration, are studied at LEP with the L3 detector. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 93.7 pb −1 at s =91 GeV. Differential cross sections are measured for 1.4 GeV 2 ≤Q 2 ≤7.6 GeV 2 . The leptonic photon structure function F γ 2 and azimuthal correlations are measured for e + e − → e + e − μ + μ − . The related structure functions F γ A and F γ B , which originate from interference terms of the scattering amplitudes, are determined for the first time.

We report on a study of single W boson production in a data sample collected by the L3 detector at centre-of-mass energies from 130 to 183 GeV. The signal consists of large missing energy final states with a single energetic lepton or two hadronic jets. The measured cross sections at five different centre-of-mass energies are consistent with the Standard Model expectations. The following limits on the anomalous WW γ gauge couplings are derived at 95% CL: −0.46< Δκ γ <0.57 and −0.86< λ γ <0.75.

We report on the measurement of W-boson pair-production with the L3 detector at LEP. In a data sample corresponding to a total luminosity of 55.47 pb −1 collected at an average centre-of-mass energy of 182.68 GeV , we select 824 four-fermion events with pairs of hadronic jets or pairs of leptons with high invariant masses. Branching fractions of W decays into different fermion-antifermion pairs are determined. Assuming charged-current lepton universality, the branching fraction for hadronic W decays is measured to be: B( W→hadrons )=70.1±1.3 (stat.)±0.4 (syst.) % . Combining all final states the total cross section for W-pair production is measured to be: σ WW =16.53±0.67 (stat.)±0.26 (syst.) pb.

The hadronic photon structure function F γ 2 is studied in the reaction e + e − →e + e − hadrons at LEP with the L3 detector. The data, collected from 1991 to 1995 at a centre-of-mass energy s ≃91 GeV, correspond to an integrated luminosity of 140 pb −1 . The photon structure function F γ 2 is measured in the Q 2 interval 1.2 GeV 2 ≤ Q 2 ≤9.0 GeV 2 and the x interval 0.002< x <0.2. F γ 2 shows a linear growth with ln Q 2 . The value of the slope α −1 d F γ 2 ( Q 2 )/dln Q 2 is measured to be 0.079±0.011±0.009.

The Michel parameters ϱ, η, ξ, and ξδ, the chirality parameter ξ h and the τ polarization P τ are measured using 32012 τ pair decays. Their values are extracted from the energy spectra of leptons and hadrons in τ − → l − ν l ν τ and τ − → π − ν τ decays, the energy and decay angular distributions in τ − → ϱ − ν τ decays, and the correlations in the energy spectra and angular distributions of the decay products. Assuming universality in leptonic and semileptonic τ decays, the results are ϱ = 0.794±0.039±0.031, η = 0.25±0.17±0.11, ξ = 0.94±0.21±0.07, ξδ = 0.81±0.14±0.06, ξ h = −0.970±0.053±0.011, and P τ = −0.154±0.018±0.012. The measurement is in agreement with the V-A hypothesis for the weak charged current.

Using the data recorded with the L3 detector at LEP, we study the process e + e − → μ + μ − ( γ ) for events with hard initial-state photon radiation. The effective centre-of-mass energies of the muons range from 50 GeV to 86 GeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 103.5 pb −1 and yields 293 muon-pair events with a hard photon along the beam direction. The events are used to determine the cross sections and the forward-backward charge asymmetries at centre-of-mass energies below the Z resonance.

A search for the neutral Higgs boson in the processes e + e − → Z → H 0 γ → q q γ and e + e − → Z → Z ∗ H 0 → q q γγ has been performed using 2.8 million hadronic Z decays collected with the L3 detector at LEP from 1991 through 1994. No evidence for these processes has been observed. Upper limits at 95% confidence level for the corresponding cross sections have been set and the results have been compared with theoretical predictions beyond the Standard Model.

We report on the first measurements of e + e − annihilations into hadrons and lepton pairs at centre-of-mass energies between 130 GeV and 140 GeV. In a total luminosity of 5 pb −1 collected with the L3 detector at LEP we select 1577 hadronic and 401 lepton-pair events. The measured cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries agree well with the Standard Model predictions.

We present a study of the structure of hadronic events recorded by the L3 detector at center-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5 pb −1 collected during the high energy run of 1995. The shapes of the event shape distributions and the energy dependence of their mean values are well reproduced by QCD models. From a comparison of the data with resummed O (α s 2 ) QCD calculations, we determine the strong coupling constant to be α s (133 GeV) = 0.107 ± 0.005(exp) ± 0.006(theor).

We have studied the process e<sup loc="post">+</sup>e<sup loc="post">−</sup> → nγ (n ≥ 2) at an average center-of-mass energy of 133 GeV using the L3 detector at LEP. For an integrated luminosity of 4.95 pb<sup loc="post">−1</sup> we find one γγγγ(γ) final state with only hard photons. The rates of both γγγ and γγ events are consistent with QED expectations. The cross section of the reaction e<sup loc="post">+</sup>e<sup loc="post">−</sup> → γγ(γ) in the polar range 16° &lt; θγ < 164° is measured to be 22.6 ± 2.2 pb. Decays into photons of narrow scalar resonances with masses between 90 and 130 GeV are not observed. The observation of the event with four energetic photons is consistent with QED although the kinematic configuration of the photons is atypical.

We present a study of the inclusive ω and η′ production based on 3.1 million hadronic Z decays recorded with the L3 detector at LEP during 1991–1994. The production rates per hadronic Z decay have been measured to be 1.17±0.17 ω mesons and 0.25±0.04 η′ mesons. The production rates and the differential cross sections have been compared with predictions of the JETSET and the HERWIG Monte Carlo models. We have observed that the differential cross sections can be described by an analytical quantum chromodynamics calculation.

The inclusive production of η mesons has been studied using 1.6 million hadronic Z decays collected with the L3 detector. The η multiplicity per event, the multiplicity for two-jet and three-jet events separately, and the multiplicity in each jet have been measured and compared with the predictions of different Monte Carlo programs. The momentum spectra of η in each jet have also been measured. We observe that the measured η momentum spectrum in quark-enriched jets agrees well with the Monte Carlo prediction while in gluon-enriched jets it is harder than that predicted by the Monte Carlo models.

The two-photon collision reaction e + e − → e + e − l + l − has been studied at 2 ≈91 GeV using the L3 detector at LEP for l = e, μ , τ . We have analysed untagged configurations where the two photons are quasi-real. Good agreement is found between our measurements and the O (α 4 ) QED expectation.

The reaction e + e − → e + e − γ ∗ γ ∗ → e + e − hadrons is analysed using data collected by the L3 detector during the LEP runs at s = 130−140 GeV and s = 161 GeV . The cross sections σ(e + e − → e + e − hadrons) and σ(γγ → hadrons) are measured in the interval 5 ≤ W γγ ≤ 75 GeV. The energy dependence of the σ(γγ → hadrons) cross section is consistent with the universal Regge behaviour of total hadronic cross sections.

We have studied the process e + e − → n γ (n ≥ 2) at centre-of-mass energies of 161.3 GeV and 172.1 GeV. The analysis is based on a sample of events collected by the L3 detector in 1996 corresponding to total integrated luminosities of 10.7 pb −1 and 10.1 pb −1 respectively. The observed rates of events with two and more photons and the characteristic distributions are in good agreement with the Standard Model expectations. This is used to set lower limits on contact interaction energy scale parameters, on the QED cut-off parameters and on the mass of excited electrons.

We report on measurements of e + e − annihilation into hadrons and lepton pairs. The data have been taken with the L3 detector at LEP at center-of-mass energies between 161 GeV and 172 GeV. In a data sample corresponding to 21.2 pb −1 of integrated luminosity 2728 hadronic and 868 lepton-pair events are selected. The measured cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries agree well with the Standard Model predictions.

A search for single and multi-photon events with missing energy is performed using data collected at centre-of-mass energies between 161 GeV and 172 GeV for a total of 20.9 pb −1 of integrated luminosity. The results obtained are used to derive the value for the ν ν γ(γ) cross section as well as upper limits on new physics processes.

We present a study of the structure of hadronic events recorded by the L3 detector at LEP at the center of mass energies of 161 and 172 GeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 21.25 pb −1 collected during the high energy runs of 1996. The distributions of event shape variables and the energy dependence of their mean values are well reproduced by QCD models. From a comparison of the data with resummed O ( α s 2 ) QCD calculations, we determine the strong coupling constant at the two energies. Combining this with our earlier measurements we find that the strong coupling constant decreases with increasing energy as expected in QCD.

We report on measurements of hadronic and leptonic cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries performed with the L3 detector in the years 1993-95. A total luminosity of 103 pb^-1 was collected at centre-of-mass energies \sqrt{s} ~ m_Z and \sqrt{s} ~ m_Z +/- 1.8 GeV which corresponds to 2.5 million hadronic and 245 thousand leptonic events selected. These data lead to a significantly improved determination of Z parameters. From the total cross sections, combined with our measurements in 1990-92, we obtain the final results: m_Z = 91189.8 +/- 3.1 MeV, Gamma_Z = 2502.4 +/- 4.2 MeV, Gamma_had = 1741.1 +/- 3.8 MeV, Gamma_l = 84.14 +/- 0.17 MeV. An invisible width of Gamma_inv = 499.1 +/- 2.9 MeV is derived which in the Standard Model yields for the number of light neutrino species N_nu = 2.978 +/- 0.014. Adding our results on the leptonic forward-backward asymmetries and the tau polarisation, the effective vector and axial-vector coupling constants of the neutral weak current to charged leptons are determined to be \bar{g}_V^l = -0.0397 +/- 0.0017 and \bar{g}_A^l = -0.50153 +/- 0.00053.Including our measurements of the Z -> b \bar{b} forward-backward and quark charge asymmetries a value for the effective electroweak mixing angle of sin^2\bar{\theta}_W = 0.23093 +/- 0.00066 is derived. All these measurements are in good agreement with the Standard Model of electroweak interactions. Using all our measurements of electroweak observables an upper limit on the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson of m_H &lt; 133 GeV is set at 95% confidence level.

Bhabha scattering data recorded at \sqrt{s}=189 GeV by the L3 detector at LEP are used to measure the running of the effective fine-structure constant for spacelike momentum transfers. The results are alpha^-1(-2.1 GeV^2) - alpha^-1(-6.25 GeV^2) = 0.78 +/- 0.26 alpha^-1(-12.25 GeV^2) - alpha^-1(-3434 GeV^2) = 3.80 +/- 1.29, in agreement with theoretical predictions.

We report on the measurement of W-boson pair-production with the L3 detector at LEP at an average centre-of-mass energy of 172.13 GeV. In a data sample corresponding to a total luminosity of 10.25 pb −1 we select 110 four-fermion events with pairs of hadronic jets or leptons with high invariant masses. Branching fractions of W decays into different fermion-antifermion pairs are determined with and without the assumption of charged-current lepton universality. The branching fraction for hadronic W decays is measured to be: B (W → hadrons) = 64.2 −3.8 +3.7 (stat.) ± 0.5 (syst.) %. Combining all final states the total cross section for W-pair production is measured to be: σ WW = 12.27 −1.32 +1.41 (stat.) ± 0.23 (syst.) pb. The results are in good agreement with the Standard Model.

We have studied the structure of hadronic events with a hard, isolated photon in the final state (e + e − → Z → hadrons + γ) in the 3.6 million hadronic events collected with the L3 detector at centre-of-mass energies around 91 GeV. The centre-of-mass energy of the hadronic system is in the range 30 GeV to 86 GeV. Event shape variables have been measured at these reduced centre-of-mass energies and have been compared with the predictions of different QCD Monte Carlo programs. The event shape variables and the energy dependence of their mean values are well reproduced by QCD models. We fit distributions of several global event shape variables to resummed O (α s 2 ) calculations to determine the strong coupling constant α s over a wide range of energies. We find that the strong coupling constant α s decreases with increasing energy, as expected from QCD.

The reaction e+e- -> e+e- gamma* gamma* -> e+e- hadrons for quasi-real photons is studied using data from root(s) = 183 GeV up to 202 GeV. Results on the total cross sections sigma(e+e- -> e+e- hadrons) and sigma(+e- gamma* gamma* -> e+e- hadrons) are given for the two-photon centre-of-mass energies 5 GeV &lt; Wgammagamma &lt; 185 GeV. The total cross section of two real photons is described by a Regge parametrisation. We observe a steeper rise with the two-photon centre-of-mass energy as compared to the hadron-hadron and the photon-proton cross sections. The data are also compared to the expectations of different theoretical models.

Open charm production in gamma-gamma collisions is studied with data collected at e+e- centre-of-mass energies from 189 GeV to 202 GeV corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 410 pb-1. The charm cross section sigma(gamma gamma ---> c c~ X) is measured for the first time as a function of the two-photon centre-of-mass energy in the interval from 5 GeV to 70 GeV and is compared to NLO QCD calculations.

The structure functions of real and virtual photons are derived from cross section measurements of the reaction e^+e^ -> e^+e^- + hadrons at LEP. The reaction is studied at \sqrt{s} ~ 91 GeV with the L3 detector. One of the final state electrons is detected at a large angle relative to the beam direction, leading to Q^2 values between 40 GeV^2 and 500 GeV^2. The other final state electron is either undetected or it is detected at a four-momentum transfer squared P^2 between 1 GeV^2 and 8 GeV^2. These measurements are compared with predictions of the Quark Parton Model and other QCD based models.

We report on measurements of the inclusive production rate of Sigma+ and Sigma0 baryons in hadronic Z decays collected with the L3 detector at LEP. The Sigma+ baryons are detected through the decay Sigma+ -> p pi0, while the Sigma0 baryons are detected via the decay mode Sigma0 -> Lambda gamma. The average numbers of Sigma+ and Sigma0 per hadronic Z decay are measured to be: &lt; N_Sigma+ > + &lt; N_Sigma+~ > = 0.114 +/- 0.011 (stat) +/- 0.009 (syst), &lt; N_Sigma0 > + &lt; N_Sigma0~ > = 0.095 +/- 0.015 (stat) +/- 0.013 (syst). These rates are found to be higher than the predictions from Monte Carlo hadronization models and analytical parameterizations of strange baryon production.

A first measurement of the cross section of the process e+e- -> Z gamma gamma is reported using a total integrated luminosity of 231 pb^-1 collected with the L3 detector at centre-of-mass energies of 182.7 GeV and 188.7 GeV. By selecting hadronic events with two isolated photons the e+e- -> Z gamma gamma cross section is measured to be 0.49 +0.20 -0.17 +/- 0.04 pb at 182.7 GeV and 0.47 +/- 0.10 +/- 0.04 pb at 188.7 GeV. The measurements are consistent with Standard Model expectations. Limits on Quartic Gauge Boson Couplings a_0/Lambda^2 and a_c/Lambda^2 of -0.009 GeV^-2 &lt; a_0/Lambda^2 &lt; 0.008 GeV^-2 and -0.007 GeV^-2 &lt; a_c/Lambda^2 &lt; 0.013 GeV^-2 are derived at 95% confidence level.

We search for anomalous trilinear gauge couplings in the ZZgamma and Zgammagamma vertices using data collected with the L3 detector at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy \sqrt{s}=189 GeV. No evidence is found and limits on these couplings and on new physics scales are derived from the analysis of the process e+e- -> Zgamma.

The process e^+e^- -> Z gamma gamma -> q q~ gamma gamma is studied in 0.5 fb-1 of data collected with the L3 detector at centre-of-mass energies between 130.1 GeV and 201.7 GeV. Cross sections are measured and found to be consistent with the Standard Model expectations. The study of the least energetic photon constrains the quartic gauge boson couplings to -0.008 GeV-2 &lt; a_0/\Lambda^2 &lt; 0.005 GeV-2 and -0.007 GeV-2 &lt; a_c/\Lambda^2 &lt; 0.011 GeV-2, at 95% confidence level.

We report on measurements of e+e- annihilation into hadrons and lepton pairs. The data have been collected with the L3 detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies between 130 and 189 GeV. Using a total integrated luminosity of 243.7 pb^-1, 25864 hadronic and 8573 lepton-pair events are selected for the measurement of cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries. The results are in good agreement with Standard Model predictions.

We report on the measurement of W-boson pair-production with the L3 detector at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of 161.34 GeV. In a data sample corresponding to a total luminosity of 11 pb −1 , we select four-fermion events with high invariant masses of pairs of hadronic jets or leptons. Combining all final states, the measured total cross section for W-pair production is: sigma WW = 2.89 −0.70 +0.81 (stat.) ± 0.14 (syst.) pb. Within the Standard Model, this corresponds to a mass of the W boson of: M W = 80.80 −0.42 +0.48 (exp.) ± 0.03 (LEP) GeV. Limits on anomalous triple-vector-boson couplings are derived.

We report on the observation of single W boson production in a data sample collected by the L3 detector at LEP2. The signal consists of large missing energy final states with a single energetic lepton or two hadronic jets. The cross-section is measured to be 0.61 −0.33 +0.43 ± 0.05 pb at the centre of mass energy s = 172 GeV , consistent with the Standard Model expectation. From this measurement the following limits on the anomalo γWW gauge couplingsare derived at 95% CL: −3.6 < Δκ γ < 1.5 and −3.6 < λ γ < 3.6.

The three different helicity states of W bosons, produced in the reaction e+e- -> W+W- -> l nu q q~ are studied using leptonic and hadronic W decays at sqrt{s}=183GeV and 189GeV. The W polarisation is also measured as a function of the scattering angle between the W- and the direction of the e- beam. The analysis demonstrates that W bosons are produced with all three helicities, the longitudinal and the two transverse states. Combining the results from the two center-of-mass energies and with leptonic and hadronic W decays, the fraction of longitudinally polarised W bosons is measured to be 0.261 +/- 0.051(stat.) +/- 0.016(syst.) in agreement with the expectation from the Standard Model.

Using data collected with the L3 detector near the Z resonance, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 150pb-1, the branching fractions of the tau lepton into electron and muon are measured to be B(tau->e nu nu) = (17.806 +- 0.104 (stat.) +- 0.076 (syst.)) %, B(tau->mu nu nu) = (17.342 +- 0.110 (stat.) +- 0.067 (syst.)) %. From these results the ratio of the charged current coupling constants of the muon and the electron is determined to be g_mu/g_e = 1.0007 +- 0.0051. Assuming electron-muon universality, the Fermi constant is measured in tau lepton decays as G_F = (1.1616 +- 0.0058) 10^{-5} GeV^{-2}. Furthermore, the coupling constant of the strong interaction at the tau mass scale is obtained as alpha_s(m_tau^2) = 0.322 +- 0.009 (exp.) +- 0.015 (theory).