The inclusive production of charged hadrons in the collisions of quasi-real photons e+e- -> e+e- +X has been measured using the OPAL detector at LEP. The data were taken at e+e- centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV. The differential cross-sections as a function of the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the hadrons are compared to theoretical calculations of up to next-to-leading order (NLO) in the strong coupling constant alpha{s}. The data are also compared to a measurement by the L3 Collaboration, in which a large deviation from the NLO predictions is observed.
Differential inclusive charged hadron production cross section as a function of PT.
Differential inclusive charged hadron production cross section as a function of PT.
Differential inclusive charged hadron production cross section as a function of PT.
We have studied hadronic events from e+e- annihilation data at centre-of-mass energies from 91 to 209 GeV. We present distributions of event shape observables and their moments at each energy and compare with QCD Monte Carlo models. From the event shape distributions we extract the strong coupling alpha_s and test its evolution with energy scale. The results are consistent with the running of alpha_s expected from QCD. Combining all data, the value of alpha_s(M_Z) is determined to be alpha_s(M_Z) = 0.1191 +- 0.0005 (stat.) +- 0.0010 (expt.) +- 0.0011 (hadr.) +- 0.0044 (theo.). The energy evolution of the moments is also used to determine a value of alpha_s with slightly larger errors: alpha_s(M_Z) = 0.1223 +- 0.0005 (stat.) +- 0.0014 (expt.) +- 0.0016 (hadr.) +0.0054 -0.0036 (theo.).
Measured normalized differential distribution for 1-THRUST.
Measured normalized differential distribution for HEAVY-JET-MASS.
Measured normalized differential distribution for C-PARAMETER.
Flavour inclusive, udsc and b fragmentation functions in unbiased jets, and flavour inclusive, udsc, b and gluon fragmentation functions in biased jets are measured in e+e- annihilations from data collected at centre-of-mass energies of 91.2, and 183-209 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. The unbiased jets are defined by hemispheres of inclusive hadronic events, while the biased jet measurements are based on three-jet events selected with jet algorithms. Several methods are employed to extract the fragmentation functions over a wide range of scales. Possible biases are studied in the results are obtained. The fragmentation functions are compared to results from lower energy e+e- experiments and with earlier LEP measurements and are found to be consistent. Scaling violations are observed and are found to be stronger for the fragmentation functions of gluon jets than for those of quarks. The measured fragmentation functions are compared to three recent theoretical next-to-leading order calculations and to the predictions of three Monte Carlo event generators. While the Monte Carlo models are in good agreement with the data, the theoretical predictions fail to describe the full set of results, in particular the b and gluon jet measurements.
The udsc jet fragmentation function in bins of $x_{\rm E}$ and scale. The scale denotes $Q_{\rm jet}$ for the biased jets and is given by the intervals, while it denotes $\sqrt{s}/2$ for the unbiased jets and is given by the single values. These data are displayed in Fig.7.
The b jet fragmentation function in bins of $x_{\rm E}$ and scale. The scale denotes $Q_{\rm jet}$ for the biased jets and is given by the intervals, while it denotes $\sqrt{s}/2$ for the unbiased jets and is given by the single values. These data are displayed in Fig. 8. In the region 0.48 $<x_{\rm E}<$ 0.90 and $Q_{\rm jet}=$ 30-70 GeV, no measurement was possible due to low statistics.
The gluon jet fragmentation functions in bins of $x_{\rm E}$ and scale $Q_{\rm jet}$ obtained from the biased jets using the b-tag method (BT). These data are displayed in Fig. 9. In the region 0.48 $<x_{\rm E}<$ 0.90 and $Q_{\rm jet}=$ 30-42 GeV for the b-tag method, no measurement was possible due to low statistics.
The rates are measured per hadronic Z decay for gluon splitting to bb(bar) quark pairs, g_bb, and of events containing two bb(bar) quark pairs, g_4b, using a sample of four-jet events selected from data collected with the OPAL detector. Events with an enhanced signal of gluon splitting to bb(bar) quarks are selected if two of the jets are close in phase-space and contain detached secondary vertices. For the event sample containing two bb(bar) quark pairs, three of the four jets are required to have a significantly detached secondary vertex. Information from the event topology is combined in a likelihood fit to extract the values of g_bb and g_4b, namely g_bb = (3.07 +- 0.53(stat) +- 0.97(syst))x10^-3 g_4b = (0.36 +- 0.17(stat) +- 0.27(syst))x10^-3
No description provided.
The photon structure function F2-gamma(x,Q**2) has been measured using data taken by the OPAL detector at centre-of-mass energies of 91Gev, 183Gev and 189Gev, in Q**2 ranges of 1.5 to 30.0 GeV**2 (LEP1), and 7.0 to 30.0 GeV**2 (LEP2), probing lower values of x than ever before. Since previous OPAL analyses, new Monte Carlo models and new methods, such as multi-variable unfolding, have been introduced, reducing significantly the model dependent systematic errors in the measurement.
Results of F2/ALPHAE for the LEP1 data using the SW for Q**2 = 1.9 GeV**2.
Results of F2/ALPHAE for the LEP1 data using the SW for Q**2 = 3.7 GeV**2.
Results of F2/ALPHAE for the LEP1 data using the FD for Q**2 = 8.9 GeV**2.
We compared the multiplicities of pizero, eta, Kzero and of charged particles in quark and gluon jets in 3-jet events, as measured by the OPAL experiment at LEP. The comparisons were performed for distributions unfolded to 100% pure quark and gluon jets, at an effective scale Qjet which took into account topological dependences of the 3-jet environment. The ratio of particle multiplicity in gluon jets to that in quark jets as a function of Qjet for pizero, eta and Kzero was found to be independent of the particle species. This is consistent with the QCD prediction that the observed enhancement in the mean particle rate in gluon jets with respect to quark jets should be independent of particle species. In contrast to some theoretical predictions and previous observations, we observed no evidence for an enhancement of eta meson production in gluon jets with respect to quark jets, beyond that observed for charged particles. We measured the ratio of the slope of the average charged particle multiplicity in gluon jets to that in quark jets, C, and we compared it to a next-to-next-to-next-to leading order calculation. Our result, C=2.27+-0.20(stat+syst),is about one standard deviation higher than the perturbative prediction.
No description provided.
Symmetric on energy jets.
No description provided.
We employ data taken by the JADE and OPAL experiments for an integrated QCD study in hadronic e+e- annihilations at c.m.s. energies ranging from 35 GeV through 189 GeV. The study is based on jet-multiplicity related observables. The observables are obtained to high jet resolution scales with the JADE, Durham, Cambridge and cone jet finders, and compared with the predictions of various QCD and Monte Carlo models. The strong coupling strength, alpha_s, is determined at each energy by fits of O(alpha_s^2) calculations, as well as matched O(alpha_s^2) and NLLA predictions, to the data. Matching schemes are compared, and the dependence of the results on the choice of the renormalization scale is investigated. The combination of the results using matched predictions gives alpha_s(MZ)=0.1187+{0.0034}-{0.0019}. The strong coupling is also obtained, at lower precision, from O(alpha_s^2) fits of the c.m.s. energy evolution of some of the observables. A qualitative comparison is made between the data and a recent MLLA prediction for mean jet multiplicities.
Overall result for ALPHAS at the Z0 mass from the combination of the ln R-matching results from the observables evolved using a three-loop running expression. The errors shown are total errors and contain all the statistics and systematics.
Weighted mean for ALPHAS at the Z0 mass determined from the energy evolutions of the mean values of the 2-jet cross sections obtained with the JADE and DURHAMschemes and the 3-jet fraction for the JADE, DURHAM and CAMBRIDGE schemes evaluted at a fixed YCUT.. The errors shown are total errors and contain all the statistics and systematics.
Combined results for ALPHA_S from fits of matched predicitions. The first systematic (DSYS) error is the experimental systematic, the second DSYS error isthe hadronization systematic and the third is the QCD scale error. The values of ALPHAS evolved to the Z0 mass using a three-loop evolution are also given.
The helicity density matrix elements rho[00] of rho(770)+- and omega(782) mesons produced in Z decays have been measured using the OPAL detector at LEP. Over the measured meson energy range, the values are compatible with 1/3, corresponding to a statistical mix of helicity -1, 0 and +1 states. For the highest accessible scaled energy range 0.3 < x_E < 0.6, the measured rho[00] values of the rho(770)+- and the omega are 0.373 +- 0.052 and 0.142 +- 0.114, respectively. These results are compared to measurements of other vector mesons.
The errors are statistical and systematic unceratinties added in quadrature. The statistical errors (STAT=...) are also given.
The errors are statistical and systematic unceratinties added in quadrature. The statistical errors (STAT=...) are also given.
We present a test of the flavour independence of the strong coupling constant for charm and bottom quarks with respect to light (uds) quarks, based on a hadronic event sample obtained with the OPAL detector at LEP. Five observables related to global event shapes were used to measure alpha_s in three flavour tagged samples (uds, c and b). The event shape distributions were fitted by Order(alpha_s**2) calculations of jet production taking into account mass effects for the c and b quarks. We find: = 0.997 +- 0.038(stat.) +- 0.030(syst.) +- 0.012(theory) and = 0.993 +- 0.008(stat.) +- 0.006(syst.) +- 0.011(theory) for the ratios alpha_s(charm)/alpha_s(uds) and alpha_s(b)/alpha_s(uds) respectively.
No description provided.
The fraction of Z to bbbar events in hadronic Z decays has been measured by the OPAL experiment using the data collected at LEP between 1992 and 1995. The Z to bbbar decays were tagged using displaced secondary vertices, and high momentum electrons and muons. Systematic uncertainties were reduced by measuring the b-tagging efficiency using a double tagging technique. Efficiency correlations between opposite hemispheres of an event are small, and are well understood through comparisons between real and simulated data samples. A value of Rb = 0.2178 +- 0.0011 +- 0.0013 was obtained, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. The uncertainty on Rc, the fraction of Z to ccbar events in hadronic Z decays, is not included in the errors. The dependence on Rc is Delta(Rb)/Rb = -0.056*Delta(Rc)/Rc where Delta(Rc) is the deviation of Rc from the value 0.172 predicted by the Standard Model. The result for Rb agrees with the value of 0.2155 +- 0.0003 predicted by the Standard Model.
Second systematic error depends on Rc=Delta(R_c)/R_c ratio, where Delta(R_c) is the deviation of R_c from the value 0.172 predicted by the Standard Model.
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