The energy dependence of the relative production rate of three-jet events is studied in hadronic e + e − annihilation events at center of mass energies between 22 and 46.7 GeV. Three-jet events are defined by a jet finding algorithm which is closely related to the definition of resolvable jets used in O( α s 2 ) perturbative QCD calculations, where the relative production rate of three-jet events is roughly proportional to the size of the strong coupling strength. The production rates of three-jet events in the data decrease significantly with increasing centre of mass energy. The experimental rates, which are independent of fragmentation model calculations, can be directly compared to theoretically calculated jet production rates and are in good agreement with the QCD expectations of a running coupling strength. The hypothesis of an energy independent coupling constant can be excluded with a significance of four standard derivations.

Jet properties ine+e− annihilation at center of mass energies of 14, 22, 35 and 43.7 GeV were studied with the data collected in the TASSO detector at PETRA, using the same evaluation procedures for all the energies. The total hadronic cross section ratio for the center of mass energy interval 39–47 GeV was determined to be ℛ=4.11±0.05 (stat)±0.18(syst.) at\(\langle \sqrt s \rangle= 43 - 7\) GeV. Corrected distributions of global shape variables are presented as well as the inclusive charged particle distributions for scaled momentum and transverse momentum. The center of mass energy evolution of the average sphericity, thrust, aplanarity and particle momentum is shown.

We have observed ϱ 0 production in e + e − annihilation to hadrons at high energies. The differential cross section at a centre of mass energy W , of 34 GeV, is presented. In the range 0.2< x < 0.7, we measure 0.33 ± 0.06 (stat.) ± 0.07 (syst.), 0.22 ± 0.06 ± 0.05 and 0.22 ± 0.02 ± 0.05 ϱ 0 /event at W = 14, 22 and 34 GeV respectively.

Differential cross sections fore+e−→e+e−, τ+, τ- measured with the CELLO detector at\(\left\langle {\sqrt s } \right\rangle= 34.2GeV\) have been analyzed for electroweak contributions. Vector and axial vector coupling constants were obtained in a simultaneous fit to the three differential cross sections assuming a universal weak interaction for the charged leptons. The results,v2=−0.12±0.33 anda2=1.22±0.47, are in good agreement with predictions from the standardSU(2)×U(1) model for\(\sin ^2 \theta _w= 0.228\). Combining this result with neutrino-electron scattering data gives a unique axial vector dominated solution for the leptonic weak couplings. Assuming the validity of the standard model, a value of\(\sin ^2 \theta _w= 0.21_{ - 0.09}^{ + 0.14}\) is obtained for the electroweak mixing angle. Additional vector currents are not observed (C<0.031 is obtained at the 95% C.L.).

>From a sample of $2722 \pm 78$ $\Lambda_c~+$ decaying to the $pK~-\pi~+$ final state, we have observed, in the hadroproduction experiment E791 at Fermilab, $143 \pm 20$ $\Sigma_c~0$ and $122 \pm 18$ $\Sigma_c~{++}$ through their decays to $\Lambda_c~+ \pi~{\pm}$. The mass difference $M(\Sigma_c~0) - M(\Lambda_c~+$) is measured to be $(167.38\pm 0.29\pm 0.15)\,\mbox{MeV}$; for $M(\Sigma_c~{++}) - M(\Lambda_c~+)$, we find $(167.76\pm 0.29\pm0.15)\,\mbox{MeV}$. The rate of $\Lambda_c~+$ production from decays of the $\Sigma_c$ triplet is $(22\pm 2\pm 3)\,\mbox{\%}$ of the total $\Lambda_c~+$ production assuming equal rate of production from all three, as measured for $\Sigma_c~0$ and $\Sigma_c~{++}$. We do not observe a statistically significant $\Sigma_c$ baryon-antibaryon production asymmetry. The $x_F$ and $p_t~2$ spectra of $\Lambda_c~+$ from $\Sigma_c$ decays are observed to be similar to those for all $\Lambda_c~+$'s produced.

We report a measurement of the inclusive D/D̄ production cross section in 800 GeV/ c proton-proton interactions. The experiment used the high resolution bubble chamber LEBC exposed to an 800 GeV/ c proton beam at the Fermilab MPS. We obtain σ( D/ D ̄ )=59 −15 +22 μ b (statistical errors), having analysed 25% of the total data sample. Comparison with 400 GeV/ c pp dat a obtained with LEBC at CERN shows a D/D̄ cross section increase by a factor of 1.7 −0.5 +0.7 . This is in good agreement with fusion model calculations.

We have measured the scale invariant inclusive photon and π0 cross sections atW=14, 22 and 34 GeV. A comparison with π± data shows no significant difference between neutral and charged pion production. Comparing the integrated cross sections in thex range 0.15<x<1.0 we observe a considerable decrease from 14 GeV to 34 GeV with a statistical significance of 1.5 standard deviations. This is compatible with the expectations for scaling violations from QCD.

Results onK0 and Λ production ine+e− annihilation at c.m. energies of 14, 22 and 34 GeV are presented. The shape of theK0 and Λ differential cross sections are very similar to each other and to those of π±,K± and\(p(\bar p)\). Scaling violations are observed forK0 production. We obtain a value for the probability to produce strange quark-antiquark pairs relative to that to produce up or down quark-antiquark pairs of 0.35±0.02±0.05. The value ofRh=σ(e+e-→hX)/σµµ is shown to rise steadily with c.m. energy for all particle species. At 34 GeV we find 1.48±0.05K0 and 0.31±0.03 Λ per event. We have searched for possible Λ polarization. The production ofK0's and Λ's in jets is examined as a function ofpT2 and rapidity and compared to that of all charged particles; the yields in two and three jets are also investigated. Results are presented from events with two baryons\((\Lambda ,\bar \Lambda ,por\bar p)\) observed.

We present the general properties of jets produced bye+e− annihilation. Their production and fragmentation characteristics have been studied with charged particles for c.m. energies between 12 and 43 GeV. In this energy rangee+e− annihilation into hadrons is dominated by pair production of the five quarksu, d, s, c andb. In addition, hard gluon bremsstrahlung effects which are invisible at low energies become prominent at the high energies. The observed multiplicity distributions deviate from a Poisson distribution. The multiplicity distributions for the overall event as well as for each event hemisphere satisfy KNO scaling to within ∼20%. The distributions ofxp=2p/W are presented; scale breaking is observed at the level of 25%. The quantityxpdδ/dxp is compared with multigluon emission calculations which predict a Gaussian distribution in terms of ln(1/x). The observed energy dependence of the maximum of the distributions is in qualitative agreement with the calculations. Particle production is analysed with respect to the jet axis and longitudinal and transverse momentum spectra are presented. The angular distribution of the jet axis strongly supports the idea of predominant spin 1/2 quark pair production. The particle distributions with respect to the event plane show clearly the growing importance of planar events with increasing c.m. energies. They also exclude the presence of heavy quark production,e+e−→Q\(\bar Q\) for quark masses up to 5<mQ<20.3 GeV (|eQ|=2/3) and 7<mQ<19 GeV (|eQ|=1/3). The comparison of 1/σtotdδ/dpT measured at 14, 22 and 34 GeV suggests that hard gluon bremsstrahlung contributes mainly to transverse momenta larger than 0.5 GeV/c. The rapidity distribution forW≧22 GeV shows an enhancement away fromy=0 which corresponds to an increase in yield of 10–15% compared to the centre region (y=0). The enhancement probably results from heavy quark production and gluon bremsstrahlung. The particle flux around the jet axis shows with increasing c.m. energy a rapidly growing number of particles collimated around the jet axis, while at large angles to the jet axis almost noW dependence is observed. For fixed longitudinal momentump‖ approximate “fan invariance” is seen: The shape of the angular distribution around the jet axis is almost independent ofW. The collimation depends strongly onp‖. For smallp‖,p‖<0.2 GeV/c, isotropy is observed. With increasingp‖ the particles tend to be emitted closer and closer to the jet axis.

We have measured, at an average centre-of-mass energy of 34.22 GeV a forward-backward charge asymmetry in the reaction e + e − → μ + μ − of value −0.161 ± 0.032. This demonstrates the existence of an axial vector neutral current with coupling strength of g e a g μ a =0.53 ± 0.10. We have also obtained a limit on the vector coupling strength of g e v g μ v <0.12. The Weinberg angle is found to be sin 2 θ W =0.29 +0.09 −0.11 . From the reaction e + e − → τ + τ − we have found g e a g τ a <0.34, g e v g τ v <0.55.