The strong coupling constant, αs, has been determined in hadronic decays of theZ0 resonance, using measurements of seven observables relating to global event shapes, energy correlatio
Data corrected for finite acceptance and resolution of the detector and for intial state photon radiation. No corrections for hadronic effects are applied.. Errors include statistical and systematic uncertainties, added in quadrature.
Data corrected for finite acceptance and resolution of the detector and for intial state photon radiation. No corrections for hadronic effects are applied.. Errors include statistical and systematic uncertainties, added in quadrature.
Data corrected for finite acceptance and resolution of the detector and for intial state photon radiation. No corrections for hadronic effects are applied.. Errors include statistical and systematic uncertainties, added in quadrature.
We report on a measurement of the processes e + e − →e + e − , e + e − → μ + μ − , and e + e − → τ + τ − near the Z 0 pole. On the basis of 163 e + e − , 101 μ + μ − and 87 τ + τ − events we obtain Γ ee =89±4±4 MeV, Γ μμ =85±9±6 MeV and Γ ττ =87±10±8 MeV, compatible with the standard model. Combining these with our previous results on hadronic Z 0 decays, we find a hadronic width Γ had =1787±81±90 MeV and an invisible width Γ inv =552±85±71 MeV.
Statistical errors only.
Statistical errors only.
We report on a search for new quarks in hadronic Z° decays. From the event shape analysis of a data sample containing 2185 multihadronic annihilation events, we observe no evidence for the top or b' quarks. We derive limits for the top and b' quark masses under the assumption of various possible standard model and non-standard model decay schemes. Our search is sensitive to quark masses larger than 23 GeV/ c 2 ; it yields the following lower limits at a 95% confidence level: 44.5 GeV/ c 2 for the top quark mass and 45.2 GeV/ c 2 for the b′ quark mass.
Measured event shape distributions - uncorrected.
Relative production rates of multijet hadronic final states of Z 0 boson decays, observed in e + e − annihilation around 91 GeV centre of mass energy, are presented. The data can be well described by analytic O( α s 2 ) QCD calculations and by QCD shower model calaculations with parameters as determined at lower energies. A first judgement of Λ MS and of the renormalization scale μ 2 in O( α s 2 ) QCD results in values similar to those obtained in the continuum of e + e − annihilations. Significant scaling violations are observed when the 3-jet fractions are compared to the corresponding results from smaller centre of mass energies. They can be interpreted as being entirely due tot the energy dependence of α s , as proposed by the nonabelian nature of QCD, The possibility of an energy independent coupling constant can be excluded with a significance of 5.7 standard deviations.
Data are corrected for final acceptance and resolution of the detector. No explicit corrections for hadronisation effects are applied.
We report an experimental determination of the cross section for e + e − → hadrons from a scan around the Z 0 pole. On the basis of 4350 hadronic events collected over seven energy points between 89.26 GeV and 93.26 GeV we obtain a mass of m z =91.01±0.05±0.05 GeV, and a total decay width of Γ z =2.60±0.13 GeV. In the context of the standard model t these results imply 3.1 ± 0.4 neutrino generations.
No description provided.
Cross-sections and angular distributions for hadronic and lepton pair final states in e+e- collisions at a centre-of-mass energy near 189 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. The results are used to measure the energy dependence of the electromagnetic coupling constant alpha_em, and to place limits on new physics as described by four-fermion contact interactions or by the exchange of a new heavy particle such as a sneutrino in supersymmetric theories with R-parity violation. A search for the indirect effects of the gravitational interaction in extra dimensions on the mu+mu- and tau+tau- final states is also presented.
Hadronic cross section.
The cross sections for hadronic, and muon- and tau-pair production in the two sprime/s regions.
The cross sections for electron -pair production with various angular cuts.
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.
We have studied hadronic events produced at LEP at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV. Distributions of event shape observables, jet rates, momentum spectra and multiplicities are presented and compared to the predictions of several Monte Carlo models and analytic QCD calculations. From fits of event shape and jet rate distributions to\({\mathcal{O}}(\alpha _s^2 ) + NLLA\) QCD calculations, we determineαs(133 GeV)=0.110±0.005(stat.)±0.009(syst.). We measure the mean charged particle multiplicity 〈nch〉=23.40±0.45(stat.) ±0.47(syst.) and the position ζ0 of the peak in the ζp = ln(1/xp) distribution ζ0=3.94±0.05(stat.)±0.11(syst.). These results are compared to lower energy data and to analytic QCD or Monte Carlo predictions for their energy evolution.
Determination of alpha_s.
Multiplicity and high moments.
Tmajor distribution.
The predicted effects of final state interactions such as colour reconnection are investigated by measuring properties of hadronic decays of W bosons, recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s)=182.7 GeV in the OPAL detector at LEP. Dependence on the modelling of hadronic W decays is avoided by comparing W+W- -> qqqq events with the non-leptonic component of W+W- -> qqlnu events. The scaled momentum distribution, its mean value, x_p, and that of the charged particle multiplicity, n_ch, are measured and found to be consistent in the two channels. The measured differences are: Diff(x_p) = +0.7 +- 0.8 +- 0.6 and Diff(n_ch) = (-0.09 +- 0.09 +-0.05)*10**-2. In addition, measurements of rapidity and thrust are performed for W+W- -> qqqq events. The data are described well by standard QCD models and disfavour one model of colour reconnection within the ARIADNE program. The current implementation of the ELLIS-GEIGER model of colour reconnection is excluded. At the current level of statistical precision no evidence for colour reconnection effects was found in the observables studied. The predicted effect of colour reconnection on OPAL measurements of M_W is also quantified in the context of models studied.
Here Z is defined as Z = 2*P(C=HADRON)/SQRT(S).
This paper describes the measurement of the W boson mass, M_W, and decay width, Gamma_W, from the direct reconstruction of the invariant mass of its decay products in W pair events collected at a mean centre-of-mass energy of sqrt{s} = 172.12 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. Measurements of the W pair production cross-section, the W decay branching fractions and properties of the W decay final states are also described. A total of 120 candidate W^+W^- events has been selected for an integrated luminosity of 10.36 pb^-1. The W^+W^- production cross-section is measured to be sigma_WW = 12.3 +/- 1.3(stat.) +/- 0.3(syst.) pb, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. The W^+W^- -> qq(bar) l nu and W^+W^- -> qq(bar)qq(bar) final states are used to obtain a direct measurement of Gamma_W = 1.30^{+0.62}_{-0.55}(stat.) +/- 0.18(syst.) GeV. Assuming the Standard Model relation between M_W and Gamma_W, the W boson mass is measured to be M_W = 80.32 +/- 0.30(stat.) +/- 0.09(syst.) GeV. The event properties of the fully-hadronic decays of W^+W^- events are compared to those of the semi-leptonic decays. At the current level of precision there is no evidence for effects of colour reconnection in the observables studied. Combining data recorded by OPAL at sqrt{s} ~ 161-172 GeV, the W boson branching fraction to hadrons is determined to be 69.8^{+3.0}_{-3.2}(stat.) +/- 0.7(syst.)%, consistent with the prediction of the Standard Model. The combined mass measurement from direct reconstruction and from the W^+W^- production cross-sections measured at sqrt{s} ~ 161 and sqrt{s} ~ 172 GeV is M_W = 80.35 +/- 0.24(stat.) +/- 0.07(syst.) GeV.
The fit assumptions are as follows: fitting branching ratios (C=BR-FIT), lepton universality is assumed (C=LEPT-UNIVERSALITY), and SM Br (C=BR-SM).