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.
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 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.
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).
The inclusive branching ratio for the process b -> tau nu X has been measured using hadronic Z decays collected by the OPAL experiment at LEP in the years 1992-2000. The result is: BR(b -> tau nu X) = (2.78 +/- 0.18 +/- 0.51)% This measurement is consistent with the Standard Model expectation and puts a constraint of tan(beta) / M(H+/-) < 0.53 GeV-1 at the 95% confidence level on Type II Two Higgs Doublet Models.
TAN(BETA) is the two-Higgs-doublet model parameter, while M_H is the mass of charged Higgs.
The inclusive production of D*+- mesons in photon-photon collisions has been measured using the OPAL detector at LEP at e+e- centre-of-mass energies of 183 and 189GeV. The D* mesons are reconstructed in their decay to D0pi+ with the D0 observed in the two decay modes Kpi+ and Kpi+pi-pi+. After background subtraction, 100.4+-12.6(stat) D*+- mesons have been selected in events without observed scattered beam electron ("anti-tagged") and 29.8+-5.9 (stat) D*+- mesons in events where one beam electron is scattered into the detector ("single-tagged"). Direct and single-resolved events are studied separately. Differential cross-sections as functions of the D* transverse momentum p_t and pseudorapidity \eta are presented in the kinematic region 2<p_t<12GeV and \eta<1.5. They are compared to next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative QCD calculations. The total cross-section for the process (e+e- to e+e-ccbar), where the charm quarks are produced in the collision of two quasi-real photons, is measured to be 842+-97(stat)+-75(syst)+-196(extrapolation)pb. A first measurement of the charm structure function F2 of the photon is performed in the kinematic range 0.0014<x<0.87 and 5<Q^2<100 GeV^2, and the result is compared to a NLO perturbative QCD calculation.
Differential PT distribution for anti-tagged events for both D* decay modesand combined.
Differential ETARAP distribution for anti-tagged events for both D* decay modes and combined.
Integrated cross section using the anti-tagged events for D* production in the kinematic range of the experiment.
Cross-section and angular distributions for hadronic and lepton-pair final states in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies between 189 GeV and 209 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. The measurements are used to determine the electromagnetic coupling constant alphaem at LEP2 energies. In addition, the results are used together with OPAL measurements at 91-183 GeV within the S-matrix formalism to determine the gamma-Z interference term and to make an almost model-independent measurement of the Z mass. Limits on extensions to the Standard Model described by effective four-fermion contact interactions or the addition of a heavy Z boson are also presented.
Measured cross section for QUARK QUARKBAR (HADRON) production. The data are corrected to no interference between initial and final state radiation.
Measured cross section for MU+ MU- production. The data are corrected to no interference between initial and final state radiation.
Measured cross section for TAU+ TAU- production. The data are corrected to no interference between initial and final state radiation.
A study of b quark hadronisation is presented using inclusively reconstructed B hadrons in about four million hadronic Z decays recorded in 1992-2000 with the OPAL detector at LEP. The data are compared to different theoretical models, and fragmentation function parameters of these models are fitted. The average scaled energy of weakly decaying B hadrons is determined to be <xe>=0.7193+-0.0016(stat)+0.0036-0.0031(syst)
No description provided.
Correlation matrix of statistical uncertainties.
Correlation matrix of positive systematic uncertainties.
The interaction of virtual photons is investigated using the reaction e+e- -> e+e- hadrons based on data taken by the OPAL experiment at e+e- centre-of-mass energies sqrt(s_ee)=189-209 GeV, for W>5 GeV and at an average Q^2 of 17.9 GeV^2. The measured cross-sections are compared to predictions of the Quark Parton Model (QPM), to the Leading Order QCD Monte Carlo model PHOJET to the NLO prediction for the reaction e+e- -> e+e-qqbar, and to BFKL calculations. PHOJET, NLO e+e- -> e+e-qqbar, and QPM describe the data reasonably well, whereas the cross-section predicted by a Leading Order BFKL calculation is too large.
Total cross section in the given phase space and assuming ALPHA = 1/137.
Differential cross section as a function of X where X is the maximum value of X1 or X2, the upper and lower vertex values.
Differential cross section as a function of Q**2 where Q**2 is the maximum value of Q1**2 or Q2**2, the upper and lower vertex values.
A measurement of triple gauge boson couplings is presented, based on W-pair data recorded by the OPAL detector at LEP during 1998 at a centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV with an integrated luminosity of 183 pb^-1. After combining with our previous measurements at centre-of-mass energies of 161-183 GeV we obtain k_g=0.97 +0.20 -0.16, g_1^z=0.991 +0.060 -0.057 and lambda_g=-0.110 +0.058 -0.055, where the errors include both statistical and systematic uncertainties and each coupling is determined by setting the other two couplings to their SM values. These results are consistent with the Standard Model expectations.
Triple gauge boson couplings. All systematic errors are added in quadrature.
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