In the process e+e- to hadrons, one of the effects of gluon emission is to modify the 1+cos(theta)**2 form of the angular distribution of the thrust axis, an effect which may be quantified by the longitudinal cross-section. Using the OPAL detector at LEP, we have determined the longitudinal to total cross-section ratio to be 0.0127+-0.0016+-0.0013 at the parton level, in good agreement with the expectation of QCD computed to Order(alpha_s**2) Comparisions at the hadron level with Monte Carlo models are presented. The dependence of the longitudinal cross-section on the value of thrust has also been studied, and provides a new test of QCD.
Values of SIG(C=L) integrated over all Thrust.
Measured values of the differential cross section, and the corresponding ratio of longitudinal to total cross sections, corrected to the hadron level.
The value of the strong coupling constant,$$\alpha _s (M_{Z^0 } )$$, is determined from a study of 15 d
Differential jet mass distribution for the heavier jet using method T. The data are corrected for the finite acceptance and resolution of the detector and for initial state photon radiation.
Differential jet mass distribution for the jet mass difference using methodT. The data are corrected for the finite acceptance and resolution of the detec tor and for initial state photon radiation.
Differential jet mass distribution for the heavier jet using method M. The data are corrected for the finite acceptance and resolution of the detector and for initial state photon radiation.