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 production of neutral kaons in e+e− annihilation at centre-of-mass energies in the region of the Z0 mass and their Bose-Einstein correlations are investigated with the OPAL detector at LEP. A total of about 1.26×106 Z0 hadronic decay events are used in the analysis. The production rate of K0 mesons is found to be 1.99±0.01±0.04 per hadronic event, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. Both the rate and the differential cross section for K0 production are compared to the predictions of Monte Carlo generators. This comparison indicates that the fragmentation is too soft in bothJetset andHerwig. Bose-Einstein correlations in Ks0Ks0 pairs are measured through the quantityQ, the four momentum difference of the pair. A threshold enhancement is observed in Ks0Ks0 pairs originating from a mixed sample of\(K^0 \bar K^0\) and K0K0 (\(\bar K^0 \bar K^0\)) pairs. For the strength of the effect and for the radius of the emitting source we find values of λ=1.14±0.23±0.32 andR0=(0.76±0.10±0.11) fm respectively. The first error is statistical and the second systematic.
No description provided.
The mean x is computed using the method of Lafferty and Wyatt NIM A355(1995)541.
The mean x is computed using the method of Lafferty and Wyatt NIM A355(1995)541.
The correlated production of Lambda and Lambdabar baryons has been studied using 4.3 million multihadronic Zo decays recorded with the OPAL detector at LEP. Di-lambda pairs were investigated in the full data sample and for the first time also in 2-jet and 3-jet events selected with the k_t algorithm. The distributions of rapidity differences from correlated Lambda-Lambdabar pairs exhibit short-range, local correlations and prove to be a sensitive tool to test models, particularly for 2-jet events. The JETSET model describes the data best but some extra parameter tuning is needed to improve agreement with the experimental results in the rates and the rapidity spectra simultaneously. The recently developed modification of JETSET, the MOdified Popcorn Scenarium (MOPS), and also HERWIG do not give satisfactory results. This study of di-lambda production in 2- and 3-jet events supports the short-range compensation of quantum numbers.
Average multipicity of LAMBDA pairs in hadronic events.
Average multipicity of LAMBDA pairs in 2-Jet events.
Average multipicity of LAMBDA pairs in 3-Jet events.
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.
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.
We have studied hadronic events from e+e- annihilation data at centre-of-mass energies of sqrt{s}=172, 183 and 189 GeV. The total integrated luminosity of the three samples, measured with the OPAL detector, corresponds to 250 pb^-1. We present distributions of event shape variables, charged particle multiplicity and momentum, measured separately in the three data samples. From these we extract measurements of the strong coupling alpha_s, the mean charged particle multiplicity <nch> and the peak position xi_0 in the xi_p=ln(1/x_p) distribution. In general the data are described well by analytic QCD calculations and Monte Carlo models. Our measured values of alpha_s, <nch> and xi_0 are consistent with previous determinations at sqrt{s}=MZ.
Distribution of Thrust.
Distribution of Thrust Major.
Distribution of Thrust Minor.
Measurements have been made in the OPAL experiment at LEP of the inclusive production of strange vector φ(1020) and K*(892)0 mesons, and the tensor meson K2*(1430)0. The overall production rates per hadronic Z0 decay have been determined to be 0.100±0.004stat.±0.007syst. φ(1020) mesons, 0.74±0.03stat.±0.03syst. K*(892)0 mesons and (forxE<0.3) 0.19±0.04stat.±0.06syst. K2*(1430)0 mesons. The measurements for the vector states update previously published results based on lower statistics, while the K2*(1430)0 rate represents the first direct measurement of a strange tensor state in Z0 decay. For the vector states, both the overall production rates and normalised differential cross sections, with respect to the scaled energy variablexE, have been compared to JETSET and HERWIG predictions. The peak positions in the ζ=ln(1/xp) distributions have been measured and compared to measurements of other hadron states.
No description provided.
No description provided.
Extrapolated to full x region.
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.
Charged particle momentum distributions are studied in the reaction e+e- -> hadrons, using data collected with the OPAL detector at centre-of-mass energies from 192 GeV to 209 GeV. The data correspond to an average centre-of- mass energy of 201.7 GeV and a total integrated luminosity of 433 pb-1. The measured distributions and derived quantities, in combination with corresponding results obtained at lower centre-of-mass energies, are compared to QCD predictions in various theoretical approaches to study the energy dependence of the strong interaction and to test QCD as the theory describing it. In general, a good agreement is found between the measurements and the corresponding QCD predictions.
The measured values of the PTIN distribution.
The measured values of the PTOUT distribution.
The measured values of the rapidity, YRAP, distribution.
Inclusive production of the f_0(980), f_2(1270) and \phi(1020) resonances has been studied in a sample of 4.3 million hadronic Z^0 decays from the OPAL experiment at LEP. A coupled channel analysis has been used for the f_0 in simultaneous fits to the resonances in inclusive \pi+\pi- and K+K- mass spectra. Fragmentation functions are reported for the three states. Total inclusive rates are measured to be 0.141 +/- 0.007 +/- 0.011 f_0, 0.155 +/- 0.011 +/- 0.018 f_2, and 0.091 +/- 0.002 +/- 0.003 \phi mesons per hadronic Z^0 decay. The production properties of the f_0, including those in three-jet events, are compared with those of the f_2 and \phi, and with the Lund string model of hadron production. All measurements are consistent with the hypothesis that the f_0 is a conventional qq(bar) scalar meson.
Total inclusive production rates.
Fragmentation functions. Additional systematic errors of 7.6 PCT for F0, 11.6 PCT for F2 and 3.5 PCT for PHI. The uncorrelated systematic errors for F0 and F2 are negligible in comparison to the other errors.
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