Photonic events with large missing energy have been observed in e+e- collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 189GeV using the OPAL detector at LEP. Results are presented for event topologies consistent with a single photon or with an acoplanar photon pair. Cross-section measurements are performed within the kinematic acceptance of each selection, and the number of light neutrino species is measured. Cross-section results are compared with the expectations from the Standard Model process e+e- to nu nubar + photon(s). No evidence is observed for new physics contributions to these final states. Upper limits are derived on sigma(e+e- to XY).BR(X to Y gamma) and sigma(e+e- to XX).BR**2(X to Y gamma) for the case of stable and invisible Y. These limits apply to single and pair production of excited neutrinos (X=nu*, Y = nu), to neutralino production (X=neutralino_2, Y=neutralino_1) and to supersymmetric models in which X = neutralino_1 and Y = light gravitino. The case of macroscopic decay lengths of particle X is considered for e+e- to XX, X to Y gamma, when M_Y is of order zero. The single-photon results are also used to place upper limits on superlight gravitino pair production as well as graviton-photon production in the context of theories with additional space dimensions.
No description provided.
A study of W-pair production in e+e- annihilations at Lep2 is presented, based on 877 W+W- candidates corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 57 pb-1 at sqrt(s) = 183 GeV. Assuming that the angular distributions of the W-pair production and decay, as well as their branching fractions, are described by the Standard Model, the W-pair production cross-section is measured to be 15.43 +- 0.61 (stat.) +- 0.26 (syst.) pb. Assuming lepton universality and combining with our results from lower centre-of-mass energies, the W branching fraction to hadrons is determined to be 67.9 +- 1.2 (stat.) +- 0.5 (syst.)%. The number of W-pair candidates and the angular distributions for each final state (qqlnu,qqqq,lnulnu) are used to determine the triple gauge boson couplings. After combining these values with our results from lower centre-of-mass energies we obtain D(kappa_g)=0.11+0.52-0.37, D(g^z_1)=0.01+0.13-0.12 and lambda=-0.10+0.13-0.12, where the errors include both statistical and systematic uncertainties and each coupling is determined setting the other two couplings to the Standard Model value. The fraction of W bosons produced with a longitudinal polarisation is measured to be 0.242+-0.091(stat.)+-0.023(syst.). All these measurements are consistent with the Standard Model expectations.
Total W+ W- cross section measurement. The DSYS error corresponds to the total systematic error.
Cross section for W+ W- production in different decay channels. The DSYS error corresponds to the total systematic error.
Production of events with hadronic and leptonic final states has been measured in e^+e^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130-172 GeV, using the OPAL detector at LEP. Cross-sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries are presented, both including and excluding the dominant production of radiative Z \gamma events, and compared to Standard Model expectations. The ratio R_b of the cross-section for bb(bar) production to the hadronic cross-section has been measured. In a model-independent fit to the Z lineshape, the data have been used to obtain an improved precision on the measurement of \gamma-Z interference. The energy dependence of \alpha_em has been investigated. The measurements have also been used to obtain limits on extensions of the Standard Model described by effective four-fermion contact interactions, to search for t-channel contributions from new massive particles and to place limits on chargino pair production with subsequent decay of the chargino into a light gluino and a quark pair.
SIG(C=MEAS) and SIG(C=CORR) stand for measured values without (C=MEAS) and with (C=CORR) correction for interference between initial- and final-state radiation.
The angular distribution of the thrust axis. Errors include statistical and systematic effects combined, with the former dominant.
The measured values include the effect of interference between initial- andfinal-state radiation.
From a total data sample of 701.1 pb^-1 recorded with e+e- centre-of-mass energies of sqrt = 161-209 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP, 11693 W-pair candidate events are selected. These data are used to obtain measurements of the W-pair production cross sections at 10 different centre-of-mass energies. The ratio of the measured cross sections to the Standard Model expectation is found to be: data/SM = 1.002 +- 0.011(stat.) +- 0.007(syst.) +- 0.005(theory), where the uncertainties are statistical, experimental systematics and theory systematics respectively. The data are used to determine the W boson branching fractions, which are found to be consistent with lepton universality of the charged current interaction. Assuming lepton universality, the branching ratio to hadrons is determined to be 67.41 +- 0.37(stat.) +- 0.23(syst.)%, from which the CKM matrix element Vcs is determined to be 0.96+-0.017(stat.)+-0.012(syst.). The differential cross section as a function of the W^- production angle is measured for the qqev and qqmv final states. The results described in this paper are consistent with the expectations from the Standard Model.
Measured cross section for the (lepton nu lepton nu) decay mode.
Measured cross section for the (quark quark lepton nu) decay mode.
Measured cross section for the (quark quark quark quark) decay mode.
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.
Cross-sections and angular distributions for the production of events with single and multiple photons are measured from data recorded with the OPAL detector at the recently upgraded LEP collider. The measured cross-sections are generally consistent with Standard Model expectations for the e + e − → ν v γ(γ) and e + e − → γγ ( γ ) processes. Six events with an acoplanar photon pair and large missing mass are found. The observed number of events is larger than expected from e + e − → ν ν γγ ; however, the missing mass distribution is compatible with the Z 0 resonance. Deviations from QED are constrained by the data on e + e − → γγ ( γ ). Lower limits are set at 95% confidence level on the QED cut-off parameters Λ + and Λ − of 152 GeV and 142 GeV, respectively, and also on the mass of an excited electron of 147 GeV.
No description provided.
No description provided.
No description provided.
Photonic events with large missing energy have been observed in $e^+ e^-$ collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130, 136 and 183 GeV collected in 1997 using the OPAL detector at LEP. Results are presented for event topologies with a single photon and missing transverse energy or with an acoplanar photon pair. Cross-section measurements are performed within the kinematic acceptance of each selection. These results are compared with the expectations from the Standard Model process $e^+e^-$ $\rightarrow \nu \bar{\nu +}$ photon(s). No evidence is observed for new physics contributions to these final states. Using the data at $\sqrt{s} = 183$ GeV, upper limits on $\sigma$ ($e^+ e^-$ $\rightarrow$ X.Y)*BR(X $\to \textrm{Y}_{\gamma}$) and $\sigma$ ($e^+ e^-$ $\rightarrow$ X.X)*BR$^2$ (X $\to \textrm{Y}_{\gamma}$) are derived for the case of stable and invisible Y. These limits apply to single and pair production of excited neutrinos $(\textrm{X} = \nu^*, \textrm{Y} = \nu)$, to neutralino production $(\textrm{X} = \overline{\chi}^0_2, \textrm{Y} = \overline{\chi}^0_1)$ and to supersymmetric models in which $X = \overline{\chi}^0_1$ and $Y=\overline{\textrm{G}}$ is a light gravitino.
No description provided.
No description provided.
The data for sqrt(s) = 130 and 136 GeV are combination of present data and previous one (see EPJ C2, 607), the data for sqrt(s)=161 and 172 GeV is from thesame publication.
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.
CM energy values.
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.
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 data recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of 189GeV by the OPAL detector at LEP are used to search for trilinear couplings of the neutral gauge bosons in the process e+e- --> Z-gamma. The cross-sections are measured for multihadronic events with an energetic isolated photon and for events with a high energy photon accompanied by missing energy. These cross-sections and the photon energy, polar angle and isolation angle distributions are compared to the Standard Model predictions and to the theoretical expectations of a model allowing for Z-gamma-Z and Z-gamma-gamma vertices. Since no significant deviations with respect to the Standard Model expectations are found, constraints are derived on the strength of neutral trilinear gauge couplings.
Total sysytematic error for Q Qbar (NU NUbar) channel is 0.154 (0.048) pb.
See text for Z(GAMMA) anomalous coupling definitions. Statistical and systematic errors are combined in quadrature.