A study of QCD coherence is presented based on a sample of about 397000 $e^+e^-$ hadronic annihilation events collected at $\sqrt{s}=91$ GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. The study is based on four recently proposed observables that are sensitive to coherence effects in the perturbative regime. The measurement of these observables is presented, along with a comparison with the predictions of different parton shower models. The models include both conventional parton shower models and dipole antenna models. Different ordering variables are used to investigate their influence on the predictions.
The normalized corrected data at the hadron level for the emission angle $\theta_{14}$.
The correlation matrix of the normalized corrected data at the hadron level for the emission angle $\theta_{14}$.
The normalized corrected data at the hadron level for the mass ratio $\rho=M_L^2/M_H^2$.
The inclusive production of charged hadrons in the collisions of quasi-real photons e+e- -> e+e- +X has been measured using the OPAL detector at LEP. The data were taken at e+e- centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV. The differential cross-sections as a function of the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the hadrons are compared to theoretical calculations of up to next-to-leading order (NLO) in the strong coupling constant alpha{s}. The data are also compared to a measurement by the L3 Collaboration, in which a large deviation from the NLO predictions is observed.
Differential inclusive charged hadron production cross section as a function of PT.
Differential inclusive charged hadron production cross section as a function of PT.
Differential inclusive charged hadron production cross section as a function of PT.
Flavour inclusive, udsc and b fragmentation functions in unbiased jets, and flavour inclusive, udsc, b and gluon fragmentation functions in biased jets are measured in e+e- annihilations from data collected at centre-of-mass energies of 91.2, and 183-209 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP. The unbiased jets are defined by hemispheres of inclusive hadronic events, while the biased jet measurements are based on three-jet events selected with jet algorithms. Several methods are employed to extract the fragmentation functions over a wide range of scales. Possible biases are studied in the results are obtained. The fragmentation functions are compared to results from lower energy e+e- experiments and with earlier LEP measurements and are found to be consistent. Scaling violations are observed and are found to be stronger for the fragmentation functions of gluon jets than for those of quarks. The measured fragmentation functions are compared to three recent theoretical next-to-leading order calculations and to the predictions of three Monte Carlo event generators. While the Monte Carlo models are in good agreement with the data, the theoretical predictions fail to describe the full set of results, in particular the b and gluon jet measurements.
The udsc jet fragmentation function in bins of $x_{\rm E}$ and scale. The scale denotes $Q_{\rm jet}$ for the biased jets and is given by the intervals, while it denotes $\sqrt{s}/2$ for the unbiased jets and is given by the single values. These data are displayed in Fig.7.
The b jet fragmentation function in bins of $x_{\rm E}$ and scale. The scale denotes $Q_{\rm jet}$ for the biased jets and is given by the intervals, while it denotes $\sqrt{s}/2$ for the unbiased jets and is given by the single values. These data are displayed in Fig. 8. In the region 0.48 $<x_{\rm E}<$ 0.90 and $Q_{\rm jet}=$ 30-70 GeV, no measurement was possible due to low statistics.
The gluon jet fragmentation functions in bins of $x_{\rm E}$ and scale $Q_{\rm jet}$ obtained from the biased jets using the b-tag method (BT). These data are displayed in Fig. 9. In the region 0.48 $<x_{\rm E}<$ 0.90 and $Q_{\rm jet}=$ 30-42 GeV for the b-tag method, no measurement was possible due to low statistics.
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 charged particle multiplicities of two- and three-jet events from the reaction e+e- -> Z0 -> hadrons are measured for Z0 decays to light quark (uds) flavors. Using recent theoretical expressions to account for biases from event selection, results corresponding to unbiased gluon jets are extracted over a range of jet energies from about 11 to 30 GeV. We find consistency between these results and direct measurements of unbiased gluon jet multiplicity from upsilon and Z0 decays. The unbiased gluon jet data including the direct measurements are compared to corresponding results for quark jets. We perform fits based on analytic expressions for particle multiplicity in jets to determine the ratio r = Ng/Nq of multiplicities between gluon and quark jets as a function of energy. We also determine the ratio of slopes, r(1) = (dNg/dy)/(dNq/dy), and of curvatures, r(2) = (d2Ng/dy2)/(d2Nq/dy2), where y specifies the energy scale. At 30 GeV, we find r = 1.422 +/- 0.051, r(1) = 1.761 +/- 0.071 and r(2) = 1.98 +/- 0.13, where the uncertainties are the statistical and systematic terms added in quadrature. These results are in general agreement with theoretical predictions. In addition, we use the measurements of the energy dependence of Ng and Nq to determine an effective value of the ratio of QCD color factors, CA/CF. Our result, CA/CF = 2.23 +/- 0.14 (total), is consistent with the QCD value of 2.25.
Measurements of the mean charged particle multiplicity of biased two-jet uds flavour events from Z0 decays as a function of the transverse momentum cutoff PT(C=LU) used to separate two- and three-jet events.
Measurements of the mean charged particle multiplicity of three-jet uds flavour 'Y events' from Z0 decays, as a function of the angle THETA1 between the lowest two energy jets. The results for the quark jet scale SQRT(S(C=QQBAR)) and the gluon jet scales PT(C=LU) and PT(C=LE) are also given.
Measurements of the unbiased gluon multiplicity as a function of the energy scale Q=PT(C=LU). The corresponding bins of THETA1 in 'Y events' are also indicated.
The photon structure function F2-gamma(x,Q**2) has been measured using data taken by the OPAL detector at centre-of-mass energies of 91Gev, 183Gev and 189Gev, in Q**2 ranges of 1.5 to 30.0 GeV**2 (LEP1), and 7.0 to 30.0 GeV**2 (LEP2), probing lower values of x than ever before. Since previous OPAL analyses, new Monte Carlo models and new methods, such as multi-variable unfolding, have been introduced, reducing significantly the model dependent systematic errors in the measurement.
Results of F2/ALPHAE for the LEP1 data using the SW for Q**2 = 1.9 GeV**2.
Results of F2/ALPHAE for the LEP1 data using the SW for Q**2 = 3.7 GeV**2.
Results of F2/ALPHAE for the LEP1 data using the FD for Q**2 = 8.9 GeV**2.
The helicity density matrix elements rho[00] of rho(770)+- and omega(782) mesons produced in Z decays have been measured using the OPAL detector at LEP. Over the measured meson energy range, the values are compatible with 1/3, corresponding to a statistical mix of helicity -1, 0 and +1 states. For the highest accessible scaled energy range 0.3 < x_E < 0.6, the measured rho[00] values of the rho(770)+- and the omega are 0.373 +- 0.052 and 0.142 +- 0.114, respectively. These results are compared to measurements of other vector mesons.
The errors are statistical and systematic unceratinties added in quadrature. The statistical errors (STAT=...) are also given.
The errors are statistical and systematic unceratinties added in quadrature. The statistical errors (STAT=...) are also given.
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.
In the Standard Model, b quarks produced in e^+e^- annihilation at the Z^0 peak have a large average longitudinal polarization of -0.94. Some fraction of this polarization is expected to be transferred to b-flavored baryons during hadronization. The average longitudinal polarization of weakly decaying b baryons, <P_L^{\Lambda_b}>, is measured in approximately 4.3 million hadronic Z^0 decays collected with the OPAL detector between 1990 and 1995 at LEP. Those b baryons that decay semileptonically and produce a \Lambda baryon are identified through the correlation of the baryon number of the \Lambda and the electric charge of the lepton. In this semileptonic decay, the ratio of the neutrino energy to the lepton energy is a sensitive polarization observable. The neutrino energy is estimated using missing energy measurements. From a fit to the distribution of this ratio, the value <P_L^{\Lambda_b}> = -0.56^{+0.20}_{-0.13} +/- 0.09 is obtained, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic.
Charge conjugate states are included.
The production of K^0_S mesons and Lambda baryons in quark and gluon jets has been investigated using two complementary techniques. In the first approach, which provides high statistical accuracy, jets were selected using different jet finding algorithms and ordered according to their energy. Production rates were determined taking into account the dependences of quark and gluon compositions as a function of jet energy as predicted by Monte Carlo models. Selecting three-jet events with the k_perp (Durham) jet finder (y_cut = 0.005), the ratios of K^0_S and Lambda production rates in gluon and quark jets relative to the mean charged particle multiplicity were found to be 1.10 +/- 0.02 +/- 0.02 and 1.41 +/- 0.04 +/- 0.04, respectively, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. In the second approach, a new method of identifying quark jets based on the collimation of energy flow around the jet axis is introduced and was used to anti-tag gluon jets in symmetric (Y-shaped) three-jet events. Using the cone jet finding algorithm with a cone size of 30 degrees, the ratios of relative production rates in gluon and quark jets were determined to be 0.94 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.07 for K^0_S and 1.18 +/- 0.10 +/- 0.17 for Lambda. The results of both analyses are compared to the predictions of Monte Carlo models.
Ratios of relative yields.
Ratios of absolute rates.
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