Data from e + e − annihilations at 29 GeV have been used to measure the production cross section and fragmentation function of η mesons. The signal is observed in the η → γγ decay channel. The fragmentation for p η >1.5 GeV/ c agrees well with the prediction of the Lund model, whereas the prediction of the Webber model lies above the data. The mean multiplicity is measured to be 〈 n η 〉=0.58±0.10 η mesons per hadronic event, of which 0.51 represents the direct production of η and η ′ mesons in the fragmentation chain.
Inclusive cross sections of η production by e + e - annihilation for c.m. energies between 4.0 and 5.0 GeV are presented. The η production is shown to be correlated with the production of a weakly decaying particle, indicating that its main source is F production. At the 4.42 GeV resonance it is correlated with a low energy photon, suggesting F F ∗ or F ∗ F ∗ production. A mass determination of the F is made at 4.42 GeV using the F → ηπ decay channel.
η production has been investigated by the Mark II collaboration at the SLAC e+e− storage ring PEP. η particles are reconstructed by their γγ decay mode. The η fragmentation function has been measured and found to be in good agreement with the Lund-model prediction. η′ production has been measured for the first time in high-energy e+e− annihilation. There is evidence at the 3σ level for Ds± decay into ηπ± and η′π±.
Previously published and as yet unpublished QCD results obtained with the ALEPH detector at LEP1 are presented. The unprecedented statistics allows detailed studies of both perturbative and non-perturbative aspects of strong interactions to be carried out using hadronic Z and tau decays. The studies presented include precise determinations of the strong coupling constant, tests of its flavour independence, tests of the SU(3) gauge structure of QCD, study of coherence effects, and measurements of single-particle inclusive distributions and two-particle correlations for many identified baryons and mesons.
The inclusive production of the omega(782) vector meson in hadronic Z decays is measured and compared to model predictions. The analysis is based on 4 million hadronic Z decays recorded by the ALEPH detector between 1991 and 1995. The production rate for x_p = p_meson/p_beam > 0.05 is measured in the omega -> pi^+ pi^- pi^0 decay mode and found to be 0.585 +- 0.019_stat +- 0.033_sys per event. Inclusive eta meson production is also measured in the same decay channel for x_p > 0.10, obtaining 0.355 +- 0.011_stat +- 0.024_sys per event. The branching ratio for omega -> mu^+ mu^- is investigated. A total of 18.1 +- 5.9 events are observed, from which the muonic branching ratio is measured for the first time to be BR(omega -> mu^+ mu^-) = (9.0 +- 2.9_stat +- 1.1_sys)*10^-5.
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