The inclusive forward jet cross section in deep inelastic $e^+p$ scattering has been measured in the region of $x$--Bjorken, ~$4.5 \cdot 10^{-4}$~ to ~$4.5 \cdot 10^{-2}$. This measurement is motivated by the search for effects of BFKL--like parton shower evolution. The cross section at hadron level as a function of \xbj is compared to cross sections predicted by various Monte Carlo models. An excess of forward jet production at small \xbj is observed, which is not reproduced by models based on DGLAP parton shower evolution. The Colour Dipole model describes the data reasonably well. Predictions of perturbative QCD calculations at the parton level based on BFKL and DGLAP parton evolution are discussed in the context of this measurement.
The forward-jet cross section in deep inelastic ep scattering has been measured using the ZEUS detector at HERA with an integrated luminosity of 6.36 pb^-1. The jet cross section is presented as a function of jet transverse energy squared, E(T,jet)^2, and Q^2 in the kinematic ranges 10^-2<E(T,jet)^2/Q^2<10^2 and 2.5 10^-4<x<8.0 10^-2. Since the perturbative QCD predictions for this cross section are sensitive to the treatment of the log(E_T/Q)^2 terms, this measurement provides an important test. The measured cross section is compared to the predictions of a next-to-leading order pQCD calculation as well as to various leading-order Monte Carlo models. Whereas the predictions of all models agree with the measured cross section in the region of small E(T,Jet)^2/Q^2, only one model, which includes a resolved photon component, describes the data over the whole kinematic range.
The e^+p neutral-current deep inelastic scattering differential cross-sections $d\sigma/dQ^2$, for Q^2 > 400 GeV^2, $d\sigma/dx$ and $d\sigma/dy$, for Q^2 > 400, 2500 and 10000 GeV^2, have been measured with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The data sample of 47.7 pb^-1 was collected at a center-of-mass energy of 300 GeV. The cross-section, $d\sigma/dQ^2$, falls by six orders of magnitude between Q^2 = 400 and 40000 GeV^2. The predictions of the Standard Model are in very good agreement with the data. Complementing the observations of time-like Z^0 contributions to fermion-antifermion annihilation, the data provide direct evidence for the presence of Z^0 exchange in the space-like region explored by deep inelastic scattering.
Di-jet producion is studied in collisions of quasi-real photons at e+e- centre- of-mass energies sqrt(s)ee from 189 to 209 GeV at LEP. The data were collected with the OPAL detector. Jets are reconstructed using an inclusive k_t clustering algorithm for all cross-section measurements presented. A cone jet algorithm is used in addition to study the different structure of the jets resulting from either of the algorithms. The inclusive di-jet cross-section is measured as a function of the mean transverse energy Etm(jet) of the two leading jets, and as a functiuon of the estimated fraction of the photon momentum carried by the parton entering the hard sub-process, xg, for different regions of Etm (jet). Angular distribution in di-jet events are measured and used to demonstrate the dominance of quark and gluon initiated processes in different regions of phase space. Furthermore the inclusive di-jet cross-section as a function of |eta(jet)| and |delta eta (jet)| is presented where eta(jet) is the jet pseudo-rapidity. Different regions of the xg+ -xg- -space are explored to study and control the influence of an underlying event. The results are compared to next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations and to the predictions of the leading order Monte Carlo generator PYTHIA.
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)
Measurements are presented of the inclusive cross section for K ∗ (892) ± production in hadronic decays of the Z 0 using a sample of about half a million events recorded with the OPAL experiment at LEP. Charged K ∗ mesons are reconstructed in the decay channel K 0 S π ± . A mean rate of 0.72±0.02±0.08 K ∗ mesons per hadronic event is found. Comparison of the results with predictions of the JETSET and HERWIG models shows that JETSET overestimates the K ∗± production cross section while HERWIG is consistent with the data.
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.
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.
The production rates of the $J_{P}={1⩈er 2}^{+}$ octet Σ baryons in hadronic Z0 decays have been measured using the OPAL detector at LEP. The inclusive production rates per hadronic Z0 decay of the three isospin states (including the respective antiparticle) have been separately measured for the first time: $άtrix {n_{Sigma^{+}}=0.099pm 0.008pm 0.013ŗ n_{Sigma^{0}}=0.071pm 0.012pm 0.013ŗ n_{Sigma^{-}}=0.083pm 0.006pm 0.009ŗ}$ where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. Differential cross-sections are also presented for the Σ+ and Σ− and compared with JETSET and HERWIG predictions. Assuming full isospin symmetry, the average inclusive rate is: ${1⩈er 3}[n_{Sigma^{+}+Sigma^{0}+Sigma^{-}}]=0.084pm 0.005 ({⤪ stat.}) pm 0.008 ({⤪ syst.})$.
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.
Forum