The g p -> K^0 Sigma^+ reaction has been measured from threshold to Eg=1.45 GeV (W_cm=1.9 GeV) using the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers together with the photon tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. In the present experiment, this reaction was searched for in the 3pi^0 p final state, by assuming K^0_S -> pi^0 pi^0 and Sigma^+ -> pi^0 p. The experimental results include total and differential cross sections as well as the polarization of the recoil hyperon. The new data significantly improve empirical knowledge about the g p -> K^0 Sigma^+ reaction in the measured energy range. The results are compared to previous measurements and model predictions. It is demonstrated that adding the present g p -> K^0 Sigma^+ results to existing data allowed a better description of this reaction with various models.

A direct measurement of the helicity dependence of the total photoabsorption cross section on the proton was carried out at MAMI (Mainz) in the energy range 200 < E_gamma < 800 MeV. The experiment used a 4$\pi$ detection system, a circularly polarized tagged photon beam and a frozen spin target. The contributions to the Gerasimov-Drell-Hearn sum rule and to the forward spin polarizability $\gamma_0$ determined from the data are 226 \pm 5 (stat)\pm 12(sys) \mu b and -187 \pm 8 (stat)\pm 10(sys)10^{-6} fm^4, respectively, for 200 < E_\gamma < 800 MeV.

Total and differential cross sections for the reaction gamma p -> pi^o eta p have been measured with the Crystal Ball/TAPS detector using the tagged photon facility at the MAMI C accelerator in Mainz. In the energy range E_gamma=0.95-1.4 GeV the reaction is dominated by the excitation and sequential decay of the Delta(1700)D33 resonance. Angular distributions measured with high statistics allow us to determine the ratio of hadronic decay widths \Gamma_{\eta \Delta}/\Gamma_{\pi S11} and the ratio of the helicity amplitudes A_{3/2}/A_{1/2} for this resonance.

Differential and total cross sections for the quasifree reactions $\gamma p\rightarrow\eta p$ and $\gamma n\rightarrow\eta n$ have been determined at the MAMI-C electron accelerator using a liquid deuterium target. Photons were produced via bremsstrahlung from the 1.5 GeV incident electron beam and energy-tagged with the Glasgow photon tagger. Decay photons of the neutral decay modes $\eta\rightarrow 2\gamma$ and $\eta\rightarrow 3\pi^0 \rightarrow 6\gamma$ and coincident recoil nucleons were detected in a combined setup of the Crystal Ball and the TAPS calorimeters. The $\eta$-production cross sections were measured in coincidence with recoil protons, recoil neutrons, and in an inclusive mode without a condition on recoil nucleons, which allowed a check of the internal consistency of the data. The effects from nuclear Fermi motion were removed by a kinematic reconstruction of the final-state invariant mass and possible nuclear effects on the quasifree cross section were investigated by a comparison of free and quasifree proton data. The results, which represent a significant improvement in statistical quality compared to previous measurements, agree with the known neutron-to-proton cross-section ratio in the peak of the $S_{11}(1535)$ resonance and confirm a peak in the neutron cross section, which is absent for the proton, at a center-of-mass energy $W = (1670\pm 5)$ MeV with an intrinsic width of $\Gamma\approx 30$ MeV.

The reactions $\gamma p\to \eta p$ and $\gamma p\to \eta' p$ have been measured from their thresholds up to the center-of-mass energy $W=1.96$GeV with the tagged-photon facilities at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI. Differential cross sections were obtained with unprecedented accuracy, providing fine energy binning and full production-angle coverage. A strong cusp is observed in the total cross section and excitation functions for $\eta$ photoproduction at the energies in vicinity of the $\eta'$ threshold, $W=1896$MeV ($E_\gamma=1447$MeV). This behavior is explained in a revised $\eta$MAID isobar model by a significant branching of the $N(1895)1/2^-$ nucleon resonance to both, $\eta p$ and $\eta' p$, confirming the existence and constraining the properties of this poorly known state.

Differential cross sections for the gamma p -> pi^0 p reaction have been measured with the A2 tagged-photon facilities at the Mainz Microtron, MAMI C, up to the center-of-mass energy W=1.9 GeV. The new results, obtained with a fine energy and angular binning, increase the existing quantity of pi^0 photoproduction data by ~47%. Owing to the unprecedented statistical accuracy and the full angular coverage, the results are sensitive to high partial-wave amplitudes. This is demonstrated by the decomposition of the differential cross sections in terms of Legendre polynomials and by further comparison to model predictions. A new solution of the SAID partial-wave analysis obtained after adding the new data into the fit is presented.

The $\gamma n \to \pi^0 n$ differential cross section evaluated for 27 energy bins span the photon-energy range 290-813 MeV (W = 1.195-1.553 GeV) and the pion c.m. polar production angles, ranging from 18 deg to 162 deg, making use of model-dependent nuclear corrections to extract pi0 production data on the neutron from measurements on the deuteron target. Additionally, the total photoabsorption cross section was measured. The tagged photon beam produced by the 883-MeV electron beam of the Mainz Microtron MAMI was used for the 0-meson production. Our accumulation of 3.6 x 10^6 $\gamma n \to \pi^0 n$ events allowed a detailed study of the reaction dynamics. Our data are in reasonable agreement with previous A2 measurements and extend them to lower energies. The data are compared to predictions of previous SAID, MAID, and BnGa partial-wave analyses and to the latest SAID fit MA19 that included our data. Selected photon decay amplitudes $N^* \to \gamma n$ at the resonance poles are determined for the first time.

We present new data for the transverse target asymmetry T and the very first data for the beam-target asymmetry F in the $\vec \gamma \vec p\to\eta p$ reaction up to a center-of-mass energy of W=1.9 GeV. The data were obtained with the Crystal-Ball/TAPS detector setup at the Glasgow tagged photon facility of the Mainz Microtron MAMI. All existing model predictions fail to reproduce the new data indicating a significant impact on our understanding of the underlying dynamics of $\eta$ meson photoproduction. The peculiar nodal structure observed in existing T data close to threshold is not confirmed.

The quasifree $\overrightarrow{\gamma} d\to\pi^0n(p)$ photon beam asymmetry, $\Sigma$, has been measured at photon energies, $E_\gamma$, from 390 to 610 MeV, corresponding to center of mass energy from 1.271 to 1.424 GeV, for the first time. The data were collected in the A2 hall of the MAMI electron beam facility with the Crystal Ball and TAPS calorimeters covering pion center-of-mass angles from 49 to 148$^\circ$. In this kinematic region, polarization observables are sensitive to contributions from the $\Delta (1232)$ and $N(1440)$ resonances. The extracted values of $\Sigma$ have been compared to predictions based on partial-wave analyses (PWAs) of the existing pion photoproduction database. Our comparison includes the SAID, MAID, and Bonn-Gatchina analyses; while a revised SAID fit, including the new $\Sigma$ measurements, has also been performed. In addition, isospin symmetry is examined as a way to predict $\pi^0n$ photoproduction observables, based on fits to published data in the channels $\pi^0p$, $\pi^+n$, and $\pi^-p$.

Three- and four-body final states with strange particles are studied in π + p and π − p interactions at 16 GeV/ c . We present cross sections and investigate their energy dependence. Production mechanism, resonance production and quantum number transfer are discussed. Strong Y ∗ (1385) production is found in the reaction π + p → Λ K + π + , while the corresponding π − p reaction is dominated by production of K ∗ (890). In the NK K π channels, the K and K are produced mainly at the same vertex, i.e. non-strangeness exchange ΔS = 0 is dominant (about 75% of the cases), whereas in the Λ K ππ channels, the Λ and K are more frequently produced at opposite vertices, i.e. | ΔS | = 1 exchange is important (about 60% of the cases). Results on the polarization of the lambdas produced in the π + p reactions are given.

A study of the reaction π + p → p π + π o at 16 GeV/ c incident momentum has been made using the prism plot analysis to reject background events arising from elastic and multineutral contaminations and to separate different reaction channels ( ϱ + p, g + p, Δ + π + , Δ ++ π o , π + (p π o ) DD ). Cross sections, invariant mass distributions and production and decay angular distributions are presented. For the channel corresponding to proton diffraction dissociation strong violation of both s - and t -channel helicity conservation is found for low values of the (p π o ) mass. We demonstrate that the prism plot method provides a better separation of background events than conventional methods using kinematic cuts.

We have analysed the reaction π + p → pπ + π + π − at 16 GeV/c by means of the prism plot analysis (PPA) as proposed by Pless et al. We have separated ten reaction channels contributing to the final state pπ + π + π − and present the results in terms of partial and differential cross sections, invariant mass and decay angular distributions. We show that the PPA is a self-controlling method which is demonstrated by the emergence of a broad (3π) + enhancement around 1800 MeV decaying into ρ 0 π + .

This report reviews the experimental investigation of high energy e + e − interactions by the MARK J collaboration at PETRA, the electron-positron colliding beam accelerator at DESY in Hamburg, Germany. The physics objectives include studies of several purely electromagnetic processes and hadronic final states, which further our knowledge of the nature of the fundamental constituents and of their strong, electromagnetic and weak interactions. Before discussing the physics results, the main features and the principal components of the MARK J detector are discussed in terms of design, function, and performance. Several aspects of the on-line data collection and the off-line analysis are also outlined. Results are presented on tests of quantum electrodynamics using e + e − → e + e − , μ + μ − and τ + τ − , on the measurement of R , the ratio of the hadronic to the point-like muon pair cross section, on the search for new quark flavors, on the discovery of three jet events arising from the radiation of hard noncollinear gluons as predicted by quantum chromodynamics, and on the determination of the strong coupling constant α s .

Inclusive ϕ meson production has been measured for 100 GeV/c and 200 GeV/c incident π−,\(\bar p\) andK−, and for 120 GeV/c and 200 GeV/c incident π+,p andK+, using a Be target. A total of 630,000 ϕ mesons has been recorded in the kinematic range 0<xF<0.4. Presented are the differential cross sectionsdσ/dxF anddσ/dpT2. The longitudinal momentum distributions show that the strange valence quarks of the incidentK mesons play an important role in ϕ meson production, even at smallxF. The decay angular distribution of the ϕ meson is evaluated in the Gottfried-Jackson frame and is expressed in the elements of the density matrix. There is a small but significant cos2θGJ dependence for smallpT, which decreases for increasingpT.

The reactions\(K^ -Be \to {}^(\bar K^) *^0 (890)X,\pi ^ -Be \to {}^(\bar K^) *^0 (890)X\), have been studied in a 175 GeV unseparated hadron beam in the kinematic range 0<xF<1.0 andpT2<5 GeV2. Integrated cross-sections and the dependence of the cross-sections on the longitudinal and transverse momentum are presented, together with quark counting rules predictions. The nuclear dependence ofK− fragmentation intoK*0(890) with respect to Feynmanx is investigated from hydrogen to beryllium.

We study the polarization with respect to the normal to the production plane for a very clean sample of 27217 Λ 0 / Λ 0 hyperons produced in 230 GeV/ c π −  Cu interactions. In general we find P(Λ 0 ) ≈ P( Λ 0 ap; 0 except for x F > 0, p T > 1GeV/ c where P ( Λ 0 ) = −0.28±0.09(stat.)±0.02(syst.).

In the CERN NA32 experiment a high-resolution silicon vertex detector and a purely topological approach were used to collect 557 events consistent with associated charm production, both decay vertices being observed. The pseudorapidity gap distribution appears to be nearly independent of the nature of the charmed hadrons. This distribution is reasonably consistent with the next-to-leading order QCD calculations. However the azimuthal-angle distribution is significantly broader than the above predictions.

A search has been made for the hadronic production of charmed baryons and mesons with a large aperture forward magnetic spectrometer using 150 GeV protons originating from the CERN-SPS. A prompt electron trigger was used as a signature for charm. Upper limits at 90% confidence level have been obtained for the production of Λ c + D 0 , D 0 D + and D − : σ(Λ c ) ⩽ 8 μ b , σ( D 0 ) ⩽ 64 μ b , σ( D 0 ) < 37 μ b , σ( D + ) ⩽ 51 μ b and σ( D − ) ⩽ 49 μ b per nucleon, assuming linear A dependence. Systematic errors due to uncertainties in branching ratios and to model dependence of the acceptance calculation are discussed.

We have studied the hadronic production of charmed mesons in the NA 32 experiment at CERN. A special trigger together with a high resolution vertex detector consisting of charge coupled devices and silicon microstrip detectors allowed the selection of very clean samples of charmed mesons. We have collected 852 fully reconstructed decays: 60Ds+→K+K−π+, 543D°→K−π+ andK−π+π−π+ as well as 249D+→K−π+π+ (or charge conjugate). 147 mesons out of our\({{D^0 } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{D^0 } {\bar D^0 }}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\bar D^0 }}\) sample were produced via chargedD* state. For all charmed mesons we determine the total production cross-section and study thexF andpt2 distributions.

Using data from the NA32 experiment at CERN we have studied the Λ + c decays containing a Σ + among the decay products. The interactions of 230 GeV π − with a Cu target were analysed using a precise vertex telescope (charge-coupled devices and silicon microstrip detectors) and the ACCMOR spectrometer. We have found eleven Λ + c →Σ + π + π − , one Λ + c →Σ + K + K − , two Λ + c →Σ + K + π − and one Λ + c →Σ + π + π − π + π − decays practically without any backgroun d. We have measured the branching ratios with respect to the Λ + c →pK − π + channel.

An experiment has been performed to search for associated hadronic production of charmed mesons, using a large-aperture forward magnetic spectrometer setup in a π − beam at the CERN SPS. A prompt electron trigger was used to select events containing a pair by charmed particles. D mesons have been identified by reconstruction of hadronic decay modes such as Kπ, Kππ. Data have been taken at 120, 175, and 200 GeV, The D D cross section measured at 175 200 GeV is σ( D D ) = (48 ± 15) μ b with a systematic uncertainty of ±50%. The energy dependence of the cross section is measured to be σ( D D ) [120 GeV )/σ( D D [175/200 GeV ] = 0.62 ± 0.34 .

None

The production of the neutralK− (892) resonances by 200 GeVK− andπ− has been studied over the kinematic range 0.0<xf<1.0 andpt2<5.0 GeV2. Longitudinal and transverse momentum distributions are presented. In addition the decay angular distributions inK− fragmentation to\(\bar K^{0*} \) have been investigated.

We have measured the differential and total cross sections ofD meson production in 200 GeV π−-beryllium interactions, using a sample of 48 fully reconstructed and nearly background-freeD mesons in the decay channelsK∓π±,K∓π±π± andK∓π∓π±π±. A single electron trigger has been used to select events containing a pair of charmed particles. A vertex telescope of 6 silison microstrip detectors allowed the reconstruction of tracks of charged secondaries and the reconstruction of primary and decay vertices with high precision. The ratio of branching fractions for\(\mathop {D^0 }\limits^{( - )}\to K^ \mp\pi ^ \pm\) to\(\mathop {D^0 }\limits^{( - )}\to K^ \mp\pi ^ \mp\pi ^ \pm\pi ^ \pm\), and an upper limit for\(D^0- \bar D^0 \) mixing are presented.

We have observed four unambiguous decays of the charmed strange baryon Ξ c o in the NA32 experiment at CERN. Charge- coupled devices and silicon microstrip detectors were used to reconstruct the decay mode Ξ c o → pK − K ∗ (892) o seen in events produced by the interaction of 230 GeV/ c negative poins and kaons on a copper target. We present the first measurement of the lifetime of the Ξ c o , together with a determination of its mass and production cross section. The resonant components of the Ξ c o decay are studied. We use our earlier measurement of the mass of the Ξ c + in the determination of the isospin mass splitting of the Ξ c states.

We have observed six unambiguous decays of the charmed strange baryon Ξ c + (or charge conjugate Ξ c − ) in the 230 GeV/c negative pions or kaons on a copper target at the CERN SPS using silicon microstrip detectors and charge-coupled devices for vertex reconstruction. Three of them have been reconstructed through the decay chain Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + , Ξ − → Λ 0 π − , Λ 0 → pπ − and the other three through the decay chain Ξ c + → Σ + K − π + → pπ 0 . We present our measurements of the mass, lifetime and production cross-section of the Ξ c + , as well as of the branching ration for the two decay modes.

Form a sample of about 75000 τ decays measured in the ALEPH detector, 1-prong charged kaon decays are identified by the dE / dx measurement in the central detector. The resulting branching ratios for the inclusive and exclusive modes are: B ( τ → ν τ K − ≥ 0 π 0 ≥ 0 K 0 ) = (1.60±0.07±0.12)%, B ( τ → ν τ K − = (0.64±0.05±0.05)%, B ( τ → ν τ − π 0 = (0.53±0.05±0.07)% and B ( τ → ν τ K − π 0 π 0 ) = (0.04±0.03±0.02)%. Exclusive modes are corrected for measured K L 0 production. The rate for τ → ν τ K − agrees well with the prediction based on τ - μ universality.

Single top production via flavour changing neutral currents in the reactions e + e − → t ̄ c / u is searched for in approximately 411 pb −1 of data collected by ALEPH at centre-of-mass energies in the range between 189 and 202 GeV. In total, 58 events are selected in the data to be compared with 50.3 expected from Standard Model backgrounds. No deviation from the Standard Model expectation is observed. Upper limits at 95% CL on single top production cross sections at s =189 –202 GeV are derived. A model-dependent limit on the sum of branching ratios BR(t→Zc)+BR(t→Zu)<17% is obtained.

The triple gauge-boson couplings involving the W are determined using data samples collected with the ALEPH detector at mean centre-of-mass energies of 183 GeV and 189 GeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 57 pb^-1 and 174 pb^-1, respectively. The couplings, g^Z_1, Kappa_gamma and lambda_gamma, are measured using W-pair events, single-W production and single-gamma production. Each coupling is measured individually with the other two coupling fixed at their Standard Model value. Including ALEPH results from lower energies, the 95% confidence level intervals for the deviation to the Standard Model are -0.087 < Dg^Z_1 < 0.141 -0.200 < DKappa_gamma < 0.258 -0.062 < Lambda_gamma < 0.147. Fits are also presented where two or all three couplings are allowed to vary. In addition, W-pair events are used to set limits on the C- or P-violating couplings g^V_4, g^V_5, Kappa_V, and Lambda_V, where V denotes either gamma or Z. No deviations from the Standard Model expectations are observed.

Inclusive branching ratios involving b to tau transitions are measured in approximately four million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP. The fully-inclusive branching ratio b -> tau nu X and the semi-inclusive branching ratio b -> tau nu D*+/- X are measured to be (2.43 +/- 0.20 +/- 0.25)% and (0.88 +/- 0.31 +/- 0.28)%, in agreement with the standard model predictions. Upper limits on the branching fractions b -> tau nu and b -> s nu nubar are set to 8.3 10**-4 and 6.4 10**-4 at the 90% C.L. These results allow a 90% C.L. lower limit of 0.40 (GeV/c**2)**-1 to be set on the tan(beta)/mH+/- ratio, in the framework of type-II two-Higgs-doublet mode

The decay B0 -> J/psi K0_S is reconstructed with J/psi -> e+ e- or mu+ mu- and K0_S -> pi+ pi-. From the full ALEPH dataset at LEP1 of about 4 million hadronic Z decays, 23 candidates are selected with an estimated purity of 71%. They are used to measure the CP asymmetry of this decay, given by sin 2beta in the Standard Model, with the result sin 2beta = 0.84 +0.82-1.04 +-0.16. This is combined with existing measurements from other experiments, and increases the confidence level that CP violation has been observed in this channel to 98%.

The polarisation of $\tau$'s produced in Z decay is measured using 160 pb$^{-1}$ of data accumulated at LEP by the ALEPH detector between 1990 and 1995. The variation of the polarisation with polar angle yields the two parameters ${\cal A}_e = 0.1504 \pm 0.0068 $ and ${\cal A}_{\tau} = 0.1451 \pm 0.0059$ which are consistent with the hypothesis of $e$-$\tau$ universality. Assuming universality, the value ${\cal A}_{e{-}\tau} = 0.1474 \pm 0.0045$ is obtained from which the effective weak mixing angle $\sin^2 {\theta_{\mathrm{W}}^{\mathrm{eff}}} =0.23147 \pm 0.00057 $ is derived.

The interaction of virtual photons is investigated using double tagged gammagamma events with hadronic final states recorded by the ALEPH experiment at e^+e^- centre-of-mass energies between 188 and 209 GeV. The measured cross section is compared to Monte Carlo models, and to next-to-leading-order QCD and BFKL calculations.

Hadronic Z decay data taken with the ALEPH detector at LEP1 are used to measure the three-jet rate as well as moments of various event-shape variables. The ratios of the observables obtained from b-tagged events and from an inclusive sample are determined. The mass of the b quark is extracted from a fit to the measured ratios using a next-to-leading order prediction including mass effects. Taking the first moment of the y3 distribution, which is the observable with the smallest hadronization corrections and systematic uncertainties, the result is: mb(MZ) = [3.27+-0.22(stat) +-0.22(exp)+-0.38(had)+-0.16(theo)] GeV/c2. The measured ratio is alternatively employed to test the flavour independence of the strong coupling constant for b and light quarks.

Exclusive production of π and K meson pairs in two photon collisions is measured with ALEPH data collected between 1992 and 2000. Cross-sections are presented as a function of cos θ ∗ and invariant mass, for | cos θ ∗ |<0.6 and invariant masses between 2.0 and 6.0 GeV/ c 2 (2.25 and 4.0 GeV/ c 2 ) for pions (kaons). The shape of the distributions are found to be well described by QCD predictions but the data have a significantly higher normalization.

The production of W-pairs is analysed in a data sample collected by ALEPH at a mean centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 174.2 pb^-1. Cross sections are given for different topologies of W decays into leptons or hadrons. Combining all final states and assuming Standard Model branching fractions, the total W-pair cross section is measured to be 15.71 +- 0.34 (stat) +- 0.18 (syst) pb. Using also the W-pair data samples collected by ALEPH at lower centre-of-mass energies, the decay branching fraction of the W boson into hadrons is measured to be BR (W > hadrons) = 66.97 +- 0.65 (stat) +- 0.32 (syst) %, allowing a determination of the CKM matrix element |V(cs)|= 0.951 +- 0.030 (stat) +- 0.015 (syst).

A measurement of the spectral functions of non-strange τ vector current final states is presented, using 124 358 τ pairs recorded by the ALEPH detector at LEP during the years 1991 to 1994. The spectral functions of the dominant two- and four-pion τ decay channels are compared to published results of e+e- annihilation experiments via isospin rotation. A combined fit of the pion form factor from τ decays and e+e- data is performed using different parametrizations. The mass and the width of the ρ±(770) and the ρ0(770) are separately determined in order to extract possible isospin violating effects. The mass and width differences are measured to be Mρ±(770) - Mρ0(770) = (0.0 ± 1.0) MeV/c2 and Γρ±(770) - Γρ0(770) = (0.1 ± 1.9) MeV/c2.

The 132 pbt - 1 of data collected by ALEPH from 1991 to 1994 have been used to analyze η and ω production in τ decays. The following branching fractions have been measured: \(B\left( {{\tau ^ - } \to {\nu _\tau }\omega {h^ - }} \right) = \left( {1.91 \pm 0.07 \pm 0.06} \right) \times {10^{ - 2}},\)\(B\left( {{\tau ^ - } \to {\nu _\tau }\omega {h^ - }{\pi ^0}} \right) = \left( {4.3 \pm 0.6 \pm 0.5} \right) \times {10^{ - 3}},\)\(B\left( {{\tau ^ - } \to {\nu _\tau }\eta {K^ - }} \right) = \left( {2.9_{ - 1.2}^{ + 1.3} \pm 0.7} \right) \times {10^{ - 4}},\)\(B\left( {{\tau ^ - } \to {\nu _\tau }\eta {h^ - }{\pi ^0}} \right) = \left( {1.8 \pm 0.4 \pm 0.2} \right) \times {10^{ - 3}}\) and the 95% C.L. limit B(τ− → ντηπt -) < 6.2 × 10t - 4 has been obtained. The ωπt- and ηπt -π0 rates and dynamics are found in agreement with the predictions made from e+e∼ - annihilation data with the help of isospin invariance (CVC).

We report on properties of hadronic events from e + e − annihilation observed by the ALEPH detector at the large Electron Positron Collider at CERN. The center-of-mass energy was s =91.0−91.3 GeV . Measured distributions of the global event-shape variables sphericity, aplanarity, thrust and minor value, and of the inclusive variables x p , p ⊥ in , p ⊥ out and y are presented. We measure a mean charged multiplicity in hadronic events of 〈 N ch 〉=21.3±0.1 (statistical)±0.6 (systematic). The data are in good agreement with QCD-based models which use the leading-logarithm approximation, and are less well described by a model using O( α s 2 ) QCD.

More extensive and precise results are reported on the parameters of Z decay. On the basis of 20 000 Z decays collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP we find M z =91.182±0.026 (exp.) ±0.030 (beam) GeV, Γ z =2.541±0.056 GeV and σ had 0 =41.4±0.8 nb. The partial widths for the hadronic and leptonic channels are Γ had =1804±44 MeV, Γ e + e − =82.1±3.4 MeV, Γ μ + μ − =87.9±6.0 MeV and Γ τ + τ − =86.1±5.6 MeV, in good agreement with the standard model. On the basis of the average leptonic width Γ ℓ + ℓ − =83.9±2.2 MeV, the effective weak mixing angle is found to be sin 2 θ w ( M z )=0.231±0.008. Usin g the partial widths calculated in the standard model, the number of light neutrino families is N ν =3.01±0.15 (exp.)±0.05 (theor.).

The cross-section for e + e − → hadrons in the vicinity of the Z boson peak has been measured with the ALEPH detector at the CERN Large Electron Positron collider, LEP. Measurements of the Z mass, M z = (91.174±0.070) GeV, the Z width Γ z =(2.68±0.15) GeV, and of the peak hadronic cross-section, σ had peak =(29.3±1.2) nb, are presented. With the constraints of the standard electroweak model, the number of light neutrino species is found to be N v =3.27±0.30. this results rules out of the possibility of a fourth type of light neutrino at 98% CL.

An analysis based on 124 000 selected $\tau$ pairs recorded by the ALEPH detector at LEP provides the vector $(V)$ and axial-v

The hadronic photon structure function $F_2^\gamma(x,Q^2)$ is measured from data taken with the ALEPH detector at LEP. At centre-of-mass energies between

Two samples of exclusive semileptonic decays, 579 B 0 → D ∗+ ℓ − ν ℓ events and 261 B 0 → D + ℓ − ν ℓ events, are selected from approximately 3.9 million hadronic Z decays collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP. From the reconstructed differential decay rate of each sample, the product of the hadronic form factor F (ω) at zero recoil of the D (∗)+ meson and the CKM matrix element | V cb | are measured to be F D ∗+ (1)|V cb | = (31.9 ± 1.8 stat ± 1.9 syst ) × 10 −3 , F D + (1)| V cb | = (27.8 ± 6.8 stat ± 6.5 syst ) × 10 −3 . The ratio of the form factors F D + (1) and F D ∗+ (1) is measured to be F D + (1) F D ∗+ (1) = 0.87 ± 0.22 stat ± 0.21 syst . A value of | V cb | is extracted from the two samples, using theoretical constraints on the slope and curvature of the hadronic form factors and their normalization at zero recoil, with the result | V cb | = (34.4 ± 1.6 stat ± 2.3 syst ± 1.4 th ) × 10 −3 . The branching fractions are measured from the two integrated spectra to be Br ( B 0 → D ∗+ ℓ − ν ℓ ) = (5.53 ± 0.26 stat ±0.52 syst ) %, Br ( B 0 → D ∗+ ℓ − ν ℓ ) = (2.35 ± 0.20 stat ± 0.44 syst ) %.

Using data collected from 1992 to 1995 with the ALEPH detector at LEP, a measurement of the colour factor ratios CA/CF and TF /CF and the strong coupling constant αs = CFαs(MZ)/(2π) has been performed by fitting theoretical predictions simultaneously to the measured differential two-jet rate and angular distributions in four-jet events. The result is found to be in excellent agreement with QCD, {fx4-1} Fixing CA/CF and TF/CF to the QCD values permits a determination of αs(MZ) and ηf, the number of active flavours. With this measurement the existence of a gluino with mass below 6.3 GeV/c2 is excluded at 95% confidence level.

From a sample of 150 000 hadronic Z decays collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP, events containing prompt leptons are used to measure the forward-backward asymmetries for the channels Z → b b and Z → c c , giving the results A FB b =0.126±0.028±0.012 and A FB c =0.064±0.039±0.030. These asymmetries correspond to the value of effective electroweak mixing angle at the Z mass sin 2 θ W ( m Z 2 ) = 0.2262±0.0053.

The polarization of τ leptons produced in the reaction e + e − → τ + τ − at the Z resonance has been measured using the τ decay modes e ν e ν τ , μν μ ν τ , πν τ , ϱν τ , and a 1 ν τ . The mean value obtained is P τ = −0.152±0.045, indicating that parity is violated in the neutral current process e + e − → τ + τ − . The result corresponds to a ratio of a neutral current vector and axial vector coupling constants of the τ lepton g V τ (M 2 Z ) g A τ (M 2 Z ) = 0.076±0.023 and a value of the electroweak mixing parameter sin 2 θ w ( M 2 Z ) = 0.2302 ± 0.0058.

A significant charge asymmetry is observed in the hadronic Z decays with the ALEPH detector at LEP. The asymmetry expressed in terms of the difference in momentum weighted charges in the two event hemispheres is measured to be < Q forward >−< Q backward >= −0.0084±0.0015 (stat.) ±0.0004 (exp. sys.). In the framework of the standard model this can be interpreted as a measurement of the effective electroweak mixing angle, sin 2 O w ( M z 2 =0.2300±0.0034 (stat.) ±0.0010 (exp. sys.) ±0.0038 (theor. sys.) or of the ratio of the vector to axual- vector coupling costants of the electron, g ve g Ae =+0.073±0.024.

Using 106 000 hadronic events obtained with the ALEPH detector at LEP at energies close to the Z resonance peak, the strong coupling constant α s is measured by an analysis of energy-energy correlations (EEC) and the global event shape variables thrust, C -parameter and oblateness. It is shown that the theoretical uncertainties can be significantly reduced if the final state particles are first combined in clusters using a minimum scaled invariant mass cut, Y cut , before these variables are computed. The combined result from all shape variables of pre-clustered events is α s ( M Z 2 = 0.117±0.005 for a renormalization scale μ= 1 2 M Z . For μ values between M Z and the b-quark mass, the result changes by −0.009 +0.006 .

An analysis of global event-shape variables has been carried out for the reaction e + e − →Z 0 →hadrons to measure the strong coupling constant α s . This study is based on 52 720 hadronic events obtained in 1989/90 with the ALEPH detector at the LEP collider at energies near the peak of the Z-resonance. In order to determine α s , second order QCD predictions modified by effects of perturbative higher orders and hadronization were fitted to the experimental distributions of event-shape variables. From a detailed analysis of the theoretical uncertainties we find that this approach is best justified for the differential two-jet rate, from which we obtain α s ( M Z 2 ) = 0.121 ± 0.002(stat.)±0.003(sys.)±0.007(theor.) using a renormalization scale ω = 1 2 M Z . The dependence of α s ( M Z 2 ) on ω is parameterized. For scales m b <ω< M Z the result varies by −0.012 +0.007 .