Inclusive charged particle production ine+e− annihilation into hadrons is studied in terms of the particle fractional momentumxp. Thexp distribution for gluon jets is extracted by comparing two data samples measured in the TASSO detector: nearly symmetric three jet events at centre-of-mass energyW∼35 GeV and two jet events atW∼22 GeV, yielding quark and gluon jets of similar energies (∼11.5 GeV). No significant difference is observed between quark and gluon jets. Monte Carlo models based on parton showers describe the trend and energy variation of the data better than a model with second order matrix element in αs.

Data accumulated by the TASSO detector across the whole range of energies spanned at PETRA, 12⩽ s ⩽46.8 GeV , have been analysed in terms of cluster algorithms. Using parameters optimised at 35 GeV CM energy, three perturbative QCD+fragmentation models were compared with the data. The O( α s 2 ) model gives too few 4,5- cluster events, implying that higher order QCD contributions are required to describe the data. The parton cascade model, incorporating many orders in perturbation theory, gives a better description of the rates of ⩾ 4 clusters, but shows a lack of hard gluon emission by giving too few 3-, and too many 2-cluster events. When hard gluon emission is taken into account, by the cascade model incorporating the O( α s ) matrix element, all cluster rates are reproduced well. All the models describe the trend of the evolution of the cluster rates between 〈 s 〉 = 14 and 43.8 GeV. We find that the rate of 3-jet events seen in the data decreases as s increases in a manner consistent with the Q 2 dependence of α s as predicted by QCD.

The reactione+e−→µ+µ− has been studied at centre of mass energies between 35.0 and 46.8 GeV using the TASSO detector at PETRA. We present measurements of the forward-backward charge asymmetry (Aμμ) and cross section σμμ for this reaction at three energies. At 35.0 GeV we obtain a cross section relative to the QED prediction ofRμμ=σμμ/σo=0.932±0.018±0.044 andAμμ=(−10.6−2.3+2.2±0.5)%. At 38.3 GeV we findRμμ=0.951±0.072−0.057+0.063 andAμμ=(+1.7−8.6+8.5±0.5)%. At 43.6 GeV we measureRμμ=0.921±0.037±0.055 andAμμ=(−17.6−4.3+4.4±0.5)%. Our results are in good agreement with the predictions of the standard model. Including previous TASSO data we present improved determinations of muonic electroweak parameters. We also report on lower limits of possible contributions from contact interactions.

Reconstruction of charged D ∗ 's produced inclusively in e + e −. annihilation at CM energies near 34.4 GeV is accomplished in the decay modes D ∗ + → D 0 π + → K − gp + π 0 π + and D ∗ + → D 0 π + → K − gp + π − π + π + and their charge conjugates. Using these and previously reported D ∗ + → D 0 π + → K − gp + π + and D ∗ + → D 0 π + → K − gp + π + + missing π 0 channels we present evidence for hard gluon bremsstrahlung from charm quarks and show that the ratio of the quark-gluon coupling constant of charm quarks to the coupling constant obtained in the average hadronic event, α s c α rms = 100 ± 0.20 ± 1.20 . Our result provides evidence that the quark-gluon coupling constant is independent of flavor.

The full TASSO data have been used to study the orientation of three-jet events ine+e− annihilation. The polar angle distributions of the normal to the three-jet plane as well as the polar angle distribution of the most energetic jet have been measured as a function of the thrust cut-off used to select the three-jet sample. The data corrected for radiation and detector effects are compared to QCD predictions and fair agreement is found. As a consistency check we also present measurements of the azimuthal correlations between the lepton and hadron planes. A significant azimuthal dependence is found, consistent again with the QCD predictions.

D ∗± production via e + e − →D ∗± X has been measured at an average CM energy of 34.4 GeV. The D ∗± energy spectrum is hard, with a maximum near χ = 0.6. The size of the D ∗ cross section, R D ∗ = σ( e + e − → D ∗ X ) σ μμ = 2.50 ± 0.64 ± 0.88 (assuming R D ∗0 = R D ∗+ ) indicates that a large fraction of charm quark production yields D ∗ mesons. The D ∗± angular distribution exhibits a forward—backward asymmetry, A = −0.28 ± 0.13. This is consistent with that expected in the standard theory for weak neutral currents and leads to | g A c | = 0.89 ± 0.44 for the axial vector coupling of the charm quark.

Vector meson production is studied in the reaction γγ→K+K−π+π−. A clear Φ(1020) signal is seen in theK+K− mass distribution and aK*0 (890) signal is visible in theK±π∓ one. Both do not seem to be strongly correlated with quasi two body final states. Cross sections for the processes γγ→K+K−π+π−, γγ→Φπ+π−, γγ→K+0K±π∓ and upper limits for the production of Φp, ΦΦ andK*0\(\overline {K^{ * 0} } \) are given as function of the invariant γγ mass.

Data on jet masses, resulting from the decomposition ofe+e− hadronic final states into two hemispheres, are presented at centre of mass energies between 12 and 43.5 GeV. Comparisons are made with bareO(αs2) QCD predictions as well as with QCD based fragmentation models. Values for αs and\(\Lambda _{\overline {MS} } \) are determined, both with and without hadronization effects included. Upper and lower limits for\(\Lambda _{\overline {MS} } \) independent of fragmentation models have been determined to be 0.480±0.025 GeV and 0.047±0.007 GeV respectively.

The cross section for the processe+e−→π0+ anything has been measured at an average center of mass energy of 34.6 GeV for π0 energies between 0.7 and 17 GeV. The angular distribution for π0 energies larger than 2 GeV is of the formdσ/dΩ∼1+Acos2θ, withA=1.2±0.5. The ratio of π0 to π± production in the measured energy range is 2σ(π0)/(σ(π+)+σ(π−))=1.13±0.18

Production of the F meson by e + e − annihilation at high energies has been obsrved in the ϕπ final state with a mass of 1.975 ± 0.009 ± 0.010 GeV and a width consistent with the mass resolution. The yield of F production times branching ratio relative to μ pair production is R F ( x ⩾ 0.3) B (F ± → ϕπ ± ) = 0.061 ± 0.012 ± 0.018.