Energy-energy-correlations (EEC) have been measured with the JADE detector at c.m. energies of 14 GeV, 22 GeV and in the region 29 GeV<Ecm<36 GeV. Corrected results are presented of EEC and their asymmetry, which can be directly compared to theoretical predictions. At 〈Ecm〉=34 GeV a comparison with second order QCD predictions yields good agreement for the string model fragmentation resulting in a value of the strong coupling constant αs=0.165±0.01 (stat.). The independent fragmentation models, which yield values of αs between 0.10 and 0.15 depending on the treatment of energy and momentum conservation and of the gluon splitting, do not provide a satisfactory description of the data over the full angular range.

A search for narrow resonances in e + e − annihilation between 33.00 and 36.72 GeV is reported. No evidence is found for the existence of such states. The 90% confidence upper limit on the integrated resonance cross section is determined to be 28 nb MeV, a value significantly below that expected for the lowest t t bound state.

The total cross section for the process e + e − → hadrons has been measured in the CM energy range between 12.0 and 36.4 GeV using the JADE detector with a typical systematic error of ±3%. The ratio R( σ( ee → hadrons ) σ pt ) is found to be constant over this range with an average value of 3.97 ± 0.05 (statistical and point-to-point systematic error) ± 0.10 (normalization error). The data were compared with the standard electro-weak interaction model including QCD corrections.

The total cross section and the inclusive muon cross section for the process e + e − → hadrons have been measured in the center of mass energy range between 39.79 and 46.78 GeV. The ratio R shows no significant structure. It has an average value of 4.13±0.08±0.14. An upper limit is set on the production of narrow resonances. Limits are obtained for pair-produced heavy quarks. The data are compared with the standard electroweak interaction model including QCD corrections taking into account the five known types of quarks. Upper limits are given for a possible structure of quarks and for effects of color octet leptons.

Data on hadron production by e + e − annihilation at c.m. energies between 12 and 36.6 GeV have been collected using the JADE detector. They have been analysed in terms of single-photon and weak neutral-current exchange assuming production of quark-antiquark pairs with only d, u, s, c and b quarks to produce values for the quark weak neutral-current couplings. A further analysis in terms of the Glashow-Salam-Weinberg theory produced the result, sin 2 θ W = 0.22 ± 0.08 . The theory has therefore been tested in a new energy domain and within the context of the neutral weak couplings of the first, second and third generation quarks.

Topological distributions of charged and neutral hadrons from the reaction e + e − → multihadrons are studied at √ s of about 30 GeV. An excess of planar events is observed at a rate which cannot be explained by statistical fluctuations in the standard two-jet process. The planar events, mostly consisting of a slim jet on one side and a broader jet on the other, are shown actually to possess three-jet structure by demonstrating that the broader jet itself consists of two collinear jets in its own rest system. Detailed agreement between data and predictions is obtained if the process e + e − →q q ̄ g is taken into account. This strongly suggests gluon bremsstrahlung as the origin of the planar three-jet events. By comparison of the data with the qq̄g-model we obtain a value for the strong coupling constant of α S ( q 2 = 0.17 ± 0.04.

A search for narrow resonances in e + e − annihilation at c.m. energies between 29.90 and 31.46 GeV provides no evidence for the existence of such states. The 90% confidence upper limit on the integrated resonance cross section is 38 nb MeV, significantly below the value expected for the lowest (t,t̄) bound state.

Topological distributions of hadrons from the reaction e + e − → hadrons are studied at center of mass energies of about 33 GeV. The experimental distributions in the parameters acoplanarity and tripodity, both sensitive to events with a four-jet structure, show significant deviations from the expectations for two- and three-jet events. They can be described well by the inclusion of four-jet events. The relative magnitude of the observed effect indicates second order QCD as its probable origin.

The cross section for the process e + e − → multihadrons has been measured at the highest PETRA energies. We measure R (the total cross section in units of the point-like e + e - → μ + μ - cross section) to be 2.9 ± 0.7, 4.0 ± 0.5, 4.6 ± 0.4 and 4.2 ± 0.6 at s of 22, 27.7, 30 and 31.6 GeV, respectively. The observed average multiplicity, together with existing low energy data, indicate a rapid increase in multiplicity with increasing energy.

We have measured the mass of the Z boson to be 91.11±0.23 GeV/c2, and its width to be 1.61−0.43+0.60 GeV. If we constrain the visible width to its standard-model value, we find the partial width to invisible decay modes to be 0.62±0.23 GeV, corresponding to 3.8±1.4 neutrino species.

The cross section of W-boson pair-production is measured with the L3 detector at LEP. In a data sample corresponding to a total luminosity of 629.4/pb, collected at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 189 to 209 GeV, 9834 four-fermion events with W bosons decaying into hadrons or leptons are selected. The total cross section is measured with a precision of 1.4 % and agrees with the Standard Model expectation. Assuming charged-lepton universality, the branching fraction for hadronic W-boson decays is measured to be: Br(W-->hadrons) = 67.50 +- 0.42 (stat.) +- 0.30(syst.) %, in agreement with the Standard Model. Differential cross sections as a function of the W- production angle are also measured for the semi-leptonic channels qqev and qqmv.

With use of the LENA detector at the DORIS e+e− storage ring, the hadronic cross section and the μ-pair decay branching ratio of the ϒ(9.46) resonance have been measured. Γee=1.23±0.10 (±0.14) keV, Bμμ=[3.5±1.4 (±0.4)]%, and Γtot=35−10+25 ({+9}{−7}) keV have been obtained. The first set of errors gives the statistical uncertainty. The numbers in parentheses represent systematic errors arising from the uncertainty in the total hadronic cross section.

The forward-backward asymmetries of$$e^ + e^ - \to Z^0 \to b\bar b and e^ + e^ - \to Z^0 \to c\bar c$$

We have measured the mass of the Z boson to be 91.14±0.12 GeV/c2, and its width to be 2.42−0.35+0.45 GeV. If we constrain the visible width to its standard-model value, we find the partial width to invisible decay modes to be 0.46±0.10 GeV, corresponding to 2.8±0.6 neutrino species, with a 95%-confidence-level upper limit of 3.9.

The strong interaction coupling constant α s has been measured with a new method, the planar triple energy correlation in the reaction e + e - → hadrons at center-of-mass energies ranging from 14 GeV to 46.78 GeV. A complete second-order perturbative QCD calculation was used. Λ MS = 110 ± 30 −55 +70 MeV is found.

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.

We present the general properties of jets produced bye+e− annihilation. Their production and fragmentation characteristics have been studied with charged particles for c.m. energies between 12 and 43 GeV. In this energy rangee+e− annihilation into hadrons is dominated by pair production of the five quarksu, d, s, c andb. In addition, hard gluon bremsstrahlung effects which are invisible at low energies become prominent at the high energies. The observed multiplicity distributions deviate from a Poisson distribution. The multiplicity distributions for the overall event as well as for each event hemisphere satisfy KNO scaling to within ∼20%. The distributions ofxp=2p/W are presented; scale breaking is observed at the level of 25%. The quantityxpdδ/dxp is compared with multigluon emission calculations which predict a Gaussian distribution in terms of ln(1/x). The observed energy dependence of the maximum of the distributions is in qualitative agreement with the calculations. Particle production is analysed with respect to the jet axis and longitudinal and transverse momentum spectra are presented. The angular distribution of the jet axis strongly supports the idea of predominant spin 1/2 quark pair production. The particle distributions with respect to the event plane show clearly the growing importance of planar events with increasing c.m. energies. They also exclude the presence of heavy quark production,e+e−→Q\(\bar Q\) for quark masses up to 5<mQ<20.3 GeV (|eQ|=2/3) and 7<mQ<19 GeV (|eQ|=1/3). The comparison of 1/σtotdδ/dpT measured at 14, 22 and 34 GeV suggests that hard gluon bremsstrahlung contributes mainly to transverse momenta larger than 0.5 GeV/c. The rapidity distribution forW≧22 GeV shows an enhancement away fromy=0 which corresponds to an increase in yield of 10–15% compared to the centre region (y=0). The enhancement probably results from heavy quark production and gluon bremsstrahlung. The particle flux around the jet axis shows with increasing c.m. energy a rapidly growing number of particles collimated around the jet axis, while at large angles to the jet axis almost noW dependence is observed. For fixed longitudinal momentump‖ approximate “fan invariance” is seen: The shape of the angular distribution around the jet axis is almost independent ofW. The collimation depends strongly onp‖. For smallp‖,p‖<0.2 GeV/c, isotropy is observed. With increasingp‖ the particles tend to be emitted closer and closer to the jet axis.

The production rates of D*+-, Ds*+-, D+-, D0 / D0bar, Ds+, and Lambda_c in Z to ccbar decays are measured using the LEP I data sample recorded by the ALEPH detector. The fractional energy spectrum of the D*+- is well described as the sum of three contributions: charm hadronisation, b hadron decays and gluon splitting into a pair of heavy quarks. The probability for a c quark to hadronise into a D*+ is found to be f(c to D*+) = 0.233 +- 0.010 (stat.) +- 0.011 (syst.). The average fraction of the beam energy carried by D*+- mesons in Z to cc events is measured to be < X_E (D*+-) >_cc = 0.4878 +- 0.0046 (stat.) +- 0.0061 (syst.). The D*+- energy and the hemisphere mass imbalance distributions are simultaneously used to measure the fraction of hadronic Z decays in which a gluon splits to a cc pair: n_{gluon to cc} = (3.23 +- 0.48 (stat.) +- 0.53 (syst.) %. The ratio of the Vector/(Vector+Pseudoscalar) production rates in charmed mesons is found to be P_V = 0.595 +- 0.045. The fractional decay width of the Z into cc pairs is determined from the sum of the production rates for various weakly decaying charmed states to be Rc = 0.1738 +- 0.0047 (stat.) +- 0.0116 (syst.).

The production rates for 2-, 3-, 4- and 5-jet hadronic final states have been measured with the DELPHI detector at the e + e − storage ring LEP at centre of mass energies around 91.5 GeV. Fully corrected data are compared to O(α 2 s ) QCD matrix element calculations and the QCD scale parameter Λ MS is determined for different parametrizations of the renormalization scale ω 2 . Including all uncertainties our result is α s ( M 2 Z )=0.114±0.003[stat.]±0.004[syst.]±0.012[theor.].

The energy-energy correlation cross section for hadrons produced in electron-positron annihilation at a center-of-mass energy of 29 GeV has been measured with the MAC detector at SLAC. The result is corrected for the effects of detector resolution, acceptance, and initial-state radiation. The correlation is measured in two independent ways on the same data sample: the energy weights and angles are obtained either from the energy flow in the finely segmented total absorption calorimeters or from the momenta of charged tracks in the central drift chamber. This procedure helps reduce systematic errors by cross-checking the effects of the detector on the measurement, particularly important because the corrections depend on complex Monte Carlo simulations. The results are compared with the predictions of Monte Carlo models of complete second-order perturbative quantum chromodynamics and fragmentation, with the following conclusions: (1) fitting the asymmetry for large correlation angles gives values for αS of 0.120±0.006 in perturbation theory, 0.185±0.013 in the Lund string model, and values which vary from 0.105 to 0.140 (±0.01) in the incoherent jet models, depending on the gluon fragmentation scheme and the algorithm used for momentum conservation; and (2) the string fragmentation model provides a satisfactory description of the measured energy-energy correlation cross section, whereas incoherent jet formation does not.

We use the reaction e+e−→hadrons, in the Mark J detector at the DESY electron-positron collider PETRA, to determine the hadronic cross section up to 46.78 GeV. The production of a top quark with a charge equal to (2/3) is excluded up to 46.6 GeV with 95% C.L. The observed rise in the cross section at higher energies is consistent with the electroweak prediction for a Z0 mass of 93 GeV. We describe some unusual muon inclusive events.

We have made a precise measurement of the cross section for e + e − →Z 0 →hadrons with the L3 detector at LEP, covering the s range from 88.28 to 95.04 GeV. From a fit to the Z 0 mass, total width, and the hadronic cross section to be M Z 0 =91.160 ± 0.024 (experiment) ±0.030(LEP) GeV, Γ Z 0 =2.539±0.054 GeV, and σ h ( M Z 0 )=29.5±0.7 nb. We also used the fit to the Z 0 peak cross section and the width todetermine Γ invisible =0.548±0.029 GeV, which corresponds to 3.29±0.17 species of light neutrinos. The possibility of four or more neutrino flavors is thus ruled out at the 4σ confidence level.

In the process e+e- to hadrons, one of the effects of gluon emission is to modify the 1+cos(theta)**2 form of the angular distribution of the thrust axis, an effect which may be quantified by the longitudinal cross-section. Using the OPAL detector at LEP, we have determined the longitudinal to total cross-section ratio to be 0.0127+-0.0016+-0.0013 at the parton level, in good agreement with the expectation of QCD computed to Order(alpha_s**2) Comparisions at the hadron level with Monte Carlo models are presented. The dependence of the longitudinal cross-section on the value of thrust has also been studied, and provides a new test of QCD.

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 present a study of the global event shape variables thrust and heavy jet mass, of energy-energy correlations and of jet multiplicities based on 250 000 hadronic Z 0 decays. The data are compared to new QCD calculations including resummation of leading and next-to-leading logarithms to all orders. We determine the strong coupling constant α s (91.2 GeV) = 0.125±0.003 (exp) ± 0.008 (theor). The first error is the experimental uncertainty. The second error is due to hadronization uncertainties and approximations in the calculations of the higher order corrections.