We report measurements of the polarization parameters in π+p and π−p elastic scattering at an incident momentum of 100 GeV/c. The results cover the range 0.18<~−t<~1.4 GeV2 and are in agreement with current Regge-model predictions.

We have made the first measurement of the spin-spin correlation parameter CSS in pp elastic scattering at 6 GeV/c over the |t| range from 0.05 to 1.5 (GeV/c)2. The measured CSS data points are all negative, and their absolute values increase with |t|. The results are compared with some existing attempts to describe the pp scattering process.

Recent data are presented on spin-spin correlation parameters CLL=(L,L;0,0) and CSL=(S,L;0,0) at forward angles from 1.18 to 2.47 GeV/c incident momenta in proton-proton elastic scattering. Values for ΔσL (inelastic) are derived and are shown to disagree with predictions of theoretical models attempting to describe p−p scattering without dibaryon resonances. Finally, the CLL and CSL data discriminate among various phase-shift solutions, and will lead to a clarification of the p−p phase shifts.

Results are presented of a measurement of the proton-proton elastic-scattering spin parameter CLL=(L,L;0,0) at 11.75 GeV/c and θc.m.=48°−90°. The value of CLL is nearly constant and is approximately -0.16 in this angular region. This behavior is consistent with only one of the many models proposed describing the interaction via the hard scattering of two quarks.

The total-cross-section difference in pure longitudinal spin states for p−d interactions has been measured at momenta from 1.1 to 6 GeV/c. Spin-dependent Glauber-type corrections and other corrections have been made to obtain ΔσL(pn) and ΔσL(I=0). These measurements are of fundamental interest and will also help in determining the existence and nature of dibaryon resonances.

Measurements of C LL of pp elastic scattering near θ c.m. = 90° at thirteen energies between 300 and 800 MeV are reported. These, together with previous values of C NN , are used to extract values of two quantities, ƒ s and ƒ t , which contain only spin-singlet and only coupled spin-triplet partial waves, respectively. The ƒ s curve, which is not dependent on C LL , exhibits the behavior expected for the previously conjectured 1 D 2 resonance. The ƒ t curve also exhibits a resonance-like behavior, which could be due either to the 3 P 0 or the 3 P 2 partial wave.

Measurements are reported of the difference ΔσL between proton-proton total cross sections for parallel and antiparallel spin states and of the parameter CLL for proton-proton elastic scattering near 90°, for thirteen energies between 300 and 800 MeV. The ΔσL results agree well with previous ANL ZGS and SIN data, but disagree with recent results from TRIUMF. Attempts to understand the cause of the discrepancy have been unsuccessful, but possible sources are discussed. The ΔσL and CLL results have been used with other experimental data to extract quantities which depend only on spin-singlet, coupled spin-triplet, and spin-triplet partial waves. Structure is found in these quantities, which appears to be associated with the resonantlike D21 and F33 partial waves. Additional similar structure is also found, which may be due either to the P03 partial wave or the (P23,F23) partial-wave pair.

Measurements of the polarization parameter and angular distributions in pp elastic scattering at incident energies of 100 and 300 GeV are reported. The data cover the kinematic range 0.18<−t<2.0 GeV2. They are found to be consistent with absorption-model predictions.

The spin-spin correlation parameter CLL=(L, L; 0, 0) has been measured for p−p elastic scattering around θc.m.=90° up to plab=5 GeV/c. An interesting energy dependence is observed in CLL and the results are interpreted by comparison with other available data.

We have measured the difference between the pp total cross sections for parallel and antiparallel longitudinal spin states at beam momenta of 1.0, 1.1, 1.30, 1.58, 1.71, 2.1, and 2.25 GeV/c in a transmission counter experiment. These results reveal new structure in the plab range of 1.0 to 2.5 GeV/c.

We have measured the spin-spin correlation parameter CLL=(L, L;0, 0) in p−p elastic scattering around θc.m.=90° from plab=1.0 to 3.0 GeV/c. We observe a rapid energy dependence in CLL and describe our interpretation of the results.

Final results are presented of the proton-proton elastic-scattering spin parameters CSS=(S,S;0,0) and CLS=(L,S;0,0) for thetac.m.=8°–49° and of CLL=(L,L;0,0) for thetac.m.=8°–90° at 11.75 GeV/c. Comparisons to theoretical models are also made.

We have measured the total cross-section difference for pp scattering in initial spin states parallel to the beam direction at beam momenta of 1.17, 1.47, 1.69, 1.97 and 2.49 GeV/ c . This measurement was done in a standard transmission experiment. A striking energy dependence is observed with a maximum difference of −16.9 mb at P lab = 1.47 GeV/ c .

Toward the goal of experimentally determining pp elastic scattering amplitudes at 6 GeV/c, we have measured a linear combination of triple-spin correlation parameters and also a linear combination of spintransfer parameters over the |t| range between 0.2 and 1.0 (GeV/c)2. A horizontally polarized beam (S direction) was obtained by precessing the spin of the polarized beam from the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron using a superconducting solenoid. The target protons were polarized vertically (N direction) and the polarization of the recoil protons was measured with a carbon polarimeter. The results are consistent with the amplitude corresponding to π exchange being almost real and positive.

We have measured the polarization for elastic scattering in the reaction π−p→π−p at 2.93 and 3.25 GeV/c using a polarized proton target and multiwire proportional chambers (MWPC's) with emphasis on large-angle scattering. Events were selected by fast scintillation-counter logic. Beam trajectories were measured with four MWPC's and the scattered-particle angles were measured with one or two MWPC's; elastic events were determined by coplanarity and angle-angle correlations. The polarization is in agreement with previous measurements below |t|=2.0 (GeV/c)2, and crosses from negative to positive near the secondary dip in the differential cross section dσdt. In the backward region, an energy dependence appears with the polarization being large and negative at 2.93 GeV/c and consistent with zero at 3.25 GeV/c.

Toward the goal of experimentally determining the p-p elastic-scattering amplitudes at 6 GeV/c, we have measured a number of triple- and double-spin correlation parameters over the ‖t‖ range between 0.2 and 1.0 (GeV/c)2. These new data permit the first nucleon-nucleon amplitude determination in the multi-GeV energy range. Polarized beams from the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron and polarized targets were utilized. The polarization of the recoil proton was measured with a carbon polarimeter. A total of 14 different spin observables were measured (five spin transfer, four depolarization, and five triple-spin correlation parameters). These have been combined with earlier results, resulting in a data set of typically 30 measurements of 20 different spin observables for each of six ‖t‖ values between 0.2 and 1.0 (GeV/c)2. A solution for the amplitudes has been found at each ‖t‖, and comparisons are presented with several different models. The spin-nonflip helicity amplitudes are found to be much larger than the spin-flip amplitudes.

We have measured the difference between proton-proton total cross sections for parallel and antiparallel longitudinal spin states [ΔσL=σtot(⇄)−σtot(⇄)] at 13 incident energies between 300 and 800 MeV, which cover the region of possible D21 and F33 diproton resonances. The present experiment has strongly confirmed the structure previously observed at the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron. No additional narrow structure has been found.

We have measured the difference between the pp total cross-sections for parallel and anti-parallel longitudinal spin states at beam momenta of 3 and 6 GeV/ c . These results, combined with our previous measurements, at lower momenta, are useful in clarifying a striking structure appearing at around 1.5 GeV/ c . We have also measured for the first time, the spin-spin correlation parameter C LL ( t ) in pp elastic scattering at 6 GeV/ c . We observe evidence for an exchange with A 1 -like quantum-numbers.

We have measured the difference between the pp total cross sections for parallel and antiparallel longitudinal spin states at beam momenta of 2.75, 2.92, 3.25, and 3.48 GeV/c. These results reveal possible new structure in this momentum range.

Measurements of the polarization parameters and angular distributions are reported for π±p elastic scattering at 100 GeV/c and for pp elastic scattering at 100- and 300-GeV/c incident momentum. The π±p data cover the kinematic range 0.18≤−t≤1.10 GeV2 and are in agreement with current Regge-model predictions. The pp data cover the kinematic range 0.15≤−t≤1.10 GeV2 and 0.15≤−t≤2.00 GeV2 at 100 and 300 GeV/c, respectively, and are found to be consistent with absorption-model predictions.

The cross section of the pure QED process e + e − → γγ has been measured using data accumulated during the 1989 and 1990 scans of the Z 0 resonance at LEP. Both the energy dependence and the angular distribution are in good agreement with the QED prediction. Upper limits on the branching ratios of Z 0 → γγ , Z 0 → π 0 γ and Z 0 → ηγ have been set at 1.4×10 −4 , 1.4×10 −4 and 2.0×10 −4 respectively. Lower limits on the cutoff parameters of the modified electron propagator have been found to be Λ + > 117 GeV and Λ − > 110 GeV. The reaction e + e − → γγγ has also been studied and was found to be consistent with the QED prediction. An upper limit on the branching ratio of Z 0 → γγγ has been set at 6.6 × 10 −5 . All the limits are given at 95% confidence level.

Charged current data of a spark chamber neutrino experiment at the 70 GeV Serpukhov accelerator (10 200 events in the v beam and 3600 events in the v beam with energies up to 30 GeV) have been analyzed. Total neutrino and antineutrino cross sections and v -distributions are obtained.

The couplings of the Z 0 to charged leptons are studied using measurements of the lepton pair cross sections and forward-backward asymmetries at centre of mass energies near to the mass of the Z 0 . The data are consistent with lepton universality. Using a parametrisation of the lepton pair differential cross section which assumes that the Z 0 has only vector and axial couplings to leptons, the charged leptonic partial decay width of the Z 0 is determined to be Г ol+ol− = 83.1±1.9 MeV and the square of the product of the effective axial vector and vector coupling constants of the Z 0 to charged leptons to be a ̌ 2 ol v ̌ 2 ol = 0.0039± 0.0083 , in agreement with the standard model. A parametrisation in the form of the improved Born approximation gives effective leptonic axial vector and vector coupling constants a ̌ 2 ol = 0.998±0.024 and v ̌ 2 ol = 0.0044±0.0083 . In the framework of the standard model, the values of the parameters ϱ z and sin 2 θ w are found to be 0.998±0.024 and 0.233 +0.045 −0.012 respectively. Using the relationship in the minimal standard model between ϱ z and sin 2 θ w , the results sin 2 θ SM w = 0.233 +0.007 −0.006 is obtained. Our previously published measurement of the ratio of the hadronic to the leptonic partial width of the Z 0 is update: R z = 21.72 +0.71 −0.65 .

Cross sections for the reactionse+e−→e+e− (Bhabha scattering) ande+e−→γγ are measured for center-of-mass (c.m.) energies\(\sqrt s \) between 12.0 and 34.6 GeV. The results agree with the predictions of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) and the cut-off parameters are determined. From Bhabha scattering at the highest energy,\(\left\langle {\sqrt s } \right\rangle= 34.6 GeV\), the 1 δ limits 0.12<sin2 ϑw<0.38 are obtained for the weak mixing angle. The higher order (α3) QED processese+e−→e+e−γ ande+e−→γγγ are also studied and are found to agree with the α3 QED predictions. A search for excited electrons is carried out by investigating the (e±γ) invariant mass distribution in the reactione+e−→e+e−γ.

Polarization in π−p elastic scattering, with emphasis in the region around the secondary dip and also θc.m.=90°, has been measured at 2.93 and 3.25 GeV/c. We observe an interesting sign change in this angular region.

Measurements of the reaction γ p → p π + π − π + π − are presented, in which π + π − π + π − systems with masses up to 3 GeV are produced from fragmentation of the incident photon. The reaction is dominated by production of the large peak of the ϱ′(1600) meson and, at higher masses ≳2 GeV, y production of jet-like 4 π systems. The ϱ′(1600) meson is produced by a predominantly s -channel helicity conserving mechanism. At higher masses there are also indications of ϱπ peaks, of masses 1.3 GeV (the A 2 meson) and 1.75 GeV, produced with a recoiling π meson by a mechanism consistent with the Deck effect.

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.

Resonance production in the γγ reactionse+e−→e+e+e−π0π0 ande+e−π0η has been studied with the JADE detector at PETRA. The decay widths into γγ of thef2(1270),a0(980) anda2(1320) were measured to be\(\Gamma _{\gamma \gamma } (f_2 (1270)) = 3.19 \pm 0.09_{ - 0.38}^{ + 0.22} \) Kev,Γλλ(a0(980))=0.28±0.04±0.10 KeV/BR(a0(980)→π0η) andΓλλ(a2(1320))=1.01±0.14±0.22KeV. For thef0(975) andf4(2050) upper limits of the widths were obtained,Γλλ(f0(975))<0.6 KeV, andΓλλ(f4(2050))<1.1 KeV, both at the 95% C.L. Assuming that the spin 0 background under thef2(1270) is small, thef2(1270) was found to be produced exclusively in a helicity 2 state. The helicity 0 contribution is <15% at the 95% C.L. The cross section forλλ→π0π0 in the mass range 2.0–3.5 GeV/c2 was measured for the first time. Since the cross section forλλ→π+π− is a factor ∼2 larger, ππ production in this range can be interpreted as taking place via isospin 0 production.

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

The angular distribution and the s dependence of the total cross section for the process e + e − → μ + μ − have been measured using the JADE detector at PETRA. After radiative corrections, a forward-backward asymmetry of −(11.8±3.8) % was observed at an average centre of mass energy of 33.5 GeV. For comparison, an asymmetry of −7.8 % is expected on the basis of the standard Glashow-Salam-Weinberg model.

The reaction e + e - → e + e - η' has been observed in the JADE experiment at PETRA, by detecting the final state π + π - γ, resulting from the decay η' → γϱ 0 . The cross section was measured at an average beam energy of 17.15 GeV to be σ(e + e - → e + e - η') = 2.2 ± 0.2 (stat.) ± 0.4(syst.) nb, yielding the radiative width Γ η'γγ = 5.0 ± 0.5(stat.) ± 0.9 (syst.) keV.

The pure QED reaction e + e − → γγ has been studied at centre of mass energies around the mass of the Z 0 boson using data recorded by the OPAL detector at LEP. The results are in good agreement with the QED prediction. Lower limits on the cutoff parameters of the modified electron propagator are found to be Λ + >89 GeV and Λ. The lower limit on the mass of an excited electron is 82 GeV assuming the coupling constant λ =1. Upper limits on the branching ratios of Z 0 → γγ , Z 0 → π 0 γ and Z 0 → ηγ are set at 3.7×10 −4 , 3.9×10 −4 and 5.8×10 −4 respectively. Two events from the reaction e + e − → γγγ have been observed, consistent with the QED prediction. An upper limit on the branching ratio of Z 0 → γγγ is set at 2.8×10 −4 . All the limits are given at 95% confidence level.

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.

Evidence is presented for inclusive photoproduction of F ± mesons in three decay modes, ηπ ± , ηπ ± π + π − and ηπ ± π + π + π − π − . The average mass of the F ± is found to be 2.020±0.010 GeV.

The production of collinear muon pairs has been studied using the JADE detector at thee+e− storage ring at PETRA. Results for the total cross section and the angular distribution were obtained at centre of mass (cm) energies ranging from 12 to 46 GeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity offLdt>90 pb−1, of which 71.2 pb−1 were taken at\(\left\langle {\sqrt s } \right\rangle \)=34.4 GeV and 17 pb−1 at\(\left\langle {\sqrt s } \right\rangle \)=42.4 GeV. The results are compared to electroweak theories, in particular the “Standard Model”.

Photonic events with large missing energy have been observed in e+e- collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 189GeV using the OPAL detector at LEP. Results are presented for event topologies consistent with a single photon or with an acoplanar photon pair. Cross-section measurements are performed within the kinematic acceptance of each selection, and the number of light neutrino species is measured. Cross-section results are compared with the expectations from the Standard Model process e+e- to nu nubar + photon(s). No evidence is observed for new physics contributions to these final states. Upper limits are derived on sigma(e+e- to XY).BR(X to Y gamma) and sigma(e+e- to XX).BR**2(X to Y gamma) for the case of stable and invisible Y. These limits apply to single and pair production of excited neutrinos (X=nu*, Y = nu), to neutralino production (X=neutralino_2, Y=neutralino_1) and to supersymmetric models in which X = neutralino_1 and Y = light gravitino. The case of macroscopic decay lengths of particle X is considered for e+e- to XX, X to Y gamma, when M_Y is of order zero. The single-photon results are also used to place upper limits on superlight gravitino pair production as well as graviton-photon production in the context of theories with additional space dimensions.

We compared the multiplicities of pizero, eta, Kzero and of charged particles in quark and gluon jets in 3-jet events, as measured by the OPAL experiment at LEP. The comparisons were performed for distributions unfolded to 100% pure quark and gluon jets, at an effective scale Qjet which took into account topological dependences of the 3-jet environment. The ratio of particle multiplicity in gluon jets to that in quark jets as a function of Qjet for pizero, eta and Kzero was found to be independent of the particle species. This is consistent with the QCD prediction that the observed enhancement in the mean particle rate in gluon jets with respect to quark jets should be independent of particle species. In contrast to some theoretical predictions and previous observations, we observed no evidence for an enhancement of eta meson production in gluon jets with respect to quark jets, beyond that observed for charged particles. We measured the ratio of the slope of the average charged particle multiplicity in gluon jets to that in quark jets, C, and we compared it to a next-to-next-to-next-to leading order calculation. Our result, C=2.27+-0.20(stat+syst),is about one standard deviation higher than the perturbative prediction.

None

A dipion enhancement of mass 1.59 GeV and width 0.23 GeV is observed in the channel γp→π + π − p. The spin-parity of the enhancement is consistent with being 1 − .

A study of W-pair production in e+e- annihilations at Lep2 is presented, based on 877 W+W- candidates corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 57 pb-1 at sqrt(s) = 183 GeV. Assuming that the angular distributions of the W-pair production and decay, as well as their branching fractions, are described by the Standard Model, the W-pair production cross-section is measured to be 15.43 +- 0.61 (stat.) +- 0.26 (syst.) pb. Assuming lepton universality and combining with our results from lower centre-of-mass energies, the W branching fraction to hadrons is determined to be 67.9 +- 1.2 (stat.) +- 0.5 (syst.)%. The number of W-pair candidates and the angular distributions for each final state (qqlnu,qqqq,lnulnu) are used to determine the triple gauge boson couplings. After combining these values with our results from lower centre-of-mass energies we obtain D(kappa_g)=0.11+0.52-0.37, D(g^z_1)=0.01+0.13-0.12 and lambda=-0.10+0.13-0.12, where the errors include both statistical and systematic uncertainties and each coupling is determined setting the other two couplings to the Standard Model value. The fraction of W bosons produced with a longitudinal polarisation is measured to be 0.242+-0.091(stat.)+-0.023(syst.). All these measurements are consistent with the Standard Model expectations.

The inclusive production of charged hadrons in the collisions of quasi-real photons e+e- -> e+e- +X has been measured using the OPAL detector at LEP. The data were taken at e+e- centre-of-mass energies from 183 to 209 GeV. The differential cross-sections as a function of the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the hadrons are compared to theoretical calculations of up to next-to-leading order (NLO) in the strong coupling constant alpha{s}. The data are also compared to a measurement by the L3 Collaboration, in which a large deviation from the NLO predictions is observed.

The reaction γγ→π+π-π+π-π0 has been studied using the JADE detector at PETRA. The cross sections for γγ→ωπ+- and for γγ→ωρ0- are given. We observe no peak in these cross sections in the regionWγγ=1.9–2.0 GeV.

Production of events with hadronic and leptonic final states has been measured in e^+e^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130-172 GeV, using the OPAL detector at LEP. Cross-sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries are presented, both including and excluding the dominant production of radiative Z \gamma events, and compared to Standard Model expectations. The ratio R_b of the cross-section for bb(bar) production to the hadronic cross-section has been measured. In a model-independent fit to the Z lineshape, the data have been used to obtain an improved precision on the measurement of \gamma-Z interference. The energy dependence of \alpha_em has been investigated. The measurements have also been used to obtain limits on extensions of the Standard Model described by effective four-fermion contact interactions, to search for t-channel contributions from new massive particles and to place limits on chargino pair production with subsequent decay of the chargino into a light gluino and a quark pair.

An experiment is described to measure the differential cross section for the charge-exchange reaction K 0 p → K + n from 0.6 to 1.5 GeV/ c incident kaon momentum in the angular range −0.65 < cos θ ∗ < 0.85 The calibration of the kaon beam by observation of K S 0 regeneration is also described. The differential cross sections are fitted with Legendre polynomials and compared with those from the time-reversed reaction using deuterium targets. Qualitative conclusions are drawn on the behaviour of particular charge-exchange amplitudes.

The reaction γ p→K + K − p has been investigated with photons in the energy range of 20< E γ <36 GeV and with K + K − pairs in the mass range of M K + K − <2.0 GeV. The production of the φ(1019) contributes with a cross section σ ( γ p → φ p) × BR( φ →K + K − ) = 240±6 nb with an additional systematic error of ±20 nb. In the higher mass range of 1.05< M K + K − <2.0 GeV the production of K + K − pairs yields a cross section σ ( γ p→K + K − p) = 160±8 nb with an additional systematic error of +40 −30 nb.

Inclusive jet production (e+e- -> e+e- +jet+X) is studied in collisions of quasi-real photons radiated by the LEP beams at e+e- centre-of-mass energies sqrt see from 189 to 209 GeV. Jets are reconstructed using the kp jet algorithm. The inclusive differential cross-section is measured as a function of the jet transverse momentum, ptjet, in the range 5 <ptjet < 40 GeV for pseudo-rapidities, etaj, in the range -1.5 < etaj < 1.5. The results are compared to predictions of perturbative QCD in next-to-leading order in the strong coupling constant.

From a total data sample of 701.1 pb^-1 recorded with e+e- centre-of-mass energies of sqrt = 161-209 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP, 11693 W-pair candidate events are selected. These data are used to obtain measurements of the W-pair production cross sections at 10 different centre-of-mass energies. The ratio of the measured cross sections to the Standard Model expectation is found to be: data/SM = 1.002 +- 0.011(stat.) +- 0.007(syst.) +- 0.005(theory), where the uncertainties are statistical, experimental systematics and theory systematics respectively. The data are used to determine the W boson branching fractions, which are found to be consistent with lepton universality of the charged current interaction. Assuming lepton universality, the branching ratio to hadrons is determined to be 67.41 +- 0.37(stat.) +- 0.23(syst.)%, from which the CKM matrix element Vcs is determined to be 0.96+-0.017(stat.)+-0.012(syst.). The differential cross section as a function of the W^- production angle is measured for the qqev and qqmv final states. The results described in this paper are consistent with the expectations from the Standard Model.

We have studied azimuthal correlations in singly-tagged e+e− → e+e−μ+μ− events at an average Q2 of 5.2 GeV2. The data were taken with the OPAL detector at LEP at e+e− centre-of-mass energies close to the Z0 mass, with an integrated luminosity of approximately 100 pb−1. The azimuthal correlations are used to extract the ratio $F_{B}^{αmma}/F_{2}^{αmma}$ of the QED structure functions $F_{B}^{αmma}(x,Q^{2})$ and $F_{2}^{αmma}(x,Q^{2})$ of the photon. In leading order and neglecting the muon mass $F_{B}^{αmma}$ is expected to be identical to the longitudinal structure function $F_{L}^{αmma}$. The measurement of $F_{B}^{αmma}/F_{2}^{αmma}$ is found to be significantly different from zero and to be consistent with the QED prediction.

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.

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.