Accurate measurements of the left-right asymmetry in π−p→γn at pπ=427−625 MeV/c with a transversely polarized target are reported. Results are compared with the predictions from the Arai and Fujii single-pion photoproduction partial-wave analysis and with data on the inverse process measured with a deuterium target. The agreement is poor, casting doubt on the correctness of the value for the radiative-decay amplitude of the neutral Roper resonance now in use.

The left-right asymmetry of π−p→γn has been measured using a transversely polarized target at seven pion momenta from 301 to 625 MeV/c, mostly at photon angles of 90° and 110° c.m. The final-state γ and neutron were detected in coincidence. Neutrons were recorded in two arrays of plastic scintillators and the γ's in two matching sets of lead-glass counters. The results are compared with the predictions from the two most recent single-pion photoproduction partial-wave analyses. The agreement with the analysis of Arai and Fujii is poor, casting some doubt on the correctness of their values for the radiative decay amplitude of the neutral Roper resonance which are used widely. The agreement is much better with the results of the VPI analysis. Also, a comparison is made with the recoil-proton polarization data from the inverse reaction measured at 90° with a deuterium target. It reveals substantial discrepancies, indicating the shortcomings of the deuterium experiments for neutron target experiments. Our data are also compared with several bag-model calculations.

The spin-rotation parameters A and R and the related spin-rotation angle β have been measured for π+p and π−p elastic scattering using protons polarized in the scattering plane. The pion-beam momenta are 427, 471, 547, 625, and 657 MeV/c and the angular range is −0.9≤cosΘc.m.≤0.3. The scattered pion and recoil proton were detected in coincidence, using a scintillator hodoscope for the pions, and the Large Acceptance Spectrometer combined with the JANUS polarimeter for the recoil protons. The results are compared with the four recent πN partial wave analyses (PWA's). Our data show that the major features of these PWA's are correct. The A and R measurements complete our program of pion-nucleon experiments, providing full data sets at three of the above beam momenta. Such sets can be used to test the constraints in the PWA's or to obtain a model-independent set of πN scattering amplitudes.

The analyzing power of π−p→π0n has been measured for pπ=301−625 MeV/c with a transversely polarized target, mainly in the backward hemisphere. The final-state neutron and a γ from the π0 were detected in coincidence with two counter arrays. Our results are compared with predictions of recent πN partial-wave analyses by the groups of Karlsruhe-Helsinki, Carnegie-Mellon University-Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (CMU-LBL), and Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI). At the lower incident energies little difference is seen among the three analyses, and there is excellent agreement with our data. At 547 MeV/c and above, our data strongly favor the VPI phases, and disagree with Karlsruhe-Helsinki and CMU-LBL analyses, which are the source of the πN resonance parameters given in the Particle Data Group table.

Differential cross sections for π−p→γn have been determined from 427 to 625 MeV/c, mainly at 90° and 110° c.m. The data were obtained by combining measurements of the Panofsky ratio in flight with known charge-exchange cross sections. The results are compared with γn→π−p data derived from γd experiments; the difference is typically 30%. The radiative decay amplitudes of neutral πN resonances are therefore uncertain by at least 30%.

The π−p charge-exchange analyzing power has been measured from 547 to 687 MeV/c in the center-of-mass angular range -0.9≤cosθ̃π≤0.9 using a transversely polarized target. The recoil neutron was detected in coincidence with a photon from π0 decay. The results are compared with the three recent partial-wave analyses (PWA’s); the VPI analysis is most consistent with our measured distributions except at 687 MeV/c where no PWA agrees with our data. The charge-exchange transversity cross sections are evaluated using the differential cross sections of Borcherding et al. These transversity cross sections are used in conjunction with earlier π±p data by our group to test the triangle inequalities which are a model-independent test of isospin invariance. Our data satisfy these inequalities everywhere; in contrast, Abaev et al. have reported a violation of more than 5 standard deviations at 685 MeV/c.

The analyzing power for π−p→π0n has been measured at five incident momenta from 547 to 687 MeV/c using a transversely polarized target. Data were obtained with scintillation counters at 10 angles simultaneously covering the range −0.9≤cosθc.m.π≤0.9. Our results and those of Kim et al. are used for a model-independent test of isospin invariance which is based on the triangle inequalities applied to the transversity-up as well as the transversity-down cross sections. No evidence is found of isospin violation.

A new precise measurement of |V_{cb}| and of the branching ratio BR(\bar{B^0} -> D^{*+} \ell^- \bar{\nu_\ell}) has been performed using a sample of about 5000 semileptonic decays \bar{B^0} -> D^{*+} \ell^- \bar{\nu_\ell}, selected by the DELPHI detector at LEP I by tagging the soft pion from D^{*+} -> D^0 \pi^+. The results are: V_{cb}=(39.0 +/- 1.5 (stat.) ^{+2.5}_{-2.6} (syst. exp.) +/- 1.3 (syst. th.)) x 10^{-3} BR(\bar{B^0} -> D^{*+} \ell^- \bar{\nu_\ell})=(4.70 +/- 0.13 (stat.) ^{+0.36}_{-0.31} (syst. exp.))% The analytic dependences of the differential cross-section and of the Isgur Wise form factor as functions of the variable w = v_{B^0}.v_{D^*} have also been obtained by unfolding the experimental resolution.

A test of the QED process e+e- -> gamma gamma (gamma) is reported. The data analysed were collected with the DELPHI detector in 1998 and 1999 at the highest energies achieved at LEP, reaching 202 GeV in the centre-of-mass. The total integrated luminosity amounts to 375.7 pb^{-1}. The differential and total cross-sections for the process e+e- -> gamma gamma were measured, and found to be in agreement with the QED prediction. 95% Confidence Level (C.L.) lower limits on the QED cut-off parameters of Lambda+ > 330 GeV and Lambda- > 320 GeV were derived. A 95% C.L. lower bound on the mass of an excited electron of 311 GeV/c^2 (for lambda_gamma = 1) was obtained. s-channel virtual graviton exchange was searched for, resulting in 95% C.L. lower limits on the string mass scale, M_S: M_S > 713 GeV/c^2 (lambda = 1) and M_S > 691 GeV/c^2 (lambda = -1).

A search was made among ν μ charged current events collected in the NOMAD experiment for the reaction: ν μ +N→μ − +D ★+ + hadrons ↪ D 0 +π + ↪ K − +π + . A high purity D ★+ sample composed of 35 events was extracted. The D ★+ yield in ν μ charged current interactions was measured to be T =(0.79±0.17(stat.)±0.10(syst.))%. The mean fraction of the hadronic jet energy taken by the D ★+ is 0.67±0.02(stat.)±0.02(syst.). The distributions of the fragmentation variables z, P T 2 and x F for D ★+ are also presented.

Muon pair production in the process e+e- -> e+e-mu+mu- is studied using the data taken at LEP1 (sqrt(s) \simeq m_Z) with the DELPHI detector during the years 1992-1995. The corresponding integrated luminosity is 138.5 pb^{-1}. The QED predictions have been tested over the whole Q^2 range accessible at LEP1 (from several GeV^2/c^4 to several hundred GeV^2/c^4) by comparing experimental distributions with distributions resulting from Monte Carlo simulations using various generators. Selected events are used to extract the leptonic photon structure function F_2^\gamma. Azimuthal correlations are used to obtain information on additional structure functions, F_A^\gamma and F_B^\gamma, which originate from interference terms of the scattering amplitudes. The measured ratios F_A^\gamma/F_2^\gamma and F_B^\gamma/F_2^\gamma are significantly different from zero and consistent with QED predictions.

Measurements of the trilinear gauge boson couplings WWgamma and WWZ are presented using the data taken by DELPHI in 1998 at a centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV and combined with DELPHI data at 183 GeV. Values are determined for Delta(g_1^Z) and Delta(kappa_gamma), the differences of the WWZ charge coupling and of the WWgamma dipole coupling from their Standard Model values, and for lambda_gamma, the WWgamma quadrupole coupling. A measurement of the magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moment of the W is extracted from the results for Delta(kappa_gamma) and lambda_gamma. The study uses data from the final states jjlv, jjjj, lX, jjX and gammaX, where j represents a quark jet, l an identified lepton and X missing four-momentum. The observations are consistent with the predictions of the Standard Model.

The cross-sections for the production of single charged and neutral intermediate vector bosons were measured using integrated luminosities of 52 pb^{-1} and 154 pb^{-1} collected by the DELPHI experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 182.6 GeV and 188.6 GeV, respectively. The cross-sections for the reactions were determined in limited kinematic regions. The results found are in agreement with the Standard Model predictions for these channels.

Measurements of on-shell ZZ production are described, using data collected by DELPHI in 1997 and 1998, at centre-of-mass energies sqrt(s) = 182.6 GeV and 188.6 GeV respectively. Results obtained in each of the final states q qbar q qbar, mu+mu- q qbar, e+e- q qbar, nu nubar q qbar, l+l-l+l-, and nu nubar l+l- are presented. The measured cross-sections for on-shell ZZ production via the tree-level doubly-resonant graphs (NC02) are: sigma_{NC02}(182.6 GeV) = 0.38 +- 0.18 (stat) +- 0.04 (syst) pb, sigma_{NC02}(188.6 GeV) = 0.60 +- 0.13 (stat) +- 0.07 (syst) pb. They are consistent with the Standard Model expectations of 0.25 pb and 0.65 pb at each energy.

The production of two high-p_T jets in the interactions of quasi-real photons in e+e- collisions at sqrt{s_ee} from 189 GeV to 209 GeV is studied with data corresponding to an integrated e+e- luminosity of 550 pb^{-1}. The jets reconstructed by the k_T cluster algorithm are defined within the pseudo-rapidity range -1 < eta < 1 and with jet transverse momentum, p_T, above 3 GeV/c. The differential di-jet cross-section is measured as a function of the mean transverse momentum ptmean of the jets and is compared to perturbative QCD calculations.

High quality analyzing powers for the π−p→→π0n reaction have been obtained with a polarized proton target over a broad angular range at incident kinetic energies of 98.1, 138.8, 165.9, and 214.4 MeV. This experiment nearly doubled the existing πN single-charge-exchange database for energies ranging from 10 to 230 MeV, with 36 new analyzing powers. The Neutral Meson Spectrometer was used to detect the outgoing neutral pions. The data are well described by recent phase-shift analyses. When combined with high-precision and accurate cross section data at the same energies, the data can provide a good test of the degree of isospin breaking in the region of the Δ(1232) resonance. They will also be helpful for constraining the evaluation of the pion-nucleon σ term from the scattering amplitudes.

A sample of 2.2 million hadronic Z decays, selected from the data recorded by the Delphi detector at LEP during 1994-1995 was used for an improved measurement of inclusive distributions of pi+, K+ and p and their antiparticles in gluon and quark jets. The production spectra of the individual identified particles were found to be softer in gluon jets compared to quark jets, with a higher multiplicity in gluon jets as observed for inclusive charged particles. A significant proton enhancement in gluon jets is observed indicating that baryon production proceeds directly from colour objects. The maxima, xi^*, of the xi-distributions for kaons in gluon and quark jets are observed to be different.

An analysis of the data collected in 1997 and 1998 with the DELPHI detector at e+e- collision energies close to 183 and 189 GeV was performed in order to extract the hadronic and leptonic fermion-pair cross-sections, as well as the leptonic forward-backward asymmetries and angular distributions. The data are used to put limit on contact interactions between fermions, the exchange of R-parity violating SUSY sneutrinos, Z' bosons and the existence of gravity in extra dimensions.

During 1993 and 1995 LEP was run at 3 energies near the Z$^0$peak in order to give improved measurements of the mass and width of the resonance. During 1994, LEP o

The cross-section for the process e+e- -> W+W- has been measured with the data sample collected by DELPHI at an average centre-of-mass energy of 189 GeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 155 pb^{-1}. Based on the 2392 events selected as WW candidates, the cross-section for the doubly resonant process e+e- -> W+W- has been measured to be 15.83 +- 0.38 (stat) +- 0.20 (syst) pb. The branching fractions of the W decay were also measured and found to be in good agreement with the Standard Model expectation. From these a value of the CKM mixing matrix element |V_{cs}| = 1.001 +- 0.040 (stat) +- 0.020 (syst) was derived.

A new measurement of αs is obtained from the distributions in thrust, heavy jet mass, energy-energy correlation and two recently introduced jet broadening variables following a method proposed by Cata

Production of Sigma- and Lambda(1520) in hadronic Z decays has been measured using the DELPHI detector at LEP. The Sigma- is directly reconstructed as a charged track in the DELPHI microvertex detector and is identified by its Sigma -> n pi decay leading to a kink between the Sigma- and pi-track. The reconstruction of the Lambda(1520) resonance relies strongly on the particle identification capabilities of the barrel Ring Imaging Cherenkov detector and on the ionisation loss measurement of the TPC. Inclusive production spectra are measured for both particles. The production rates are measured to be <N_{Sigma-}/N_{Z}^{had}> = 0.081 +/- 0.002 +/- 0.010, <N_{Lambda(1520)}/N_{Z}^{had}> = 0.029 +/- 0.005 +/- 0.005. The production rate of the Lambda(1520) suggests that a large fraction of the stable baryons descend from orbitally excited baryonic states. It is shown that the baryon production rates in Z decays follow a universal phenomenological law related to isospin, strangeness and mass of the particles.

We present the most accurate and complete data set for the analyzing power Ay(theta) in neutron-proton scattering. The experimental data were corrected for the effects of multiple scattering, both in the center detector and in the neutron detectors. The final data at En = 12.0 MeV deviate considerably from the predictions of nucleon-nucleon phase-shift analyses and potential models. The impact of the new data on the value of the charged pion-nucleon coupling constant is discussed in a model study.

The single-pion production reactions $pp\to d\pi^+$, $pp\to np\pi^+$ and $pp\to pp\pi^0$ were measured at a beam momentum of 0.95 GeV/c ($T_p \approx$ 400 MeV) using the short version of the COSY-TOF spectrometer. The central calorimeter provided particle identification, energy determination and neutron detection in addition to time-of-flight and angle measurements from other detector parts. Thus all pion production channels were recorded with 1-4 overconstraints. Main emphasis is put on the presentation and discussion of the $np\pi^+$ channel, since the results on the other channels have already been published previously. The total and differential cross sections obtained are compared to theoretical calculations. In contrast to the $pp\pi^0$ channel we find in the $np\pi^+$ channel a strong influence of the $\Delta$ excitation already at this energy close to threshold. In particular we find a $(3 cos^2\Theta + 1)$ dependence in the pion angular distribution, typical for a pure s-channel $\Delta$ excitation and identical to that observed in the $d\pi^+$ channel. Since the latter is understood by a s-channel resonance in the $^1D_2$ $pn$ partial wave, we discuss an analogous scenario for the $pn\pi^+$ channel.

The production of Λ hyperons in e+e− annihilation has been measured as a function of their total momenta, transverse momenta, and the event thrust. The total production rate is 0.213±0.012±0.018 Λ or Λ¯ per hadronic event. The observation of correlations in rapidity and angles for events with two detected Λ decays supports fragmentation models with local baryon-number compensation.

We have studied inclusive KS, Λ, and Λ¯ photoproduction over the ranges 40<Eγ<170 GeV and forward produced mass 2<MF<10 GeV. We observe equal Λ and Λ¯ production rates and spectra as expected in a diffractive process where the target proton remains unaltered. We show that the fraction of hadronic events with a strange particle produced in events with forward mass MF agrees well with the same measurement in e+e− annihilation at a center-of-mass energy Ec.m.=MF. The x=2PMF distributions of these three particles in the forward-mass rest frame are compared with theoretical predictions.

The cross section for the production of π+π− or K+K− pairs in γγ interactions is measured for mππ between 1.7 and 3.5 GeV/c2 and for two intervals of γγ center-of-mass scattering angle. Results are compared with predictions of a QCD model.

The charged-particle multiplicities of hadronic events deriving from produced bottom or charm quarks have been measured in the Mark II detector at PEP in e+e− annihilation at 29GeV. For events containing one semileptonic and one hadronic weak decay, we find multiplicities of 15.2±0.5±0.7 for bottom and 13.0±0.5±0.8 for charm. The corresponding multiplicities of charged particles accompanying the pair of heavy hadrons are 5.2±0.5±0.9 for bottom, and 8.1±0.5±0.9 for charm.

We report a measurement of the inclusive charged-particle distribution for gluon jets derived from nearly threefold-symmetric three-jet events taken at center-of-mass energy of 29 GeV in e+e− annihilation. The charged-particle spectrum for these jets is observed to fall off more rapidly than those of quark jets of the same energy.

We have made a detailed comparison of the charged-particle flow in three-jet events (e+e−→qq¯g) and radiative two-jet events (e+e−→qq¯γ) from e+e− annihilation at Ec.m.=29 GeV. Accurate comparisons can be made because these two event types have similar topologies. In the angular region between the quark and antiquark jets, we observe substantially fewer charged tracks in the two-jet events than in the radiative three-jet events.

We report a measurement of the reaction γγ→K+K−π+π− in both tagged and untagged events at PEP. The cross section rises with invariant γγ mass to about 15 nb at 2 GeV and falls slowly at higher masses. We find clear evidence for the processes γγ→φπ+π− and γγ→K*0(892)Kπ. Upper limits (95% C.L.) of 1.5 and 5.7 nb in the mass range from 1.7 to 3.7 GeV are obtained for φρ0 and K*0K¯*0 production, respectively.

We present a comparison of the strong couplings of light ($u$, $d$, and $s$), $c$, and $b$ quarks determined from multijet rates in flavor-tagged samples of hadronic $Z~0$ decays recorded with the SLC Large Detector at the SLAC Linear Collider. Flavor separation on the basis of lifetime and decay multiplicity differences among hadrons containing light, $c$, and $b$ quarks was made using the SLD precision tracking system. We find: $\alpha_s{_{\vphantom{y}}}~{uds}/{\alpha_s{_{\vphantom{y}}}~{\rm all}} = 0.987 \pm 0.027({\rm stat}) \pm 0.022({\rm syst}) \pm 0.022({\rm theory})$, $\alpha_s{_{\vphantom{y}}}~c/{\alpha_s{_{\vphantom{y}}}~{\rm all}} = 1.012 \pm 0.104 \pm 0.102 \pm 0.096$, and $\alpha_s{_{\vphantom{y}}}~b/{\alpha_s{_{\vphantom{y}}}~{\rm all}} = 1.026 \pm 0.041 \pm 0.041\pm 0.030.$

The analyzing power Ay for π+p→ scattering at 68.3 MeV has been measured at the Paul Scherrer Institut with the magnetic spectrometer LEPS. The measurements cover the angular range 40°≤θlab≤70°. The protons have been polarized in a butanol target, operated in frozen spin mode. The S31 phase shift comes out by about 1° smaller than the Koch-Pietarinen [Nucl. Phys. A 336, 331 (1980)] phase shift analysis, supporting the necessity of an alternative dispersion analysis of πN scattering to determine the σ term and the πN coupling constant. © 1996 The American Physical Society.

The pion induced pion production reactions π±p→π+π±n were studied at projectile incident energies of 223, 243, 264, 284, and 305 MeV, using a cryogenic liquid hydrogen target. The Canadian High Acceptance Orbit Spectrometer was used to detect the two outgoing pions in coincidence. The experimental results are presented in the form of single differential cross sections. Total cross sections obtained by integrating the differential quantities are also reported. In addition, the invariant mass distributions from the (π+π−) channel were fitted to determine the parameters for an extended model based on that of Oset and Vicente-Vacas. We find the model parameters obtained from fitting the (π+π−) data do not describe the invariant mass distributions in the (π+π+) channel.

Analyzing powers for πp elastic scattering were measured using the CHAOS spectrometer at energies spanning the Δ(1232) resonance. This work presents π+ data at the pion kinetic energies 117, 130, 139, 155, 169, 180, 193, 218, 241, and 267 MeV and π− data at 87, 117, 193, and 241 MeV, covering an angular range of 50°<~θc.m.<~180° at the higher energies and 90°<~θc.m.<~180° at the lower energies. Unique features of the spectrometer acceptance were employed to reduce systematic errors. Single-energy phase shift analyses indicate the resulting S11 and S31 phases favor the results of the SM95 phase shift analysis over that of the older KH80 analysis.

We report on measurements of the differential π±p cross section at pion energies Tπ=32.7, 45.1, and 68.6 MeV. The measurements, covering the angular range 25°≤θlab≤123°, have been carried out at the Paul-Scherrer-Institute (PSI) in Villigen, Switzerland, employing the magnet spectrometer LEPS. The absolute normalization of the π±p cross sections have been achieved by relating them to the electromagnetic cross sections of μ±12C scattering. The results are in agreement with those of our preceding measurements at Tπ=32.2 and 45.1 MeV insofar as they overlap with the region of the Coulomb nuclear interference investigated there. A comparison with the predictions of the Karlsruhe-Helsinki phase shift analysis KH80, which has formed the basis for the determination of the ‘‘experimental’’ σ term, reveals considerable deviations. These are most pronounced for the π+p cross sections at Tπ=32.7 and 45.1 MeV. Single energy partial wave fits result in S-wave contributions, which are about 1° lower in magnitude then those specified by the KH80 solution. The data at 68.6 MeV are in good agreement with the phase shift analysis.

The values of the pion nucleon (πN) σ term, as determined, on the one hand, from experimental pion nucleon scattering by means of dispersion relations and, on the other hand, from baryon masses by means of chiral perturbation theory, differ by 10 to 15 MeV. The origin of this discrepancy is not yet understood. If the difference between the two values is attributed to the scalar current of strange sea quark pairs within the proton, the contribution to the proton mass would be of the order of 120 MeV. The discrepancy may hint at either theoretical deficiencies or an inadequate πN database. In order to provide reliable experimental data we have measured angular distributions of elastic pion proton scattering at pion energies Tπ=32.2 and 44.6 MeV using the magnet spectrometer LEPS located at the Paul-Scherrer-Institute (PSI) in Villigen, Switzerland. From the data covering the region of the Coulomb nuclear interference, the real parts of the isospin-even forward scattering amplitude ReD+(t=0), have been determined as a function of energy. The results have been compared with the predictions of the Karlsruhe-Helsinki phase shift analysis KH80, revealing discrepancies most pronounced for the π+p data. The experimentally determined values for ReD+(t=0), however, support the KH80 prediction (which is based on πN data available in 1979).

Measurements of the analyzing power Ay(θ) for neutron-proton scattering have been performed at 7.6, 12.0, 14.1, 16.0, and 18.5 MeV. The experimental setup is described as are the finite-geometry corrections applied to the data. One of these corrections, due to the presence of carbon in the scintillators used for neutron detection, is discussed in detail. The Ay(θ) data are compared to the predictions of the Paris and Bonn nucleon-nucleon potentials and the predictions of two phase-shift analyses, one of which incorporates charge-independence breaking effects in the 3P waves.

The fixed-target MIPP experiment, Fermilab E907, was designed to measure the production of hadrons from the collisions of hadrons of momenta ranging from 5 to 120 GeV/c on a variety of nuclei. These data will generally improve the simulation of particle detectors and predictions of particle beam fluxes at accelerators. The spectrometer momentum resolution is between 3 and 4%, and particle identification is performed for particles ranging between 0.3 and 80 GeV/c using $dE/dx$, time-of-flight and Cherenkov radiation measurements. MIPP collected $1.42 \times10^6$ events of 120 GeV Main Injector protons striking a target used in the NuMI facility at Fermilab. The data have been analyzed and we present here charged pion yields per proton-on-target determined in bins of longitudinal and transverse momentum between 0.5 and 80 GeV/c, with combined statistical and systematic relative uncertainties between 5 and 10%.

Relative production rates of multijet hadronic final states of Z 0 boson decays, observed in e + e − annihilation around 91 GeV centre of mass energy, are presented. The data can be well described by analytic O( α s 2 ) QCD calculations and by QCD shower model calaculations with parameters as determined at lower energies. A first judgement of Λ MS and of the renormalization scale μ 2 in O( α s 2 ) QCD results in values similar to those obtained in the continuum of e + e − annihilations. Significant scaling violations are observed when the 3-jet fractions are compared to the corresponding results from smaller centre of mass energies. They can be interpreted as being entirely due tot the energy dependence of α s , as proposed by the nonabelian nature of QCD, The possibility of an energy independent coupling constant can be excluded with a significance of 5.7 standard deviations.

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.

We report the results of first physics runs of the L3 detector at LEP. Based on 2538 hadron events, we determined the mass m z 0 and the width Γ z 0 of the intermediate vector boson Z 0 to be m z 0 =91.132±0.057 GeV (not including the 46 MeV LEP machine energy uncertainty) and Γ z 0 =2.588±0.137 GeV. We also determined Γ invisible =0.567±0.080 GeV, corresponding to 3.42±0.48 number of neutrino flavors. We also measured the muon pair cross section and determined the branching ratio Γ μμ = Γ h =0.056±0.006. The partial width of Z 0 →e + e − is Γ ee =88±9±7 MeV.

We report on a measurement of the mass of the Z 0 boson, its total width, and its partial decay widths into hadrons and leptons. On the basis of 25 801 hadronic decays and 1999 decays into electrons, muons or taus, selected over eleven energy points between 88.28 GeV and 95.04 GeV, we obtain from a combined fit to hadrons and leptons a mass of M z =91.154±0.021 (exp)±0.030 (LEP) GeV, and a total width of Γ z =2.536±0.045 GeV. The errors on M z have been separated into the experimental error and the uncertainty due to the LEP beam energy. The measured leptonic partial widths are Γ ee =81.2±2.6 MeV, Γ μμ =82.6± 5.8 MeV, and Γ ττ =85.7±7.1 MeV, consistent with lepton universality. From a fit assuming lepton universality we obtain Γ ℓ + ℓ − = 81.9±2.0 MeV. The hadronic partial width is Γ had =1838±46 MeV. From the measured total and partial widths a model independent value for the invisible width is calculated to be Γ inv =453±44 MeV. The errors quoted include both the statistical and the systematic uncertainties.

We have measured both the rates and the forward-backward asymmetry of ℓ + ℓ − from Z 0 →ℓ + ℓ − (where ℓ= μ , τ ) with the L3 detector. We obtained Γ ℓℓ =88±4±3 MeV and the vector neutral current coupling constant, g v =0.00±0.07 and the axial vector neutral current coupling constant, g A =−0.515±0.015.

We have measured the properties of Z 0 → b b decays using a sample of 944 inclusive muon events, corresponding to 18 000 hadron events obtained with the L3 detector at LEP. We measured the partial decay width of the Z 0 into b b , Γ b b =353±48 MeV , and we determined the vector coupling of the Z 0 to the b quark; g rmv 2 (b)=0.095±0.047. We measured the forward-backward charge asymmetry in e + e − → b b events at √ s ≈ M v , and obtained A b b =13.3±9.9% .

We report an experimental determination of the cross section for e + e − → hadrons from a scan around the Z 0 pole. On the basis of 4350 hadronic events collected over seven energy points between 89.26 GeV and 93.26 GeV we obtain a mass of m z =91.01±0.05±0.05 GeV, and a total decay width of Γ z =2.60±0.13 GeV. In the context of the standard model t these results imply 3.1 ± 0.4 neutrino generations.

We report on a measurement of the processes e + e − →e + e − , e + e − → μ + μ − , and e + e − → τ + τ − near the Z 0 pole. On the basis of 163 e + e − , 101 μ + μ − and 87 τ + τ − events we obtain Γ ee =89±4±4 MeV, Γ μμ =85±9±6 MeV and Γ ττ =87±10±8 MeV, compatible with the standard model. Combining these with our previous results on hadronic Z 0 decays, we find a hadronic width Γ had =1787±81±90 MeV and an invisible width Γ inv =552±85±71 MeV.

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.

New data are presented on the charged multiplicity distribution for non single-diffractive events produced in pp̄ interactions at a CM energy s = 540 GeV . The distribution in the full pseudorapidity range is compared with data from the ISR. Using the scaling variable z = n 〈n〉 a change of shape is observed. The effect is manifested as an increase from 2% to 6% in the proportion of high multiplicity ( z > 2) events. For the central pseudorapidity range, | η | ⪅ 1.5, scaling is approximately valid up to s = 540 GeV .

The production of single photons has been studied in the reaction e+e- -> gamma + invisible particles at centre-of-mass energies of 183 GeV and 189 GeV. A previously published analysis of events with multi-photon final states accompanied by missing energy has been updated with 189 GeV data. The data were collected with the DELPHI detector and correspond to integrated luminosities of about 51 pb^{-1} and 158 pb^{-1} at the two energies. The number of light neutrino families is measured to be 2.84 +/- 0.15(stat) +/- 0.14(syst). The absence of an excess of events beyond that expected from Standard Model processes is used to set limits on new physics as described by supersymmetric and composite models. A limit on the gravitational scale is also determined.