We present a precise measurement of the left-right cross section asymmetry ($A_{LR}$) for $Z$ boson production by $\ee$ collisions. The measurement was performed at a center-of-mass energy of 91.26 GeV with the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The luminosity-weighted average polarization of the SLC electron beam was (63.0$\pm$1.1)%. Using a sample of 49,392 $\z0$ decays, we measure $A_{LR}$ to be 0.1628$\pm$0.0071(stat.)$\pm$0.0028(syst.) which determines the effective weak mixing angle to be $\swein=0.2292\pm0.0009({\rm stat.})\pm0.0004({\rm syst.})$.}

We have studied the production of charged D ∗ mesons in e + e − annihilation at an average center-of-mass energy of 58.0 GeV. Charged D ∗ mesons were identified using two independent methods; the mass-difference method and the detection of the low transverse-momentum pion. The forward-backward asymmetry of the charm quark production was measured to be A c = −0.61±0.13(stat.)±0.08(syst.). The cross section of inclusive D ∗ production was found to be σ(e + e − →D ∗ ± +X) = 24.5 ± 5.3 ( stat. )±3.0( syst. ) pb. If we assume the standard model prediction for the charm quark production, we obtain the branching ratio for the charm quark to produce a charged D ∗ meson to be Br (c→D ∗+ + X) = (22±5( stat. )±3( syst. ))% .

The cross section and forward-backward muon charge asymmetry for the e + e − → μ + μ − γ reaction were measured to be σ =2.82±0.35 pb and A =−0.34±0.10 with the VENUS detector at TRISTAN at 〈√ s 〉=59.2GeV for an integrated luminosity of 53.5 pb −1 . The measured cross section agrees with the theoretical prediction. The asymmetry result is consistent with the electroweak prediction but not with the QED prediction at the level of 2 σ .

We present a new measurement of the left-right cross section asymmetry (ALR) for Z boson production by e+e- collisions. The measurement was performed at a center-of-mass energy of 91.28 GeV with the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). The luminosity-weighted average polarization of the SLC electron beam was (77.23+-0.52)%. Using a sample of 93,644 Z decays, we measure the pole-value of the asymmetry, ALR0, to be 0.1512+-0.0042(stat.)+-0.0011(syst.) which is equivalent to an effective weak mixing angle of sin**2(theta_eff)=0.23100+-0.00054(stat.)+-0.00014(syst.).

A charge asymmetry has been measured in hadron jets from e + e − annihilation at energies between 52 and 61.4 geV (〈√ s 〉=57.6 GeV). The measured asymmetry is A =11.4%±2.2%±2.1% and is consistent with the prediction of the standard model of the electroweak theory. By using the differential cross section, lower limits of the compositeness scale in eeqq contact interactions have been determined to be typically a few TeV at 95% CL.

We have tested extra Z models in the reactions e + e − → μ + μ − , τ + τ − and hadrons in the energy range 50< s <64 GeV using the VENUS detector at the TRISTAN e + e − storage ring. Our data are in good agreement with the standard model prediction ( χ 2 N Df = 2.9 31 ) ). We have obtained 90% confidence-level lower limits of 105, 125 and 231 GeV for the masses of Z Ψ , Z η and Z χ bosons which are expected from the E 6 grand unified theory. We also place a 90% confidence-level lower limit of 426 GeV for the mass of an extra-Z boson whose couplings to quarks and leptons are assumed to be the same as those for the standard Z boson. Our results exceed the previous experimental limits from the p p collider experiments, although there have been some combined analyses reporting the limits better than those obtained in the present analysis.

The reaction e+e−→μ+μ− has been measured at s=57.77GeV, based on 289.6±2.6 pb−1 data collected with the VENUS detector at TRISTAN. The production cross section is measured in bins of the production angle within an angular acceptance of |cosθ|<~0.75, according to a model-independent definition. The result is consistent with the prediction of the standard electroweak theory. Although a trend in measurements at lower energies that the total cross section tends to be smaller than the prediction remains, the discrepancy is not significant. The model-independent result is converted to the differential cross section in the effective-Born scheme by unfolding photon-radiation effects. This result can be extrapolated to quantities for the full solid angle as σtotEB=30.05±0.59 pb and AFBEB=−0.350±0.017, by imposing an ordinary assumption on the production-angle dependence. The converted results are used to set constraints on extensions of the standard theory. S-matrix parametrization, and possible contributions from contact interactions and heavy neutral-scalar exchanges are examined.

Using 773 muons found in hadronic events from 142 pb−1 of data at a c.m. energy of 57.8 GeV, we extract the cross section and forward-backward charge asymmetry for the e+e−→bb¯ process, and the heavy quark fragmentation function parameters for the Peterson model. For the analysis of the e+e−→bb¯ process, we use a method in which the behavior of the c quark and lighter quarks is assumed, with only that of the b quark left indeterminate. The cross section and asymmetry for e+e−→bb¯ are found to be Rb = 0.57 ± 0.06(stat) ± 0.08(syst) and Ab = −0.59 ± 0.09 ± 0.09, respectively. They are consistent with the standard model predictions. For the study of the fragmentation function we use the variable 〈xE〉, the fraction of the beam energy carried by the heavy hadrons. We obtain 〈xE〉c=0.56−0.05−0.03+0.04+0.03 and 〈xE〉b=0.65−0.04−0.06+0.06+0.05, respectively. These are in good agreement with previously measured values.

We present the first measurement of the left-right cross section asymmetry (ALR) for Z boson production by e+e− collisions. The measurement was performed at a center-of-mass energy of 91.55 GeV with the SLD detector at the SLAC Linear Collider which utilized a longitudinally polarized electron beam. The average beam polarization was (22.4±0.6)%. Using a sample of 10 224 Z decays, we measure ALR to be 0.100±0.044(stat)±0.004(syst), which determines the effective weak mixing angle to be sin2θWeff=0.2378 ±0.0056(stat)±0.0005(syst).

We have studied c (charm) and b (bottom) quark production at the TRISTAN energy region by tagging prompt electrons from the semileptonic decays. Electrons were identified over a wide momentum range between 1 and 29 GeV/ c by a transition-radiation-detector in addition to a lead-glass calorimeter. The production cross sections of c and b quarks and the mean values of the fragmentation functions for c and b quarks were obtained as σ c = 55.9±8.8(stat.)±7.9(syst.) pb, σ b = 13.1±2.9(stat.)±1.0(syst.) pb, 〈 x c 〉 = 0.44±0.08(stat.)±0.04(syst.) and 〈 x b 〉 = 0.72±0.12(stat.)±0.08(syst.), respectively. The forward-backward asymmetries of the c and b quarks were also measured to be −0.57±0.16(stat.)±0.06(syst.) and −0.64±0.26(stat.)± 0.07(syst.), respectively. Both the cross sections and the forward-backward asymmetries of the c and b quarks are consistent with the standard model.

The forward-backward asymmetry in e + e − → b b at s = 57.9 GeV and the b-quark branching ratio to muons have been measured using neural networks. Unlike previous methods for measuring the b b forward-backward asymmetry where the estimated background from c -quark decays and other sources are subtracted, here events are categorized as either b b or non- b b events by neural networks based on event-by-event characteristics. The determined asymmetry is −0.429 ± 0.044 (stat) ± 0.047 (sys) and is consistent with the prediction of the standard model. The measured B B mixing parameter is 0.136 ± 0.037 (stat) ± 0.040 (sys) ± 0.002 (model) and the measured b-quark branching ratio to muons is 0.122 ± 0.006 (stat) ± 0.007 (sys).

Using 123 multihadronic inclusive muon-production e+e− annihilation events at an average c.m. energy of 55.2 GeV, we extracted the forward-backward charge asymmetry of the e+e−→bb¯ process and the R ratio for bb¯ production. We used an analysis method in which the behavior of the c quark and lighter quarks is assumed, with only that of the b quark left indeterminate. The results, Ab=-0.72±0.28(stat)±0.13(syst) and Rb=0.57±0.16±0.10, are consistent with the standard model.

The angular distributions of the reactione+e−→μ+μ− ande+e+→τ+τ− have been measured between\(\sqrt s= 50\) and 60.8 GeV with the VENUS detector at TRISTAN. The average total cross section and the forward-backward charge asymmetry for μ-pair production are observed to be 28.3±1.4±0.8 pb and (−29.0−4.8+5.0±0.5)%, and those for τ-pair production are 27.6±1.7±1.0 pb and (−32.8−6.2+6.4±1.5)% at\(\langle \sqrt s \rangle \). These values are consistent with the predictions of the standard model of electroweak interactions.

With data corresponding to 142 pb −1 accumulated at s = 57.8 GeV by the AMY detector at TRISTAN we measure the cross section of the reactions e + e − → μ + μ − and e + e − → τ + τ − and the symmetry in the angular distributions. For the lowest order cross section we obtain σ μμ = 27.54 ± 0.65 ± 0.95 pb and σ ττ = 28.27 ± 0.87 ± 0.69 pb, and for the forward-backward asymmetry, A μμ = 0.303 ± 0.027 ± 0.008 and A ττ = −0.291 ± 0.040 ± 0.019. These measurements agree with the standard model. Assuming e − μ − τ univrsality we extract the vector and axial coupling constants | gν | = 0.00 ± 0.09 and | g A | = 0.476 ± 0.024. A fit of data to composite models places lower bounds (95% confidence level) on the compositeness scale of 2–4 TeV.

We have studied inclusive muon events using all the data collected by the TOPAZ detector at sqrt(s)=58 GeV with an integrated luminosity of 273pb-1. From 1328 inclusive muon events, we measured the ratio R_qq of the cross section for qq-bar production to the total hadronic cross section and forward-backward asymmetry A^q_FB for b and c quarks. The obtained results are R_bb = 0.13+-0.02(stat)+-0.01(syst), R_cc = 0.36+-0.05(stat)+-0.05(syst), A^b_FB = -0.20+-0.16(stat)+-0.01(syst) and A^c_FB = -0.17+-0.14(stat)+-0.02(syst), in fair agreement with a prediction of the standard model.

This final analysis of hadronic and leptonic cross-sections and of leptonic forward-backward asymmetries in e+e- collisions with the OPAL detector makes use of the full LEP1 data sample comprising 161 pb^-1 of integrated luminosity and 4.5 x 10^6 selected Z decays. An interpretation of the data in terms of contributions from pure Z exchange and from Z-gamma interference allows the parameters of the Z resonance to be determined in a model-independent way. Our results are in good agreement with lepton universality and consistent with the vector and axial-vector couplings predicted in the Standard Model. A fit to the complete dataset yields the fundamental Z resonance parameters: mZ = 91.1852 +- 0.0030 GeV, GZ = 2.4948 +- 0.0041 GeV, s0h = 41.501 +- 0.055 nb, Rl = 20.823 +- 0.044, and Afb0l = 0.0145 +- 0.0017. Transforming these parameters gives a measurement of the ratio between the decay width into invisible particles and the width to a single species of charged lepton, Ginv/Gl = 5.942 +- 0.027. Attributing the entire invisible width to neutrino decays and assuming the Standard Model couplings for neutrinos, this translates into a measurement of the effective number of light neutrino species, N_nu = 2.984 +- 0.013. Interpreting the data within the context of the Standard Model allows the mass of the top quark, mt = 162 +29-16 GeV, to be determined through its influence on radiative corrections. Alternatively, utilising the direct external measurement of mt as an additional constraint leads to a measurement of the strong coupling constant and the mass of the Higgs boson: alfa_s(mZ) = 0.127 +- 0.005 and mH = 390 +750-280 GeV.

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 search for an additional heavy gauge boson Z′ is described. The models considered are based on either a superstring-motivated E 6 or on a left-right symmetry and assume a minimal Higgs sector. Cross sections and asymmetries measured with the L3 detector in the vicinity of the Z resonance during the 1990 and 1991 running periods are used to determine limits on the Z-Z′ gauge boson mixing angle and on the Z′ mass. For Z′ masses above the direct limits, we obtain the following allowed ranges of the mixing angle, θ M at the 95% confidence level: −0.004 ⪕ θ M ⪕ 0.015 for the χ model, −0.003 ⪕ θ M ⪕ 0.020 for the ψ model, −0.029 ⪕ θ M ⪕ 0.010 for the η model, −0.002 ⪕ θ M ⪕ 0.020 for the LR model,

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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 .

A forward-backward asymmetry A , consistent with that expected from the γ − Z 0 interference term in the process e + e − → q q , is observed in the laboratory production angular distribution of high-momentum ∧ baryons. The data were collected with the High Resolution Spectrometer at PEP. The asymmetry for ∧ baryons with fractional energy z= 2E s greater than 0.3 is A = (−23± 8 plusmn ; 2)%.

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New measurements of the hadronic and leptonic cross sections and of the leptonic forward-backward asymmetries ine+e− collisions are presented. The analysis includes data recorded up to the end of 1991 by the OPAL experiment at LEP, with centre-of-mass energies within ±3 GeV of the Z0 mass. The results are based on a recorded total of 454 000 hadronic and 58 000 leptonic events. A model independent analysis of Z0 parameters based on an extension of the improved Born approximation is presented leading to test of lepton universality and an interpretation of the results within the Standard Model framework. The determination of the mass and width of the Z0 benefit from an improved understanding of the LEP energy calibration.

The cross-sections and the forward-backward charge asymmetries of muon and tau pairs produced ine+e− collisions at\(\sqrt s= 35 GeV\) have been measured by the JADE Collaboration. The cross-sections,\(\sigma _\mu(\sqrt s= GeV) = 69.79 \pm 1.35 \pm 1.40 pb\) and\(\sigma _\mu(\sqrt s= GeV) = 71.72 \pm 1.48 \pm 1.61 pb\), are in agreement with the QED α3 prediction. The charge asymmetries areAμ=−(9.9±1.5±0.5)% andAτ=−(8.1±2.0±0.6)% in agreement with the value −9.2% predicted by the standard model, usingMZ=91.0 GeV and sin2θW=0.230.

Hadronic and leptonic cross-sections and forward-backward asymmetries are measured using 5.7 pb −1 of data taken with the ALEPH detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV. The results agree with Standard Model expectations. The measurement of hadronic cross-sections far away from the Z resonance improves the determination of the interference between photon and Z exchange. Constraints on models with extra Z bosons are presented.