The charge asymmetry has been measured using $19,039W$ decays recorded by the CDF detector during the 1992-93 run of the Tevatron Collider. The asymmetry is sensitive to the ratio of $d$ and $u$ quark distributions to $x<0.01$ at $Q~2 \approx M_W~2$, where nonperturbative effects are minimal. It is found that of the two current sets of parton distributions, those of Martin, Roberts and Stirling (MRS) are favored over the sets most recently produced by the CTEQ collaboration. The $W$ asymmetry data provide a stronger constraints on $d/u$ ratio than the recent measurements of $F_2~{\mu n}/F_2~{\mu p}$ which are limited by uncertainties originating from deutron corrections.

We report on a measurement of the mass dependence of the forward-backward charge asymmetry, A_FB, and production cross section dsigma/dM for e+e- pairs with mass M_ee>40 GeV/c2. The data sample consists of 108 pb-1 of p-pbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV taken by the Collider Detector at Fermilab during 1992-1995. The measured asymmetry and dsigma/dM are compared with the predictions of the Standard Model and a model with an extra Z' gauge boson.

The charge asymmetry of leptons from W-boson decay has been measured using p¯p data from the Collider Detector at Fermilab at √s =1.8 TeV. The observed asymmetry is well described by most of the available parton distributions.

The reaction e + e − → τ + τ − has been studied at centre of mass energies between 14.0 and 46.8 GeV with the CELLO detector at the PETRA e + e − collider. We present results for the cross section σ τ and the charge asymmetry A τ . The results are in good agreement with the standard model. We have also measured the topological decay rates BR 1 , BR 3 and BR 5 for the inclusive decay of the τ lepton into one, three and five charge particles. The results confirm and improve earlier CELLO measurements at other energies. We find for the combined values at all energies BR 1 = (84.9 ± 0.4 ± 0.3)%, BR 3 = (15.0 ± 0.4 ± 0.3)% and BR 5 = (0.16 ± 0.13 ± 0.04)%.

We have studied 419 τ pair events produced in the reactione+e−→τ+ τ− at a c.m. energy of 34.6 GeV. We measure the cross section and angular distribution, as well as the decay branching ratios. The production characteristics are consistent with the Standard Electroweak Model predictions of γ andZ0 interference. The branching ratios are generally consistent with the τ decaying according to standard weak interaction principles, but we observe somewhat more decays resulting in single charged hadrons plus neutrals than are predicted by present theory.

The e + e − → μ + μ − reaction has been studied at centre of mass energies ranging between 38.3 abd 46.8 GeV with the CELLO detector at PETRA. We present results on the cross section and the charge asymmetry for this channel. Combining all the data at the average energy 〈 s 〉=43 GeV we obtain R μμ =〈 σ μμ / σ 0 〉=0.98±0.04±0.04, 〈 A μμ 〉=(−14.1±3.7±1.0)%, where σ 0 is the QED cross section and A μμ is the charge asymmetry corrected for pure radiative effects. These results are in good agreement with the expected values of R μμ =1.01 and A μμ =−14.5% at that energy.

The production and decay of τ-pairs was studied with the JADE detector at PETRA at center-of-mass energies of 30 ⩽√ s ⩽ 46.78 GeV. The total production cross section for τ-pairs agreed with QED predictions to order α 3 . Lower limits on QED cut-off parameters of Λ + > 285 GeV and Λ − > 210 GeV at 95% confidence level were ontained. The decay branching fractions into one and three charged particles were determined to be (86.1 ± 0.5 ± 0.9)% and (13.6±0.5 ±0.80)%. In the angular distributions a forward-backward asymmetry was observed, from which the axial-vector weak charge to the τ was determined to be a τ = −0.74 ± 0.22 in agreement with the standard model. An analysis of the process e + e − → τ + τ − γ showed agreement with QED calculations to O(α 3 ).

Differential cross section data of the CELLO experiment on pair production of muons, taus, and heavy quarks ine+e−-annihilation are presented and analysed, together with our data on Bhabha scattering, in terms of compositeness effects characterized by the mass scale Λ. We discuss difficulties in the combination of limits Λ from different experiments. The appropriate parameter to combine different results turns out to be ɛ=±1/Λ2, which is in contrast to Λ Gaussian distributed.

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

We report on total cross section and forward backward charge asymmetry measurements of the reactione+e− → τ+τ− at centre of mass energies of 35.0 GeV and 42.4 GeV using the TASSO detector. Including previous data an analysis in terms of electroweak parameters of the standard model is presented, and lower limits on mass scale parameters of residual contact interactions are given. A combined analysis of electroweak couplings using all our results on leptonic reactionse+e−→l+l− has been performed.

Differential cross sections fore+e−→e+e−, τ+, τ- measured with the CELLO detector at\(\left\langle {\sqrt s } \right\rangle= 34.2GeV\) have been analyzed for electroweak contributions. Vector and axial vector coupling constants were obtained in a simultaneous fit to the three differential cross sections assuming a universal weak interaction for the charged leptons. The results,v2=−0.12±0.33 anda2=1.22±0.47, are in good agreement with predictions from the standardSU(2)×U(1) model for\(\sin ^2 \theta _w= 0.228\). Combining this result with neutrino-electron scattering data gives a unique axial vector dominated solution for the leptonic weak couplings. Assuming the validity of the standard model, a value of\(\sin ^2 \theta _w= 0.21_{ - 0.09}^{ + 0.14}\) is obtained for the electroweak mixing angle. Additional vector currents are not observed (C<0.031 is obtained at the 95% C.L.).

The reaction (e+e−→μ+μ−) has been measured between\(\sqrt S= 14.0\) and\(\sqrt S= 36.4\). The total cross section result is in good agreement with the QED prediction and the following Λ values have been obtained:Λ+=186 GeV,Λ−=101 GeV. The angular distribution at high energy (\(\left( {\left. {\left\langle {\sqrt S } \right.} \right\rangle= 34.2 GeV} \right)\)) shows a fitted charge asymmetry of −0.064±0.064 in agreement with theW-S model prediction of −0.092, corresponding to an axial coupling parametera2=4ga2=0.69±0.69.

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.

Cross-section and angular distributions for hadronic and lepton-pair final states in e+e- collisions at centre-of-mass energies between 189 GeV and 209 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. The measurements are used to determine the electromagnetic coupling constant alphaem at LEP2 energies. In addition, the results are used together with OPAL measurements at 91-183 GeV within the S-matrix formalism to determine the gamma-Z interference term and to make an almost model-independent measurement of the Z mass. Limits on extensions to the Standard Model described by effective four-fermion contact interactions or the addition of a heavy Z boson are also presented.

We report on measurements of e+e- annihilation into hadrons and lepton pairs. The data have been collected with the L3 detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies between 130 and 189 GeV. Using a total integrated luminosity of 243.7 pb^-1, 25864 hadronic and 8573 lepton-pair events are selected for the measurement of cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries. The results are in good agreement with Standard Model predictions.

We have observed τ pair production at average CM energies of 13.9, 22.3, 34.5 and 43.1 GeV. The cross-sections are consistent with QED, the cut off parameters beingΛ+>161 GeV andΛ−169 GeV (95% CL). The topological branching fraction of the τ to 1 charged particle,B1, is 0.847±0.011 (stat)−0.013+0.016(syst) and no decays to 5 charged particles were observed resulting inB5<0.007 (95% CL). Within the 3 charged track final stateB(τ−→π−π+π−v)/(B(τ−→π−π+π−v)+B(τ−→π−π+π−π0v))=0.37−0.20+0.35

Hadron production and lepton-pair production in e+e- collisions are studied with data collected with the L3 detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies sqrt{s}=192-208GeV. Using a total integrated luminosity of 453/pb, 36057 hadronic events and 12863 lepton-pair events are selected. The cross sections for hadron production and lepton-pair production are measured for the full sample and for events where no high-energy initial-state-radiation photon is emitted prior to the collisions. Lepton-pair events are further investigated and forward-backward asymmetries are measured. Finally, the differential cross sections for electron-positron pair-production is determined as a function of the scattering angle. An overall good agreement is found with Standard Model predictions.

This paper presents DELPHI measurements and interpretations of cross-sections, forward-backward asymmetries, and angular distributions, for the e+e- -> ffbar process for centre-of-mass energies above the Z resonance, from sqrt(s) ~ 130 - 207 GeV at the LEP collider. The measurements are consistent with the predictions of the Standard Model and are used to study a variety of models including the S-Matrix ansatz for e+e- -> ffbar scattering and several models which include physics beyond the Standard Model: the exchange of Z' bosons, contact interactions between fermions, the exchange of gravitons in large extra dimensions and the exchange of sneutrino in R-parity violating supersymmetry.

A charge asymmetry has been observed in final-state jets from e+e− annihilation into hadrons at √s =29 GeV. The measured asymmetry is consistent with the prediction of electroweak theory. The product of axial-vector weak coupling constants, averaged over all quark flavors, is determined to be 〈gAegAq〉=-0.34±0.06±0.05.

A first measurement of the top quark spin asymmetry, sensitive to the top quark polarisation, in t-channel single top quark production is presented. It is based on a sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 inverse-femtobarns. A high-purity sample of t-channel single top quark events with an isolated muon is selected. Signal and background components are estimated using a fit to data. A differential cross section measurement, corrected for detector effects, of an angular observable sensitive to the top quark polarisation is performed. The differential distribution is used to extract a top quark spin asymmetry of 0.26 +/- 0.03 (stat) +/- 0.10 (syst), which is compatible with a p-value of 4.6% with the standard model prediction of 0.44.

The e + e − → τ + τ − process has been measured using the CELLO detector at a mean total centre of mass energy of 34.2 GeV using essentially all the decay channels of the τ lepton. The measured cross section yields R τ =1.03±0.05 (stat)±0.07 (syst). Topological branching fraction are given for τ → 1, 3 or 5 charged tracks. The angular distribution shows a clear 1 + cos 2 θ dependance with a forward-backward asymmetry of -0.103 ± 0.052 corresponding to an axial-vector coupling a τ of the τ to the weak neutral current given by a τ =−1.12 ± 0.57.

The reaction e + e − → τ + τ − has been measured using the high resolution spectrometer at PEP. The angular distribution shows a forward-backward asymmetry of −(6.1±2.3±0.5)%, corresponding to an axial-vector coupling if g a τ g a e = 0.28 ±0.11± 0.03, in good agreement with the standard model of electroweak interactions. The measured cross section yields ifR ττ = 1.10± 0.03±0.04, consistent with QED and giving QED cutoff parameters of Λ + >92 GeV and Λ − >246 GeV at 95% C.L.

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.

Cross-sections for hadronic, b-bbar and lepton pair final states in e+e- collisions at sqrt(s) = 183 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. Forward-backward asymmetries for the leptonic final states have also been measured. Cross-sections and asymmetries are also presented for data recorded in 1997 at sqrt(s) = 130 and 136 GeV. The results are used to measure the energy dependence of the electromagnetic coupling constant alpha_em, and to place limits on new physics as described by four-fermion contact interactions or by the exchange of a new heavy particle such as a leptoquark, or of a squark or sneutrino in supersymmetric theories with R-parity violation.

Cross-sections and angular distributions for hadronic and lepton pair final states in e+e- collisions at a centre-of-mass energy near 189 GeV, measured with the OPAL detector at LEP, are presented and compared with the predictions of the Standard Model. The results are used to measure the energy dependence of the electromagnetic coupling constant alpha_em, and to place limits on new physics as described by four-fermion contact interactions or by the exchange of a new heavy particle such as a sneutrino in supersymmetric theories with R-parity violation. A search for the indirect effects of the gravitational interaction in extra dimensions on the mu+mu- and tau+tau- final states is also presented.