The forward-backward charge asymmetries of theb andc quarks are measured with the JADE detector at PETRA at\(\sqrt s= 35\) GeV and 44 GeV using both electrons and muons to tag the heavy quarks. At\(\sqrt s= 35\) GeV, a simultaneous fit for the two asymmetries yields the resultAb=−9.3±5.2% (state.) ndAc=−9.6±4.0% (stat.). The systematic errors are comparable with the statistical uncertainties. Combining the measurements at both energies and alternately constraining the weak coupling of thec andb quark to their Standard Model values (ac=1,ab=−1) increases the precision of the measurement of coupling constant of the other quark. Using this procedureab=−0.72±0.34 andac=0.79±0.40, where the numbers are corrected for\(B\bar B - mixing\) and the errors include both statistical and systematic contributions. The mixing parameter for continuum\(b\bar b - production\) is determined to be χ-0.24±0.12 if both heavy quark coupling constants are constrained to their values in the Standard Model.

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

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.

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”.

We report on a study of inclusive production ofD*± mesons ine+e− annihilation at c.m. energies between 28 and 46.8 GeV using the TASSO detector at the PETRA storage ring. A hardD*± energy spectrum is measured with a maximum nearED*±≃0.6Ebeam. The measured cross section ratio\((\sigma _{D^{* + } }+ \sigma _{D^{* - } } )/\sigma _{\mu \mu }= 1.28 \pm 0.09 \pm 0.18\) indicates thatD* production accounts for a large fraction of the observed charm production. Two complementary methods have been used to determine the forward-backward asymmetry of charm pair production due to electroweak interference. Combining both measurements the product of the axial vector couplings of the electron and the charm quark to the weak neutral current was determined to begAegAc=−(0.276±0.073), in agreement with the standard model prediction of −0.25. Using a sample of reconstructedD*± mesons, the relative strength of the strong interaction coupling of thec quark compared to that of an average of all flavours is measured as αs(c)/αs(all)=0.91±0.38±0.15, consistent with the coupling constant being flavour independent. An update of ourD0 lifetime measurement is presented, based on a considerable increase in statistics, the final result being\(\tau _{D^0= } (4.8 \pm _{0.9 - 0.7}^{1.0 + 0.5} )10^{ - 13} s\).

A measurement of elastic deeply virtual Compton scattering gamma* p -> gamma p using e^+ p and e^- p collision data recorded with the H1 detector at HERA is presented. The analysed data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 306 pb^-1, almost equally shared between both beam charges. The cross section is measured as a function of the virtuality Q^2 of the exchanged photon and the centre-of-mass energy W of the gamma* p system in the kinematic domain 6.5 &lt; Q^2 &lt; 80 GeV^2, 30 &lt; W &lt; 140 GeV and |t| &lt; 1 GeV^2, where t denotes the squared momentum transfer at the proton vertex. The cross section is determined differentially in t for different Q^2 and W values and exponential t-slope parameters are derived. Using e^+ p and e^- p data samples, a beam charge asymmetry is extracted for the first time in the low Bjorken x kinematic domain. The observed asymmetry is attributed to the interference between Bethe-Heitler and deeply virtual Compton scattering processes. Experimental results are discussed in the context of two different models, one based on generalised parton distributions and one based on the dipole approach.

The dissociation of virtual photons, $\gamma^{\star} p \to X p$, in events with a large rapidity gap between $X$ and the outgoing proton, as well as in events in which the leading proton was directly measured, has been studied with the ZEUS detector at HERA. The data cover photon virtualities $Q^2>2$ GeV$^2$ and $\gamma^{\star} p$ centre-of-mass energies $40&lt;W&lt;240$ GeV, with $M_X>2$ GeV, where $M_X$ is the mass of the hadronic final state, $X$. Leading protons were detected in the ZEUS leading proton spectrometer. The cross section is presented as a function of $t$, the squared four-momentum transfer at the proton vertex and $\Phi$, the azimuthal angle between the positron scattering plane and the proton scattering plane. It is also shown as a function of $Q^2$ and $\xpom$, the fraction of the proton's momentum carried by the diffractive exchange, as well as $\beta$, the Bjorken variable defined with respect to the diffractive exchange.

An analysis of the three leptonic reactionse+e−→e+e−,μ+μ− andτ+τ− over a wide range of energy,\(12< \sqrt s< 46.78 GeV\) is presented. The data were obtained with the JADE detector at thee+e− storage ring PETRA. They are compared to predictions of electroweak theories, in particular the standard model. For the total cross-sections of all three reactions and for the differential cross-section of Bhabha scattering no deviation from QED is found over the entire energy range. The differential cross-sections of μ and τ pairs at high energies show the angular asymmetry predicted by electroweak interference. The axial-vector and vector weak coupling constant, sin2θW andMZ are determined and compared to other measurements. Finally, limits on deviations from the standard model are given.