An analysis of global event-shape variables has been carried out for the reaction e + e − →Z 0 →hadrons to measure the strong coupling constant α s . This study is based on 52 720 hadronic events obtained in 1989/90 with the ALEPH detector at the LEP collider at energies near the peak of the Z-resonance. In order to determine α s , second order QCD predictions modified by effects of perturbative higher orders and hadronization were fitted to the experimental distributions of event-shape variables. From a detailed analysis of the theoretical uncertainties we find that this approach is best justified for the differential two-jet rate, from which we obtain α s ( M Z 2 ) = 0.121 ± 0.002(stat.)±0.003(sys.)±0.007(theor.) using a renormalization scale ω = 1 2 M Z . The dependence of α s ( M Z 2 ) on ω is parameterized. For scales m b <ω< M Z the result varies by −0.012 +0.007 .
The second DSYS error is the theoretical error.
The error includes the experimental uncertainties (±0.003), uncertainties of hadronisation corrections and of the degree of parton virtualities to which the data are corrected, as well as the uncertainty of choosing the renormalisation scale.
Jet production rates using the E0 recombination scheme.
Jet production rates using the E recombination scheme.
Jet production rates using the p0 recombination scheme.
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.
Data are corrected for final acceptance and resolution of the detector. No explicit corrections for hadronisation effects are applied.
We have observed hadronic final states produced in the decays of Z bosons. In order to study the parton structure of these events, we compare the distributions in sphericity, thurst, aplanarity, and number of jets to the predictions of several QCD-based models and to data from lower energies. The data and models agree within the present statistical precision.
Corrected event shape distributions.
Corrected event shape distributions.
Corrected event shape distributions.
Production rates of multijet hadronic final states are studied ine+e− annihilation at 29 GeV center of mass energy. QCD shower model calculations with exact first order matrix element weighting at the first gluon vertex are capable of reproducing the observed multijet event rates over a large range of jet pair masses. The method used to reconstruct jets is well suited for directly comparing experimental jet rates with parton rates calculated in perturbative QCD. Evidence for the energy dependene of αs is obtained by comparing the observed production rates of 3-jet events with results of similar studies performed at higher center of mass energies.
Observed production rates relative to the total hadronic cross section.
Production rates corrected for fragmentation, initial state radiation and detector effects.
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