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 .

The cross section of the pure QED process e + e − → γγ has been measured using data accumulated during the 1989 and 1990 scans of the Z 0 resonance at LEP. Both the energy dependence and the angular distribution are in good agreement with the QED prediction. Upper limits on the branching ratios of Z 0 → γγ , Z 0 → π 0 γ and Z 0 → ηγ have been set at 1.4×10 −4 , 1.4×10 −4 and 2.0×10 −4 respectively. Lower limits on the cutoff parameters of the modified electron propagator have been found to be Λ + > 117 GeV and Λ − > 110 GeV. The reaction e + e − → γγγ has also been studied and was found to be consistent with the QED prediction. An upper limit on the branching ratio of Z 0 → γγγ has been set at 6.6 × 10 −5 . All the limits are given at 95% confidence level.

The reaction γ p → K + K − p has been investigated with tagged photons in the energy range of 20 < E γ < 70 GeV. A structure in the 1.7 GeV mass region is observed and interpreted in terms of a recurrence of the ø.

A study is made of the ωπ 0 system produced near threshold in the reaction γ p→ π + π − π 0 π 0 p. A spin-parity analysis shows that the ωπ 0 enhancement is consistent with predominant 1 + B(1235) production, with ∼20% J P = 1 − background.

A peak is reported in the ηπ + π − system, produced in the reaction γ p→ ηπ + π − p, at a mass of 1.28 ± 0.01 GeV with a width of 0.08 ± 0.02 GeV. Possible spin-parity assignments for the peak are shown to be J π = 1 − , J π = 1 + or J π = 2 + and interpretations of these assignments are discussed.

Measurements of the reaction γ p → p ωπ + π − are reported for photon energies 25–50 GeV. Particular attention is paid to ωπ + π − masses < 2 GeV. A search is made for ω′ or φ′ partners of the ϱ′(1600). Evidence is presented against the existence of narrow states and against the production of a broad state by an s -channel helicity conserving mechanism.

The reactions γ p→K + K − π 0 (p) and γ p→ K s 0 K ± π ± (p) have been measured using tagged photons in the energy range 20 to 70 GeV. No resonance structure is observed in either of the K K π invariant mass distributions, which range from threshold up to ∼ 3 GeV. The photoproduction cross sections for φπ 0 and K ∗ (892)K are presented and are compared with theoretical predictions. No evidence has been found for the photoproduction of φ′ (1680).

Results on photoproduction of π + π − π 0 in the photon energy range 20–70 GeV are presented. For the ω meson, the production cross-section is found to be 1010±15 (statistical)±290 (systematic) nb and is constant over the incident photon energy range. Spin-density matrix elements are evaluated for ω meson production. The φ meson is observed with a total photoproduction cross section (corrected for branching ratio to π + π − π 0 ) of 610±35±170 nb. A third resonance, at 1.67 GeV, is seen in the mass spectrum and its interpretation is discussed. The production of a broad π + π − π 0 continuum, mainly via ϱπ, and peaking at 1.2 GeV, contributes with a cross section of about 2.5 ωb. The spin-parity content is analysed by the moments of the π + π − π 0 decay angular distribution in the helicity frame and by maximum likelihood fits to the π + π − π 0 Dalitz plot. It is found that production of J P = 1 − states accounts for less than half of the total mass spectrum above 900 MeV. There is a broad enhancement in the 1 + wave around 1.15 GeV indicating photoproduction of the H(1190) meson.

Measurements of the reaction γ p → p π + π − π + π − are presented, in which π + π − π + π − systems with masses up to 3 GeV are produced from fragmentation of the incident photon. The reaction is dominated by production of the large peak of the ϱ′(1600) meson and, at higher masses ≳2 GeV, y production of jet-like 4 π systems. The ϱ′(1600) meson is produced by a predominantly s -channel helicity conserving mechanism. At higher masses there are also indications of ϱπ peaks, of masses 1.3 GeV (the A 2 meson) and 1.75 GeV, produced with a recoiling π meson by a mechanism consistent with the Deck effect.

A ϱπ enhancement with mass 1.67 ± 0.02GeV and width 0.16 ± 0.02GeV is observed in the channel γp→pπ + π − π 0 . Assuming an incoherent background, the cross section × branching ratio is 100 ± 20 nb. A spin-parity analysis favours J P = 1 − . The enhancement is most simply interpreted as a radial recurrence of the ω meson.

A dipion enhancement of mass 1.59 GeV and width 0.23 GeV is observed in the channel γp→π + π − p. The spin-parity of the enhancement is consistent with being 1 − .

We study the processes e+ e- --> 3(pi+pi-)gamma, 2(pi+pi-pi0)gamma and K+ K- 2(pi+pi-)gamma, with the photon radiated from the initial state. About 20,000, 33,000 and 4,000 fully reconstructed events, respectively, have been selected from 232 fb-1 of BaBar data. The invariant mass of the hadronic final state defines the effective e+e- center-of-mass energy, so that these data can be compared with the corresponding direct e+e- measurements. From the 3(pi+pi-), 2(pi+pi-pi0) and K+ K- 2(pi+pi-) mass spectra, the cross sections for the processes e+ e- --> 3(pi+pi-), e+ e- --> 2(pi+pi-pi0) and e+ e- --> K+ K- 2(pi+pi-) are measured for center-of-mass energies from production threshold to 4.5 GeV. The uncertainty in the cross section measurement is typically 6-15%. We observe the J/psi in all these final states and measure the corresponding branching fractions.

The e+e- -> p anti-p cross section is determined over a range of p anti-p masses, from threshold to 4.5 GeV/c^2, by studying the e+e- -> p anti-p gamma process. The data set corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 232 fb^-1, collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II storage ring, at an e+e- center-of-mass energy of 10.6 GeV. The mass dependence of the ratio of electric and magnetic form factors, |G_E/G_M|, is measured for p anti-p masses below 3 GeV/c^2: its value is found to be significantly larger than 1 for masses up to 2.2 GeV/c^2. We also measure J/psi -> p anti-p and psi(2S) -> p anti-p branching fractions and set an upper limit on Y(4260) -> p anti-p production and decay.

The process e+e- --> pi+ pi- pi0 gamma has been studied at a center-of-mass energy near the Y(4S) resonance using a 89.3 fb-1 data sample collected with the BaBar detector at the PEP-II collider. From the measured 3pi mass spectrum we have obtained the products of branching fractions for the omega and phi mesons, B(omega --> e+e-)B(omega --> 3pi)=(6.70 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.27)10-5 and B(phi --> e+e-)B(phi --> 3pi)=(4.30 +/- 0.08 +/- 0.21)10-5, and evaluated the e+e- --> pi+ pi- pi0 cross section for the e+e- center-of-mass energy range 1.05 to 3.00 GeV. About 900 e+e- --> J/psi gamma --> pi+ pi- pi0 gamma events have been selected and the branching fraction B(J/psi --> pi+ pi- pi0)=(2.18 +/- 0.19)% has been measured.

Measurements are presented of the inclusive cross section for K ∗ (892) ± production in hadronic decays of the Z 0 using a sample of about half a million events recorded with the OPAL experiment at LEP. Charged K ∗ mesons are reconstructed in the decay channel K 0 S π ± . A mean rate of 0.72±0.02±0.08 K ∗ mesons per hadronic event is found. Comparison of the results with predictions of the JETSET and HERWIG models shows that JETSET overestimates the K ∗± production cross section while HERWIG is consistent with the data.

We present a measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry in hadronic decays of the Z 0 using data collected with the OPAL detector at LEP. The forward-backward charge asymmetry was measured using a weight function method which gave the number of forward events on a statistical basis. In a data sample of 448 942 hadronic Z 0 decays, we have observed a charge asymmetry of A h = 0.040±0.004 (stat.)±0.006 (syst.)±0.002 (B 0 B 0 mix.), taking into account the effect of B 0 B 0 mixing. In the framework of the standard model, this asymmetry corresponds to an effective weak mixing angle averaged over five quark flavours of sin 2 θ W = 0.2321 ± 0.0017 ( stat. ) ± 0.0027 ( syst. ) ± 0.0009 (B 0 B 0 mix.). The result agrees with the value obtained from the Z 0 line shape and lepton pair forward-backward asymmetry.

The production of the octet and decuplet baryons Λ, Ξ − , Σ (1385) ± , Ξ(1530) 0 and Ω − and the corresponding antibaryons has been measured in a sample of 485 000 hadronic Z 0 decays. Results on differential and integrated cross sections are presented. The differential cross section of Λ baryons is found to be softer than the one predicted by the Jetset and Herwig Monte Carlo generators. The measured decuplet yields are found to disagree with the simple diquark picture where only one tuning parameter for spin 1 diquarks is used. Comparisons of the momentum spectra for Λ and Ξ − with the predictions of an analytical QCD formula are also presented.

We report a study of the processes e+e- -> eta gamma and e+e- -> etaprime gamma at a center-of-mass energy of 10.58 GeV, using a 232 fb^-1 data sample collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II collider at SLAC. We observe 20+6-5 eta gamma and 50+8-7 etaprime gamma events over small backgrounds, and measure the cross sections sigma(e+e- -> eta gamma) =4.5+1.2-1.1(stat)+-0.3(sys) fb and sigma(e+e- -> etaprime gamma)=5.4+-0.8(stat)+-0.3(sys) fb. The corresponding transition form factors at q^2 = 112 GeV^2 are q^2|F_eta(q^2)|=0.229+-0.030+-0.008 GeV, and q^2|F_etaprime(q^2)|=0.251+-0.019+-0.008 GeV, respectively.

We study the process $e^+e^-\to\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-\gamma$, with a hard photon radiated from the initial state. About 60,000 fully reconstructed events have been selected from 89 $fb^{-1}$ of BaBar data. The invariant mass of the hadronic final state defines the effective \epem center-of-mass energy, so that these data can be compared with the corresponding direct $e^+e^-$ measurements. From the $4\pi$-mass spectrum, the cross section for the process $e^+e^-\to\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$ is measured for center-of-mass energies from 0.6 to 4.5 $GeV/c^2$. The uncertainty in the cross section measurement is typically 5%. We also measure the cross sections for the final states $K^+ K^- \pi^+\pi^-$ and $K^+ K^- K^+ K^-$. We observe the $J/\psi$ in all three final states and measure the corresponding branching fractions. We search for X(3872) in $J/\psi (\to\mu^+\mu^-) \pi^+\pi^-$ and obtain an upper limit on the product of the $e^+e^-$ width of the X(3872) and the branching fraction for $X(3872) \to J/\psi\pi^+\pi^-$.

We report on an improved measurement of the value of the strong coupling constant σ s at the Z 0 peak, using the asymmetry of the energy-energy correlation function. The analysis, based on second-order perturbation theory and a data sample of about 145000 multihadronic Z 0 decays, yields α s ( M z 0 = 0.118±0.001(stat.)±0.003(exp.syst.) −0.004 +0.0009 (theor. syst.), where the theoretical systematic error accounts for uncertainties due to hadronization, the choice of the renormalization scale and unknown higher-order terms. We adjust the parameters of a second-order matrix element Monte Carlo followed by string hadronization to best describe the energy correlation and other hadronic Z 0 decay data. The α s result obtained from this second-order Monte Carlo is found to be unreliable if values of the renormalization scale smaller than about 0.15 E cm are used in the generator.

The production of K 0 mesons in e + e − interactions at center of mass energies in the region of the Z 0 mass has been investigated with the OPAL detector at LEP. The rate is found to be 2.10±0.02±0.14 K 0 , Z 0 per hadronic event. The predictions from the JETSET and HERWIG generators agree very well with both the rate and the scale invariant cross section (1/σ had β) (dσ/d x E ) for K 0 production. Comparisons of the inclusive momentum spectrum with predictions of an analytical QCD formula and with data from lower center of mass energies are presented.

A study of b quark hadronisation is presented using inclusively reconstructed B hadrons in about four million hadronic Z decays recorded in 1992-2000 with the OPAL detector at LEP. The data are compared to different theoretical models, and fragmentation function parameters of these models are fitted. The average scaled energy of weakly decaying B hadrons is determined to be &lt;xe>=0.7193+-0.0016(stat)+0.0036-0.0031(syst)

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 present results on photoproduction of ϱ 0 and ω in the reactions γ p→ π + π − p and γ p→ π + π − π 0 p by tagged photons in the energy ranges 20 to 70 GeV and 20 to 45 GeV, respectively. The production of the ϱ 0 shows dominantly the characteristics of a diffractive process with respect to the E γ and t dependence of the cross section and the spin density matrix. The ϱ 0 photoproduction yields on average over the photon energy range a total cross section of σ ( γ p→ ϱ 0 p) = 9.4±0.1 μ b with an additional systematic error of ±1 μ b, and average slope parameters of the t distribution d σ /d t ≈exp(− b | t | + ct 2 ), of b =9.1±0.1 GeV −2 and c = 3.1 ±±0.2 GeV −4 . The shape of the ϱ 0 peak in the π + π − invariant spectra shows a skewing similar to that observed at lower energies. The photoproduction of ω is also consistent with a diffractive process and has a cross section of σ ( γ p→ ω p) = 1.2± 0.1 μ b with an additional systematic error of ±0.2 μ b. The average slope parameters of the t distribution are b =8.3 ± 1.3 GeV −2 and c = 3.4±2.6 GeV −4 .

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.