We report on measurements of hadronic and leptonic cross sections and leptonic forward-backward asymmetries performed with the L3 detector in the years 1993-95. A total luminosity of 103 pb^-1 was collected at centre-of-mass energies \sqrt{s} ~ m_Z and \sqrt{s} ~ m_Z +/- 1.8 GeV which corresponds to 2.5 million hadronic and 245 thousand leptonic events selected. These data lead to a significantly improved determination of Z parameters. From the total cross sections, combined with our measurements in 1990-92, we obtain the final results: m_Z = 91189.8 +/- 3.1 MeV, Gamma_Z = 2502.4 +/- 4.2 MeV, Gamma_had = 1741.1 +/- 3.8 MeV, Gamma_l = 84.14 +/- 0.17 MeV. An invisible width of Gamma_inv = 499.1 +/- 2.9 MeV is derived which in the Standard Model yields for the number of light neutrino species N_nu = 2.978 +/- 0.014. Adding our results on the leptonic forward-backward asymmetries and the tau polarisation, the effective vector and axial-vector coupling constants of the neutral weak current to charged leptons are determined to be \bar{g}_V^l = -0.0397 +/- 0.0017 and \bar{g}_A^l = -0.50153 +/- 0.00053.Including our measurements of the Z -> b \bar{b} forward-backward and quark charge asymmetries a value for the effective electroweak mixing angle of sin^2\bar{\theta}_W = 0.23093 +/- 0.00066 is derived. All these measurements are in good agreement with the Standard Model of electroweak interactions. Using all our measurements of electroweak observables an upper limit on the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson of m_H < 133 GeV is set at 95% confidence level.
Updated values of coupling constants and electroweak mixing angle.
Cross sections for hadron production from the 1993 data. The first DSYS error is the uncorrelated part of the systematic error. The second DSYS error is from the statistical error on the absolute luminosity. In addition there is a fully correlated multiplicative contribution to the systematic error of 0.039 PCT plus an absolute uncertainty of 3.2pb together with an additional error from the absolute luminosity of 0.105 PCT.
Cross sections for hadron production from the 1994 data. The first DSYS error is the uncorrelated part of the systematic error. The second DSYS error is from the statistical error on the absolute luminosity. In addition there is a fully correlated multiplicative contribution to the systematic error of 0.039 PCT plus an absolute uncertainty of 3.2pb together with an additional error from the absolute luminosity of 0.088 PCT.
Double-tag events in two-photon collisions are studied using the L3 detector at LEP centre-of-mass energies from root(s)=189 GeV to 209 GeV. The cross sections of the e+e- -> e+e- hadrons and gamma*gamma* -> hadrons processes are measured as a function of the photon virtualities, Q1^2 and Q2^2, of the two-photon mass, W_gammagamma, and of the variable Y=ln(W_gammagamma^2/(Q1 Q2)), for an average photon virtuality <Q2> = 16 GeV2. The results are in agreement with next-to-leading order calculations for the process gamma*gamma* -> q qbar in the interval 2 <= Y <= 5. An excess is observed in the interval 5 < Y <= 7, corresponding to W_gammagamma greater than 40 GeV . This may be interpreted as a sign of resolved photon QCD processes or the onset of BFKL phenomena.
Differential cross section as a function of the photon virtualities Qi**2. Here Q1 is the virtuality w.r.t the electron vertex, and Q2 w.r.t the positron vertex. Data are given both before and after radiative corrections.
Differential cross section as a function of W, the invariant mas of the virtual GAMMA*GAMMA* system. Data are given both before and after radiative corrections.
Differential cross section as a function of the variable LN(W**2/Q1*Q2). Data are given both before and after radiative corrections.
The reaction e+e- -> e+e- gamma* gamma* -> e+e- hadrons for quasi-real photons is studied using data from root(s) = 183 GeV up to 202 GeV. Results on the total cross sections sigma(e+e- -> e+e- hadrons) and sigma(+e- gamma* gamma* -> e+e- hadrons) are given for the two-photon centre-of-mass energies 5 GeV < Wgammagamma < 185 GeV. The total cross section of two real photons is described by a Regge parametrisation. We observe a steeper rise with the two-photon centre-of-mass energy as compared to the hadron-hadron and the photon-proton cross sections. The data are also compared to the expectations of different theoretical models.
The measured total cross section for E+ E- --> E+ E- HADRONS. The first DSYS error is the total experimental systematic uncertainty and the second DSYS error is the uncertainty introduced by unfolding the data with PYTHIA and PHOJET corrections seperately.
The total cross section for two photon production of hadrons. The final column gives the data averaged over all energies together with the experimental systematic error (first DSYS) and the difference between the average and the data unfolded with PHOJET (lower sign) and PYTHIA (upper sign) seperately (second DSYS).
The production of c and b quarks in gamma-gamma collisions is studied with the L3 detector at LEP with 410 pb^-1 of data, collected at centre-of-mass energies from 189 GeV to 202 GeV. Hadronic final states containing c and b quarks are identified by detecting electrons or muons from their semileptonic decays. The cross sections sigma(e+e- -> e+e- c c~ X) and sigma(e+e- -> e+e- b b~ X) are measured and compared to next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. The cross section of b production is measured in gamma-gamma collisions for the first time. It is in excess of the QCD prediction by a factor of three.
Total cross section for charm production.
Total cross section for beauty production.
Deep inelastic electron-photon scattering is studied in the Q**2 range from 1.2 to 30 GeV**2 using the LEP1 data taken with the ALEPH, L3 and OPAL detectors at centre-of-mass energies close to the mass of the Z boson. Distributions of the measured hadronic final state are corrected to the hadron level and compared to the predictions of the HERWIG and PHOJET Monte Carlo models. For large regions in most of the distributions studied the results of the different experiments agree with one another. However, significant differences are found between the data and the models. Therefore the combined LEP data serve as an important input to improve on the Monte Carlo models.
The individual differential cross sections (DSIG/DW) in the low Q**2 regions for the three experiments.. The data are corrected using the HERWIG-kt model.
The combined differential cross sections (DSIG/DW) separately for the low and high Q**2 regions. The data are corrected using the HERWIG-kt model.
The combined differential cross sections (DSIG/DW) separately for the low and high Q**2 regions. The data are corrected using the PHOJET model.
The data collected by the L3 experiment at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV are used to measure the W-pair production cross section and the W-boson decay branching fractions. These data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 176.8pb^-1. The total cross section for W-pair production, combining all final states, is measured to be sigma_WW = 16.24 +/- 0.37(stat.) +/- 0.22(syst.) pb. Including our data collected at lower centre-of-mass energies, the hadronic branching fraction of the W-boson is determined to be B(W ->qq) = [68.20 +/- 0.68 (stat.) +/- 0.33 (syst.) ] %. The results agree with the Standard Model predictions.
Quoted cross sections with W-boson decays (i.e. W +- < ... >) mean the cross sections times the corresponding branching ratios.
VCS is the CKM matrix element.
Open charm production in gamma-gamma collisions is studied with data collected at e+e- centre-of-mass energies from 189 GeV to 202 GeV corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 410 pb-1. The charm cross section sigma(gamma gamma ---> c c~ X) is measured for the first time as a function of the two-photon centre-of-mass energy in the interval from 5 GeV to 70 GeV and is compared to NLO QCD calculations.
The total cross section for the process E+ E- --> E+ E- CQ CQBAR X.
The total cross section for the process GAMMA GAMMA --> CQ CQBAR X.
The reactions ee->ee+pi0+X and ee->ee+K0s+X are studied using data collected at LEP with the L3 detector at centre-of-mass energies between 189 and 202 GeV. Inclusive differential cross sections are measured as a function of the particle transverse momentum pt and the pseudo-rapidity. For pt < 1.5 GeV, the pi0 and K0s differential cross sections are described by an exponential, typical of soft hadronic processes. For pt > 1.5 GeV, the cross sections show the presence of perturbative QCD processes, described by a power-law. The data are compared to Monte Carlo predictions and to NLO QCD calculations.
The PI0 differential cross section as a function of PT.
The PI0 differential cross section as a function of pseudorapidity.
The K0S differential cross section as a function of PT.
Single W boson production in electron-positron collisions is studied with the L3 detector at LEP. The data sample collected at a centre-of-mass energy of \sqrt{s} = 188.7GeV corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 176.4pb^-1. Events with a single energetic lepton or two acoplanar hadronic jets are selected. Within phase-space cuts, the total cross-section is measured to be 0.53 +/- 0.12 +/- 0.03 pb, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. Including our single W boson results obtained at lower \sqrt{s}, the WWgamma gauge couplings kappa_gamma and lambda_gamma are determined to be kappa_gamma = 0.93 +/- 0.16 +/- 0.09 and lambda_gamma = -0.31 +0.68 -0.19 +/- 0.13.
No description provided.
No description provided.
No description provided.
Measurements of inclusive production of the Lambda, Xi- and Xi*(1530) baryons in two-photon collisions with the L3 detector at LEP are presented. The inclusive differential cross sections for Lambda and Xi- are measured as a function of the baryon transverse momentum, pt, and pseudo-rapidity, eta. The mean number of Lambda, Xi- and Xi*(1530) baryons per hadronic two-photon event is determined in the kinematic range 0.4 GeV < pt< 2.5 GeV, |eta| < 1.2. Overall agreement with the theoretical models and Monte Carlo predictions is observed. A search for inclusive production of the pentaquark theta+(1540) in two-photon collisions through the decay theta+ -> proton K0s is also presented. No evidence for production of this state is found.
Differential cross section for LAMBDA production.
Differential cross section for LAMBDA production.
Differential cross section for XI- production.
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